Beer lovers beware, your favorite microbrews may be at risk. Last year, beer prices were on the rise due to the cost of barley, and this year a worldwide shortage of hops is making things even worse. Due to a bout of bad weather in Europe — along with decreased production in the US — the price of hops has risen 20 percent for most varieties, and up to 80 percent for specialty hops. This leaves many specialty microbreweries scrambling.

However, the folks at Samuel Adams are actually doing an interesting thing. They're selling their extra hops at below market value. The company said:

The purpose of doing this is to get some hops to the brewers who really need them. So if you don’t really need them, please don’t order them. And don’t order them just because we’re making them available at a price way below market. Order them because you need these hops to make your beer. We’re not asking questions, so let your conscience be your guide.

We hope this makes brewing a little easier for those hardest hit by the hop shortage.

I think this is a really interesting choice for Sam Adams. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, they're reaching out to help the community. I find their actions to be rather diplomatic and selfless. How about you? What do you think of the situation?