How did famine historically affect the use of wheat and barley in brewing?

Historically, famine has had a significant impact on the availability of agricultural products, including wheat and barley, which are essential in brewing. During times of famine, the need to prioritize food sources for human consumption over brewing ingredients often led to government regulations that restricted or banned the use of certain grains, such as wheat, for brewing purposes. This was particularly true in regions where wheat was a staple food, and using it for beer production during food shortages could exacerbate hunger issues.

Government intervention during famines typically aimed to stabilize food supplies and ensure that as many people as possible had access to essential foodstuffs. Consequently, brewers might have been compelled to minimize or eliminate the use of wheat in their beers to ensure that more of it was available for consumption as food. This regulatory environment steered brewers toward alternative grains that were more abundantly available or less critical as food sources during these challenging times.

Although other factors like market prices and shifts to alternative ingredients might also arise in the context of famine, the specific regulation banning wheat for brewing due to its importance as a food source is a clear and documented response to agricultural scarcity.