EU: Gushing of beer reported in some parts of the EU, experts say the industry has learnt over the years to cope with this issue

Gushing of beer has been an irregular, recently more frequent problem for the brewing industry. This year there is an occurrence of gushing all over the European Union, albeit with regional variations, an industry report said earlier in November.

France and Germany are affected, there are also some bad reports about the U.K., Ireland and the Netherlands. Scandinavia seems to have escaped from the problem to a large extent, industry sources reported.

European brewers and maltsters have learnt over the years how to cope with the risk of gushing. Maltsters will be obliged to test their production and their deliveries regularly, a time-consuming and expensive operation. Winter barley is not affected, neither is malt for the production of whisky.

In spite of all research work the gushing-causing factors in barley and malt have never been found. This year’s DON-analyses are within permitted limits. The western European continent had experienced another wet summer, with rain hitting the barley during the blossoming period. It led to the development of fusarium inside the grains, not visible from the outside. There are also lots with easily detectable red and other fusarium infested kernels, which automatically exclude them from the brewing chain. Has it got to do with modern farming, as 90% of all fields are not plowed any more, seeding is done on the stubbles of last year’s crop with a minimal penetration of the seedbed? Could diseases of the preceding crop automatically be injected into the new seed? E.g. from the rapidly extending maize crops? Since a few years research has intensified and is now also financed by the EU Commission and the brewing industry. Fast results, however, are not expected.