Raw materials
Hop analytics | The new hybrid aroma hop variety Huell Classic was developed specifically to create a climate-hardy replacement for such classic, now climate-threatened Central European “noble” landraces as Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hersbrucker, Spalter, and Tettnanger. Part 1 of this article series (BRAUWELT International no. 1, 2026, pp. 5–7) covered the currently changing environment for hops in Central Europe and the breakthrough work of the Hop Research Center to combat it. This second part examines in greater detail the analytics of the new Huell Classic and its uses in the brewhouse.
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New variety | The new hop aroma variety “Nobella” from Hopsteiner combines a classic, traditional noble hop flavour with consistent alpha acid levels and reliable performance under today’s climate conditions, bridging tradition and future requirements in aroma hop breeding.
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Argentina | Over the past decade, Argentina’s hop industry has undergone substantial transformation, strongly influenced by the craft beer movement. Historically, Argentine hop production was closely tied to the needs of large industrial breweries. However, the exponential rise of craft beer has reshaped the landscape, creating new challenges and opportunities for growers, suppliers, and brewers alike. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of hop production, import trends, and market allocation in Argentina between 2014 and 2024, comparing them with developments in the United States and other mature brewing markets.
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Fighting climate change | The German Hopfenforschungszentrum (Hop Research Center) in Hüll, Bavaria, has released a new hybrid aroma hop called Huell Classic. Registered with German and European Union food safety authorities as H17107, it was purposefully developed during more than a decade of genetic marker-guided breeding, as well as selections in greenhouses and trial plots. The objective was to create a climate-hardy replacement of such classic, now climate-threatened Central European landraces as Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hersbrucker, Spalter, and Tettnanger.
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Alpha acid values | The 2025 hop harvest has now officially come to an end. The Arbeitsgruppe Hopfenanalyse or AHA (Hop Analysis Working Group) has announced the mean alpha acid values determined in freshly harvested hops.
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Hop aroma | Hops contribute significantly to beer aroma through a variety of known aroma substances, with free thiols having the lowest odour threshold values. These thiols, particularly those associated with fruity and citrusy notes, play a key role in the aroma profile of dry-hopped beers.
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Limiting quality | Annual quality assessment of malting barley has shown a clear tendency towards reduced protein contents for some years, see part 1 of this article series in BRAUWELT International, No. 4, 2025, pp. 206–209. The value-added chain will probably have to accept lower protein contents in malting cereals in the long term. What would technological approaches for processing low protein contents look like?
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Climate-tolerant hop varieties | This article focusses on a holistic, neutral overview of a selection of new aroma hop varieties from publicly subsidised hop research and private hop breeding. It is important to carry out adequate tests in breweries in order to maintain the aroma profiles of existing beers and to continue to offer customers a consistent quality.
Raw materials
Dynamic fermentation system | Non-alcoholic beers can be produced by dynamic fermentation using units like Poseidon and crabtree-negative yeasts. Targeted adjustments to recirculation and sedimentation processes in the fermentation tank make it possible to achieve high quality in the beers produced and increase the efficiency of individual processes.
Raw materials
Hops and beer flavour | What are aged hops? Aged hops have been traditionally used in Lambic style beer, and usually impart an unpleasant cheesy aroma [1], which is contributed by branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) formed by oxidative degradation of hop bitter acids during the ageing process.
Brewhouse
Increasing efficiency | The economic situation is currently challenging for many breweries. Regardless of the reasons, it is essential for efficient and thus sustainable operations to use the raw materials as effectively as possible. This article describes the Hopnomic technology introduced by Steinecker GmbH in 2020, a new approach to increasing efficiency in hop utilization.