Norway: Historic brewery in Drammen runs out of CO2 and halts production

Norway’s historic family-owned brewery Aass in Drammen has run out of the liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) it needs to produce beer and other carbonated soft drinks. Several other breweries are also running short because of a shortage in Northern Europe of the ingredient that makes drinks bubbly, NewsInEnglish.no reported on June 27.

Petter Nome, head of Norway’s trade association for breweries and bottlers, told state broadcaster that Aass in Drammen was just one of those facing serious production problems. “If the breweries don’t receive deliveries (of CO2) before the weekend, they’ll run out,” Nome said, adding that will quickly be noticeable at retailers, bars and restaurants that will run out of carbonated drinks.

“We probably won’t get any CO2 for a week,” Christian Aass og Aass Bryggeri told NRK. Local producer and distributor Praxair Norge said the CO2 shortage, which also threatens a major water treatment plant in Oslo, was so acute that it had to priortize customers that need CO2 within health care, animal welfare and security.