Hop growing in Styria

The hops to Leutschach on the Wine Route , Styria began after the Second World War and is now next to the wine-growing of the main agricultural source of income in the community.

history

As early as 1824, the Steiermärkische Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft tried to establish hop growing in Styria . The reason was the large import of hops from Bohemia ("Saazer hops") and Silesia for the increasing beer production in Styria. For this purpose, fields were found in eastern Styria in the area around Fürstenfeld and Ilz that were also climatically suitable for this plant. In this area, hops were cultivated intensively until 1937.

From 1948 hop cultivation trials were carried out in Austria with the support of breweries. Almost all of them have produced very favorable results. Hop growing in Upper Austria's Mühlviertel (including Rohrbach with the varieties: Tettnanger, Englischer, Yugoslavischer) received special support. Then hops began to be grown in Leutschach as well. Hop growing was mainly promoted by the entrepreneur Peter Reininghaus , whose brewery had a great need for hops, which could not be met due to the great shortage of hops worldwide. Therefore Peter Reininghaus was looking for suitable hop growing areas in Austria. In 1951 four farmers started growing hops. Ten years later there were already 96 companies with a production area of 80 hectares.

Hop growing today

The producer group for Leutschach hops has shrunk to around 15 farms, and the area under cultivation has not only been maintained, but has even increased slightly. Mechanization has also advanced rapidly in hop cultivation, but particularly in hop harvest and processing. In the 1960s, hundreds of harvest workers from all over Styria were still in Leutschach to laboriously pick the cones by hand (the period within which the harvest must be completed is relatively short, otherwise the cones would perish!), So today it is powerful picking machines that do this work with a minimum of staff and in a fraction of the time.

The picked hops were processed until the 1990s in the distinctive "Hopfenhalle" (now rented apartments) operated by some Styrian breweries, where the hops were dried, sulphurized and pressed into large bales. Today the entire preparation process of the harvest is the responsibility of each individual hop farmer.

Brewery in Leutschach

In order to revive the beer brewing tradition in Leutschach, a small brewery was set up a few years ago, which produces special beers with Leutschach hops. In special tours you can learn interesting facts about the art of beer brewing and taste the special beers that are brewed in this brewery.

Hop Museum

In 2013, a hop growing museum was set up near the Leutschach brewery, which documents the development of hops with panels, lots of equipment and many historical photos from the Leutschach growing area.

literature

Alexander Wilhelm (Ed.): The Rebenland Chronicle. Eichberg-Trautenburg, Glanz an der Weinstrasse, Leutschach, Schlossberg. Classic Verlag, Graz 2004, ISBN 3-902344-05-9 .
Amalia Schwaiger: Heimatbuch Leutschach
Gerald Pronegg: Chronicle of the hop growing association Leutschach