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Extinct Volcano Prompts Potential Beer Shortage

The site is a major source of the brewing industry’s carbon dioxide.

Beer drinkers in the U.S. could face a looming shortage of suds — but supply chain challenges aren’t completely to blame.

According to Axios, the problem stems from the site of a long-extinct volcano in Mississippi.

The area, known as Jackson Dome, is a major source of carbon dioxide used by brewers.

But gas leaks — potentially due to natural shifts in geology — have reportedly contaminated the reservoir.

The CO2 shortage has forced some companies — particularly craft breweries — to cut back on production or pay much higher prices.

The crisis compounds rising prices for grains, metals and other vital materials for beer-making.

Some brewers, in response, are preparing to switch to nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide.

A few, however, could benefit from earlier efforts to become more environmentally friendly: reusing CO2 captured during the brewing process.

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