[pip08456]

U.K. facing beer shortage as key carbon dioxide producer pauses operations.

On Wednesday, CF Fertilizers—one of the largest fertilizer producers in the U.K.—released an extremely consequential statement for British brewers and pubs.

The company will be temporarily suspending its production of ammonia at one of its largest plants, citing rising costs for natural gas and carbon leading to “uneconomical” market conditions.

Ammonia is a key ingredient used in fertilizer, but the manufacturing process behind it also creates a very useful byproduct: carbon dioxide. Producers like CF Fertilizers then sell the resultant CO2 to brewers who use it to carbonate beer and give it its distinctive fizz.

But the halt in ammonia production means that brewers and beer lovers won’t be able to rely on CF’s CO2 for a while.

“Once the ammonia plant is safely shut down, CO2 production, which is a byproduct of the ammonia production process, will stop until the plant is restarted,” the company said in its statement.

https://fortune.com/2022/08/25/uk-ca...-supply-snags/

Edit: Forgot the link