Beer may cost as much as whiskey in the near future

Beer drinkers beware: The mounting cost of beer ingredients could send local microbrew prices hopping, while a hop shortage could leave some brews lacking their signature flavor.

Barberis said total malt prices for the Great Northern have increased by about 27 percent over last year’s cost, while hops have gone up approximately 366 percent. One hop that sold for about $4.50 a pound last year now goes for about $20 per pound. The average 20-barrel batch of beer uses anywhere from five to 20 pounds of hops.

Craig Koontz, brewer at Tamarack Brewing Company in Lakeside, said six-packs in some markets like Seattle have already reached $10.99.