Letter: Natural gas has benefits
By Michelle Palacio, Hubbard, Ore.
Published: April 10, 2021, 6:00am
Share:
On April 7, we celebrated National Beer Day. As we raise a glass of our favorite Northwest brew, we should reflect on what makes beer possible. Most people know the four main ingredients for beer are water, grain, yeast and hops. But, few realize natural gas plays a critical role in brewing beer.
The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the best breweries in the world. That wouldn’t be the case without hops and natural gas. Hop growers use natural gas to dry the hops during harvest, preserving them for use by brewers near and far. Brewers in turn also use natural gas to evenly heat their mash.