Jul
26
Beer Up
July 26, 2007 | 5 Comments
The following article was posted on the Great Falls Tribune website a few days ago, but I can’t find the link to it anymore.
The cost of beer is rising, but it’s not causing Americans, or Montanans for that matter, to slow their consumption.
Montana came in fourth in 2006 for average beer consumption per capita, according to a USA Today article.
Montanans, on average, each guzzle down 41 gallons of beer per year, or a little more than one 12-ounce can of beer per day.
Nevada tops the nation for beer consumption with 44.2 gallons per year per person on average. New Hampshire and North Dakota also beat out Montana for the No. 2 and 3 spots.
Utah, unsurprisingly, came in last, drinking 18.9 gallons of beer each year, or a little more than a half a can of beer per day.
Nationwide, Americans drink about 30 gallons of beer per year. That number was up over the 2005 average, despite beer costs having risen about 3 percent since last May.
That is good news for many Montanans who grow barley and other beer ingredients.
More good news for some Montanans is that barley prices are also up, which helps explain the rising price of the carbonated beverage. Eighteen months ago, a bushel of barley brought in $2.56 on average. Now it sells for $3.50.
Comments
5 Comments so far
Latest Montana News- Helena students "band" together for music festivalIn the Helena valley, music brought three middle schools together in harmony this week. The bands from Helena Middle School, C.R. Anderson, and East Valley Middle School joined forces for a music festival, with the 8th-grade students split up into two groups to practice sets of four pieces.Triona Matheson, a percussionist, said, "We all play together as […]
- Montana communities not happy with state funds freezeAccording to the Montana Department of Commerce, 50 cities and counties across the state will not be getting money that was promised them.During the last legislative session, Congress approved spending $20-million dollars on rural projects. The state has spent $16.5-million of that, but is holding the remaining 10% due to the budget situation.State budget di […]
- Montana water committee addressess federal proposalMontana's Water Policy Interim Committee is speaking out about the federal government's jurisdiction over Montana's water and has sent a letter to Montana's U.S. Congressional delegation.State law says Montana's water resources are state property and should be used for the people of Montana. Language before the U.S. Congress in the C […]
- Belgrade resident Wolery sentenced for attempted sexual exploitation of teenThe United States Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that Rayne Allen Wolery, a 30-year-old resident of Belgrade, was sentenced in a Helena courtroom to a term of 180 months in prison, supervised release for 10 years, and forfeiture of computer and cell phone. Wolery was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to attempted sexual exploitation of ch […]
- Montana unemployment rate ticks upThe state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly by 0.1 points in January to 6.8% while the national unemployment rate fell from 10% to 9.7% in January."The U.S. economy showed positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the second half of 2009, but employment growth lags behind a recovery in GDP," says Labor Commission […]
- St. Peters, county health agency team up to offer free mammogramsThe National Cancer Institute estimates about 40,000 American women died of breast cancer last year. Saint Peters Hospital in Helena is teaming up with the Lewis & Clark County Health Department to help with early detection by offering free mammograms for uninsured and low-income women.Saint Peters recommends women start getting an annual mammogram when […]
- Sarah Palin returning to Montana for teen fundraiserFormer Alaska Governor and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin is making another trip to the Treasure State.Palin will be in Missoula on September 12 for a fundraiser for an organization called Teen Challenge;the faith-based organization helps teens deal with life's problems by teaching them Christian values.Money raised during the event will go towar […]
- Custodian found dead in Butte schoolThe body of a 49-year-old man was found at Kennedy Elementary School in Butte on Saturday.The man worked as a custodian for the school district, Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff John Walsh said.The body was found in a classroom by a teacher Saturday morning.The man was identified as Doug Weisenberger.The body was taken to the state crime lab for an autopsy, but it a […]
- Superintendent's gun fires during class in Reed PointReed Point High School students got quite a shock when a history lesson about a gun misfired on Friday. The gun actually went off in the middle of class and the bullet went through a wall. No one was hurt.Superintendent Dwain Haggard says he was teaching a history lesson and was showing off his .50-caliber Hawkens, an antique replica muzzleloader, when the g […]
- Helena students "band" together for music festival
Just as with bread, the cost of the grains used to make beer are an insignificant part of the selling price.
Anheuser-Busch uses rice in making most of their beers, and the company is the largest commercial buyer of rice in the U.S., bigger even than Uncle Ben’s, or so I’ve been told by the ex-chief rice trader at Uncle Ben’s.
Putting the beer in the freezer for 20 minutes (to be safe and not to forget and then be surprised by a loud bang coming from the freezer, set your micowave at 20-minutes and 0-power) makes any beer taste better.
Now, if only the sales of Montana’s micro-brews went up!
Walter, you don’t like beer, do you?
Courtney, what makes you think that I don’t like beer?
Beer is like vehicle fuel, until the cost becomes absolutley prohibitive, we’ll keep buying beer (and gas). At least I will!