Belgian brewer says climate change to blame for shorter season

One of the most renowned Belgian beer brewers said it is a victim of climate change because increasingly high temperatures have shortened the brewing season by about a month compared with the 1950s.

Cantillon brewer blames climate change for shorter season. Image by [puamelia] / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Cantillon Gueuze brewery needs to cool its hot brew in open tanks so that the natural yeasts in the air can help produce the sour beer that has developed a niche following throughout the world. But with temperatures staying as high as 15C (59F) at night, Cantillon has stopped brewing since it does not want to use artificial refrigeration.

“It is totally abnormal. We have those night temperatures in the summer and with such a temperature it is totally impossible to brew,” Cantillon brewer Jean Van Roy said.