Changes Brewing? How weather patterns could impact taste, cost of your favorite local micro-brews

WEYMOUTH, Mass — Vitamin Sea Brewery in Weymouth is packed on a Friday afternoon in the summer. Founder Dino Funari says, to keep the crowds coming back, he has to keep brewing a great product, with great ingredients.

“We’re always changing things. We’re always trying to improve and innovate,” Funari said.

But he admits, some of those changes are out of his control, especially when it comes to the weather in regions where key ingredients, like hops, are grown.

“Citra, which is a Pacific Northwest hop is the backbone of I don’t know, 80% of our beers,” Funari said.

But crops Washington state have had a tough couple of years. Thanks to a heat wave in 2021 and a wet 2022, the hops capitol of the country in Yakima Valley has had back-to-back below normal harvests.

The changing weather is having an impact on the taste profile… and the cost.

“It means that there’s less supply,” said Maggie Elliot with Hop Growers of America, “and so if the demand stays consistent, then the price will rise.”

Which is exactly what some brewers say they’ve seen happen. Those costs affect everyone, from big producers like Anheuser-Bush to local craft breweries like Vitamin Sea.

“So there’s definitely a shift that’s happening and that affects the hops in a lot of different way,” Funari said.

And it’s not just hops feeling the impact.

“We saw the pricing of our flaked oats that we use. That went from, you know, under $30 a bag to $45 a bag overnight. And barley continues to creep up as well,” said Funari. “It’s obviously painful because we have to be price conscious.”

Boston 25 asked the US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsak, what the government is doing to help farmers adapt to the changing weather conditions. He said, “There’s information available in wherever the region is for how to mitigate, how to adapt, how to adjust to climate. We also have launched what is called the Climate Smart Commodities Initiative. 141 projects involving every commodity, including hops. Basically taking a look at how farmers could embrace climate smart practices to produce a high quality product and then be able to market that product. And we’re excited about the potential for those projects to give us more information about how best to adapt and mitigate climate.”

Funari says Vitamin Sea has tried to absorb the costs, rather than passing them on to their customers.

“But if it continues, it’s just getting to that point where we can’t do it anymore.

Hopefully that doesn’t happen,” said Funari.

For now, Vitamin Sea https://vitaminseabrewing.com/ is counting on their wide variety of brews and hopefully some sunny days to keep the customers coming to their beer garden and tap room.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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