DOOM: Beer

[AtW]

"Beer lovers face bottle shortage as rising energy costs hit UK breweries

Wholesaler says some beer firms may have to use different containers as bottle stocks run low

Beer drinkers could soon find it difficult to buy their favourite bottled beverage because of a shortage of glassware triggered by soaring energy costs, a food and drink wholesaler has warned.

Suppliers are already experiencing problems sourcing glassware as its production is energy intensive, pushing its price 80% higher over the past year. As a result, stocks have tumbled, according to Dunns Food and Drinks, one of Scotland’s largest wholesalers.

Glassware shortages could be soon be felt by the UK beer industry, said Julie Dunn, the operations director at the family-run wholesaler. “Our wine and spirits suppliers from around the globe are facing ongoing struggles that will have a knock-on effect,” she said. “As a result, there could be less variety in the bottled beers we see on UK shelves.”

https://www.theguardian.com/business...rgy-costs-beer

[SueEllen]

Use cans?

[ladymuck]

What happened to bottles being returned, washed and reused?

[d000hg]

Use cans?

Indeed. Although it seems like most of the craft brewers already are these days. There isn't going to be a reduction in choice of beers.

What happened to bottles being returned, washed and reused?

Was this ever the case in the UK? When I got into home-brewing I initially cheaped out and recycled any bottles me and my friends had and quickly discovered getting the labels off most bottles is a real ball-ache unless you invest in some solvents, as they use non-water-based glue which doesn't come off.
Whereas in some countries - I think Germany(?) - the labels are basically just put on as wet paper so you can rinse them off trivially. And bottles do make their way back to be rinsed and refilled rather than melted and recycled.

[ladymuck]

Was this ever the case in the UK? When I got into home-brewing I initially cheaped out and recycled any bottles me and my friends had and quickly discovered getting the labels off most bottles is a real ball-ache unless you invest in some solvents, as they use non-water-based glue which doesn't come off.
Whereas in some countries - I think Germany(?) - the labels are basically just put on as wet paper so you can rinse them off trivially. And bottles do make their way back to be rinsed and refilled rather than melted and recycled.

Less so recently but it was a thing back in the day. My dad remembers doing it as a kid.

Pubs and supermarkets could easily form part of a network of bottle return systems if only they and the breweries were willing to invest in setting up such a network, and the breweries were willing to actually wash and reuse their stuff, only sending broken or defective bottles for melting down.

It worked for milk distribution for a very long time. Then that all changed to plastic bottles before milk deliveries were eventually put out of business by supermarkets selling milk for less than cost.

[d000hg]

It's good fun when we visit Finland to return our cans and bottles, they have a big machine you feed them all in to which scans them and gives you a voucher at the end. Of course it probably makes a huge loss and is heavily subsidies by their socialist utopia but it seems to work well practically.

You'd think reusing glass receptacles would be in everyone's interest, like you say it can't be hard if people wanted to do it.

[vetran]

It's good fun when we visit Finland to return our cans and bottles, they have a big machine you feed them all in to which scans them and gives you a voucher at the end. Of course it probably makes a huge loss and is heavily subsidies by their socialist utopia but it seems to work well practically.

You'd think reusing glass receptacles would be in everyone's interest, like you say it can't be hard if people wanted to do it.

Had one of those in Germany you fed the glass in and got tokens to spend in that supermarket, doubt it was subsidised.

[Jarman]

I'm ok with monkeypox, but not this!

[cojak]

We still brew (got our summer beer conditioning atm), and have enough bottles to last us for the winter beers as well.

There isn’t a problem with labels as we just mark up the bottle caps with the type and month/year date.

[AtW]

We still brew (got our summer beer conditioning atm), and have enough bottles to last us for the winter beers as well.
There isn’t a problem with labels as we just mark up the bottle caps with the type and month/year date.

Very useful skill for post-Monkeypox society!