Pioneer Press: Local Brews About To Cost More
An article in today’s Pioneer Press puts a local spin on the industry-wide predictions of higher craft beer prices this winter thanks to a shortage of barley and hops.
“Don’t be surprised to see everything go up 15, 20 percent,” said Jeff Williamson, co-owner and brewmaster at Flat Earth Brewing Co. in St. Paul. He plans to keep his beer prices steady for at least the next year.”Everybody’s feeling a pinch. My wife and I have actually been talking about maybe having someone start growing hops here locally,” he said.Industry watchers and beer makers forecast the “pinch” to last through at least 2010. It will take that long for farmers - many who switched to growing more-profitable corn and soybeans for biofuels - to realize there’s a demand again for hops and switch back.
An emphatic post on MNBeer.com sheds some light on how local beer drinkers and homebrewers are impacted by the same shortage of supplies that’s hurting the local craft beer makers.
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