cuban beer crisis

[Ken Gargett]

CUBA HIT BY SUMMER BEER CRISIS

19th August, 2014 by Gabriel Savage

A lack of barley combined with one of the hottest summers on record has sparked a beer shortage in Cuba.

Apart from a few imported beers sold at high mark ups, most of the country’s beer is produced by the Bucanero brewery, a joint venture between the Communist government and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Alongside Bucanero, the brewery’s brands include Cristal, Cacique and Mayabe.

However, the brewery experienced a sharp dip in production at the start of 2014, which Cuban media attributed to delays in malted barley imports during the first four months of the year.

This shortfall has now filtered through the supply chain to affect thirsty consumers in search of refreshment as the island experiences a summer heatwave with temperatures averaging 28°C.

Local reports indicate that the situation is being exacerbated by individuals and the country’s newly permitted private restaurants, called paladares, hoarding beer stocks.

According to 2011 data provided by the Cuban government, the country’s per capita beer consumption is 21.1 litres in a population of 11.63 million.

Although the combination of its Communist set up and a longstanding US trade embargo means that the country is used to shortages, with items such as potatoes and even condoms reported to be scarce, this latest supply issue is provoking particular discontent.

“Cubans are beer people,” the manager of one Havana café told Reuters. “This beer drought is really hurting sales. People see there’s no cold beer and they just harrumph, then walk away in a bad mood.”

[polarbear]

I like the concept of 28C being considered at heat wave...

[new2habano]

"Let them eat cake", as I crack open a bottle of Henriot Brut Souverain.

[Ryan]

I hope they fix this or I'll be seeing Havana in an entirely new light in February.

[Maplepie]

I hope they fix this or I'll be seeing Havana in an entirely new light in February.

Looks like you're going to the other Irish Embassy!

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[Guest chunkatlarge]

There is an opening for Blow'[email protected]

[Ryan]

Looks like you're going to the other Irish Embassy!

I was driving past the British embassy in Miramar once with some people from Hunters and Frankau and some english retailers, they were all feeling very patriotic and somebody asked me "Where's the Irish embassy?" I said "Mexico".

They all found it terribly funny. But it's true.

Zimbabwe has an embassy in Havana.

[Maplepie]

"Where's the Irish embassy?"

I said "Mexico".

They all found it terribly funny. But it's true.

You can't lie, though: That is pretty funny!

I do wonder why that is... and how many poor countrymen were stranded there before.

I mean, what happens to you if you lose your passport?

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[Ryan]

You can't lie, though: That is pretty funny!

I do wonder why that is... and how many poor countrymen were stranded there before.

I mean, what happens to you if you lose your passport?

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

If I lost a passport I would have to get in touch with the embassy in Mexico. They would then get something delivered to Cuba, probably to the British embassy, and I would go pick it up there.

[alloy]

This isn't good news. A beer shortage could spark a revolution, ya know.....jus' sayin'.

[sengjc]

No condoms?

In about 18 years, beer shortages in Cuba will be more acute.

You would think if there is insufficient barley, they would try other form of cereal, maybe even fruit, to brew some form of beer.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Maplepie]

Mead!!

Oi Paul, get your ass to Cuba!

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[...]

I guess you'd need the beer shortage to coincide with a rum shortage to spark any revolution, just sayin'