A shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is used in the production of beer, has local brewers considering potential alternatives.

Due to the sensitivity of craft beer to oxygen, CO2 is used to purge it from tanks during the brewing process.

“We’re looking at potentially using nitrogen for part of the processes that don’t one hundred percent require CO2,” Rhyme and Reason Brewery chief taster Simon Ross said.

“If we switch to nitrogen we can get away with using that for things like purging tanks and cleaning kegs, which should be able to at least reduce our reliance on the CO2 supply.”

New Zealand has been dealing with supply issues for CO2 since the closure of the Marsden Point refinery in 2022, and the recent temporary closure of the Kapuni (Taranaki) liquid CO2 processing plant due to safety concerns has exacerbated the situation.

Rhyme x Reason Brewery in Wānaka 

Central Otago Polytechnic course lead (teaching brewing) Geoff Collie says industry practices need to change to become more sustainable and to avoid shortages in the future.

“If we can’t purchase CO2, we won’t be able to continue to produce beer,” he said. 

“Breweries can have equipment in place that can recover carbon dioxide off the top of their fermentations that liquefy the gas for reuse,” Geoff said, but noted that small breweries can’t always afford to do this. 

“Having said that, there are things that small breweries can do to reduce their CO2 consumption and that’s something I’m starting to think about here as well.”

RNZ reported this week that beer prices could spike due to the shortage, with Brewers Association executive Dylan Firth saying brewers were quite concerned as they may have to import carbon at a higher price or invest in gas capturing technology.

He was hopeful production of the gas could catch up if Kapuni was not closed for long, RNZ reported.

PHOTOS: Rhyme x Reason / Ray Tiddy