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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Sam Jones in Alcobendas

Spanish startup on ‘mission to save planet’s beer’ from climate crisis

Javier Ramiro, the co-chief scientific officer of the indoor hops farming startup Ekonoke, controls the cultivation of the plants in Alcobendas, Spain.
Javier Ramiro, the co-chief scientific officer of the indoor hops farming startup Ekonoke, controls the cultivation of the plants in Alcobendas, Spain. Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Though lacking in rustic romance, the disco-lit rows of hops bolting towards the ceiling of an industrial unit just outside Madrid could be the answer to the parched prayers of brewers and beer-drinkers across the planet.

The hop plant, whose bright green flowers have been used for hundreds of years to flavour and stabilise beer, is increasingly falling victim to the climate emergency as hotter summers and unpredictable weather decrease yields and quality.

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