Hops from the Hallertau    

Hallertauer Hops, Holledauer Hops

Hops belong to the hemp family (Cannabinaceae) and the order of the nettle (Urticeae). Plants are male or female, only the females producing so-called hop cones (Lupuli strobulus) which are commonly also called umbels or “Trolle”. The umbels are almost exclusively used in beer production with over 99 % harvested for this and only a very small proportion of around 0.5 % of the total German production processed and marketed within the pharmacy trade as a component in sedative production. While the proportion of hops used in the production of beer at 150 to 400 gram per hectolitre appears small in terms of volume, the flavour-giving hops are nonetheless recognised as the “soul of the beer” and without them the characteristics as well as refreshing bitter taste of the beer would be impossible to attain.

According to the Bavarian Order for Applying the Hops Statute (BayHopfDV), the production area Hallertau covers the following districts: Abensberg, Altmannstein, Au in der Hallertau, Geisenfeld, Hohenwart, Langquaid, Mainburg, Nandlstadt, Neustadt an der Donau, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Pfeffenhausen, Rottenburg an der Laaber, Siegenburg, Wolnzach.

There is documentary evidence of hops cultivation in the Hallertau for around 1200 years and it is closely associated with development of beer brewing in Bavaria. Hops are said to have been growing in Geisenfeld, one of the Hallertau certified growing districts today, since 736. And in Gründl near Nandlstadt a so-called„humularium“(hop garden) was already in existence by 860. In particular, the driving power behind hop cultivation was the region’s monastery breweries (e.g. Biburg monastery near Abensberg), which had to encourage the cultivation of the crop as well as growing hops in their own hop gardens. Early on, the name “Hallertau”, starting at Wolnzach, earned a reputation for quality out in the world with the state presenting a seal to this effect. The seal was introduced not only as a sign of quality but also to prevent swindles by dealers. On October 27, 1834 the “magistrate at the Royal Wolnzach Market“ presented a declaration in which it was established that the thoroughly tested quality of Wolnzach hops proved them to be among the choicest available according to the unbiased opinion of specialist judges. With the Hops Origin Statute of 1929 and the subsequent Bavarian “Order for Application of the National Law Regarding the Source Certification of Hops” established in 1930, the cultivation areas within Bavaria, as well as their seal of quality districts, were established. These statutes protected the source description “Hallertau Hopfen“. Before this introduction, dealers often mixed Hallertau hops with lower quality batches from other regions which did not stop them, however, from selling these batches further under the description “Hallertau hops”. In 1996 the Hops Origin Statute was replaced by the Hops Law. Nowadays, nearly a third of world production comes from Hallertau. Around 70% (2001: 26,250 t) of Hallertau hops are exported to over 100 countries worldwide.

Contrary to the botanically related plants hemp or nettles, the hop plant requires a support to pull itself up by during growth, a characteristic reflected in its Latin name "Humulus lupulus". Like a little wolf the hop plant embraces its support Unlike wild hop plants which climb towards the skies with the help of bushes or young trees, wire trellises are provided for the cultivated version. The hop is a perennial plant, which means that all parts above the earth can be cut back, or die off at the end of the season with the rootstock usually able to survive for up to 20 years. In spring the hop shoots come from this rootstock. The so-called “Hopfenreben“, the shoots, are branched out being knotted as support to the trellises at intervals of about a half metre when fully developed. During the growth period under good conditions these shoots can grow about 35 cm per day. At the end of March and into April the "Ausputzen"(pruning) takes place when undesirable superfluous hop buds and shoots are cut away. This pruning has to be repeated several times. New shoots grow out after the pruning and these are nearly all removed. From these, two or sometimes even three, are coiled clockwise around the upward-leading wire supports. During the growing period the plant must be repeatedly redirected. From this springs the saying “Hops want to see their master every day!" At the end of June, beginning of July the hops have reached the top of their supporting trellis and begin to flower. The flowering period of three to four weeks continues over the time of umbel production through to maturation and then to harvest. The umbel itself is the actual bearer of the valuable brewing substance. In hop cultivation the choice of variety is also very important. Here one decides between the so-called aroma and bitter types. Among the aroma types the "Hallertauer Mittelfrühe" and the "Hallertauer Tradition" carry the name of the greatest hop production area in the world and with the bitter sorts this role is fulfilled by "Hallertauer Magnum". The varieties mentioned are cultivated most often in Hallertau but are also very popular varieties for growing outside the region in other hop production areas.

In 2009 hops were grown on 1,197 farms in Hallertau.

2009: 26.422,81 t

According to EWG regulation no. 1696/71 the quality and the origin of the hops is documented comprehensively through certification. Furthermore, the term "Hops from the Hallertau" is protected according to regulation (EC) no. 510/06.

Verband Deutscher Hopfenpflanzer e.V.