Japan’s biggest brewers are developing new varieties of barley and hops to combat global heating

Japan’s leading breweries are pioneering efforts to develop new varieties of barley and hops that can withstand severe weather conditions as climate change threatens agricultural production worldwide, according to a Jiji Press report published on the US-headquartered National Alcohol Beverage Control Association’s website.

The initiative aims to ensure that the sustained production of high-quality beer will continue despite the increasing threats of rain and heat, which have previously led to lower yields and diminished quality of essential beer ingredients.

The urgency of this response is underscored by concerns within the industry about the future cost and availability of these crops. With abnormal weather patterns becoming more frequent, there is a palpable worry that beer prices could skyrocket as a result. “It is possible that a can (of beer) will cost 800 yen or more in the future,” according to an industry official cited in the report. “In such a case, nobody would drink beer, and (the beer market) would continue to shrink.”

A recent success is Sapporo Breweries Ltd, which has achieved a notable breakthrough this year with the development of a barley variant that demonstrates enhanced resistance to rain. This innovation is crucial because barley exposed to extended periods of rain just before harvest is prone to premature germination, making it unsuitable for beer production.

The new strain developed markedly reduces this risk, potentially decreasing the incidence of germination in such adverse conditions by approximately 85%, said Sapporo Breweries.