No beer?! Okay, now it's serious.
As parts of New Zealand and Australia become drier due to climate change, barley production could take a hit, and so could thousands of Down Under pub-goers. A New Zealand scientist predicts that, as the drought in these countries gets worse, the barley production will decrease, causing a shortage of beer and shoving beer prices skyward. He suggested that breweries might look at other types of barley with which to brew their drinks. (Either that, or the amount of hops-heavy beer will skyrocket).
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A little background info on barley: there are several different kinds, differentiated by the number of seeds on the stalk. Before it is used for beer, it must be malted, which means allowing it to germinate and get nice and starchy. It is heated, and retains a natural enzyme, diastaste, which converts the starch into sugar. Hops is added for flavor, yeast is added and left to ferment, and - voila! The most basic explanation of beer-making, ever. It'll continue like this, or at least until drought completely ravages all of the barley.
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