Food - News
Could An Inactive Volcano Lead To A Beer Shortage?
By REE WINTER
Additional carbon dioxide is added in "keg, bottled, and canned beers” during the fermentation process for beer production in large volumes to be "faster and more efficient," says CAC GAS & Instrumentation. This gas is usually outsourced, but supplies are running low, resulting in a shortage of beer as well as a hike in prices.
Unfortunately, Jackson Dome, an inactive volcano in Mississippi that supplied the carbon dioxide, became contaminated. Gasworld claims, "Contamination occurred when [Jackson Dome owner] Denbury decided to use its existing CO2 supplies for enhanced oil recovery and drill additional wells to feed its CO2 pipeline that supplies merchant CO2 plants."
According to Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association, "Individual producers may have issues, but this isn't so widespread that you're going to see empty beer shelves." However, he also said that the situation could contribute to ammonia plant closures, which is another large source of CO2.