Hot weather is now affecting Belgian beer too

RUSSELS  — One of the most renowned Belgian beer brewers says it is a victim of climate change because increasingly high temperatures have shortened the brewing season by a month since the 1950s.

The Cantillon gueuze brewery needs to cool its hot brew in open vessels so that the natural yeasts in the air can help produce the sour beer that has developed a niche following throughout the world. However, with temperatures staying as high as 15 C (59 F) at night the past days, Cantillon has shut down brewing since it doesn't want to use artificial refrigeration.

Brewer Jean Van Roy said Friday that "with such a temperature it is totally impossible to brew."

Scientists say the global average temperature has risen by about 0.8 degrees C since the industrial revolution.