Hop News May 2024

During winter, there was enough precipitation in the German hop growing regions. There was also repeated rainfall in March and April, so the soil is currently very well supplied with water.

Temperatures went up and down extremely, especially in April. Due to high temperatures, training of the hops started in mid-April already. Because of a subsequent very cool phase, the original growth lead of around two weeks has now been compensated for. No significant frost damage occurred. So far there have only been occasional problems with diseases and pests (flea beetle).

• Stagnating beer consumption worldwide combined with a slightly declining craft beer market has brought an end to the long-term growth of the hop market.
• Due to new hop products and more efficient hop varieties the overall hop market will probably decrease.
• Several breweries have changed their recipes to the benefit of high alpha varieties.
• Demand for aroma hops and flavour hops will tend to decrease.
• Despite two weak crops in 2022 and 2023, breweries are generally still well supplied with hops.

• Exact figures regarding worldwide hop acreage will be published around mid-June.
• First estimates show that hop acreage in Germany will decrease slightly while it will go down significantly in the US.
• The expected decline in Germany primarily affects varieties Perle and Hallertau Tradition, and in the USA it primarily affects some large flavour varieties.
• The acreage of ​​high alpha varieties, on the other hand, is likely to increase slightly.

• After a phase of great purchasing reluctance on the part of breweries, the pre-contract market is increasingly reviving again, especially for the harvests from 2026.
• The two weak crops years 2022 and 2023 have caused hop stocks to shrink slightly, but there are still variety-specific surpluses.
• There is price pressure on the hop varieties with decreasing demand.