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Waco, TX (FOX 44) – Breweries across the nation are having to close down due to a shortage in carbon dioxide.

This important gas, a key ingredient in all of our favorite bubbly drinks, is causing job loss and potentially fewer drinks in the future.

Local suppliers and breweries FOX 44 spoke with say they still have a steady supply of carbon dioxide coming in.

Being aware of the problem in bigger cities, Waco Ale Company head brewer, Kevin Rimlinger, says it’s an issue they’re keeping an eye on.

“As far as Waco is concerned, I’m not seeing that,” said Rimlinger. “None of the other breweries have that issue here that I know of yet.”

Carbon dioxide is essential in the beverage industry.

Contact with oxygen will break down the taste of beer and wild yeast can infect it.

“We purge it with carbon dioxide so no oxygen can get in there, aid Rimlinger. “We use carbon dioxide to carb a beer, most most big breweries do.”

Rimlinger says an alternative to using carbon dioxide is to bottle-condition beers, which few breweries do.

We reached out to Dupuy oxygen and industrial supply selling carbon dioxide, and they released a statement saying the shortage has not become an issue yet, but could change with constant supply chain issues

If the situation does occur where carbon dioxide is in short supply, Bare Arms Brewery owner, Kevin Yackley says they would be well equipped having liquid carbon dioxide stored away in a 300 pound tank.

“The tank it doesn’t empty immediately,” said Yackley. “We don’t need deliveries more than a month, once or twice a month for a short term outage. We’d be just fine.”

In worst case scenario, Yackley says they would immediately buy more equipment to increase their reserve of of carbon dioxide.

“We can get another that a tank and then extend our survivability and assorted situation,” said Yackley. “So I’m not concerned about employment for our staff or our ability to keep our beer flowing.”

For many breweries consistently using carbon dioxide to make beer and other drinks, Yackley says it’s important to have foresight and staying prepared.