UK Beer Shortages Loom as Heatwave Causes Record Bad Harvest

A heatwave in the UK has caused a record bad harvest, leading to warnings of beer shortages and higher prices. Lisa Hogan, who runs Diddly Squat Farm with Jeremy Clarkson, said that another bad harvest would remove the ability to supplement grain from countries like Poland.

Hogan's farm experienced a collapsed water supply during the drought and welcomed government plans to ease reservoir construction.

Provisional figures show that the 2026 UK cereals and oilseed harvest is on track to be the worst since 1984, at 19.5 million tonnes against pre-heatwave forecasts of 21.3 million from the USDA and 22 million from COCERAL.

However, maltsters say that malting barley supply remains comfortable despite a record-bad harvest. The Swaen, a Dutch maltster supplying UK brewers, reported that European malting barley tonnage is down but not scarce, with supply remaining comfortable and malting barley premiums over feed having narrowed rather than widened.