UK: Beer prices set to skyrocket due to poor barley harvest

Following on from what looks to be a poor yield of the key ingredient to create the golden nectar, beer might become in short supply, driving its already rising price further upwards.

In fact, 2024’s barley harvest is expected to be one of the worst harvests since detailed records began in 1983 with farmers expected to only be able to produce a fifth of what they normally supply.

This has ultimately been put down to a lack of sunshine.

Furthermore, yields have been hit by the amount of wheat being planted falling by a tenth, with two thirds of farmer saying they have lost money.

Waterlogging in fields throughout winter and spring have damaged many crops.

Mike Wilkins, a farmer in Wiltshire who lost around half his yield, told the BBC: “We have lost thousands and thousands of pounds this year, it has been catastrophic.”

Of course, the beer scientists among us will know that less wheat equals less beer – devastating news.

Ultimately this means that brewers will have to spend more on beer production, a cost which will be passed on to the consumer.

For the time being, it is uncertain just how bad the effects will be on the cost of beer, however with inflation and the rise of large cities, pints certainly won’t be getting any cheaper.

As per the pub trade publication The Morning Advertiser, the cost of a lager in the capital is reported to be £5.59, 80p above the national average.

Meanwhile the north-south beer border was clear to see, although the Midlands have the cheapest pints.

Across the Midlands and Wales, the average price is £4.74 the cheapest price for a pint excluding The North East with its £4.56 average pint price.