THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE INGREDIENTS_
We grow as much as we can ourselves.
But for us, growing is only the beginning.
Where does our seed come from? Who preserves it? And how independent are we really if we no longer control what we sow?
We want to understand our ingredients from the very beginning.That means working with varieties worth preserving, questioning standardization and keeping agricultural diversity alive.
But there is another side to it.
There are too many exciting grains, fruits, herbs and ideas in the world to do everything alone; and we do not want to.
We work with growers, farmers and friends who bring their own knowledge, land and experience into HOPFENGRUND_.
Because nothing is more inspiring than real exchange.
We grow together. We learn from each other.
And we make each other stronger.
Good ingredients have an origin.
The best ones also have people behind them.
GRAIN WITH AN ORIGIN_
The Fidesser family grows all our grain except purple wheat, which comes from Martin Allram.
Our Domen barley originates in Norway. We brought the seed into the EU through the Rare Seeds Tour and work with the Fidesser family to grow it for our beers.
Domen is a heritage, true-to-type variety: its seed can be saved and grown again while maintaining the characteristics of the variety.
Together with Martin Allram’s purple wheat, it forms the grain base of every beer we brew.
These varieties contribute their own flavour and colour. Malting, brewing and fermentation then shape how that character develops in the finished beer.
Our Winegrowers Lager follows the same approach. Its flavour and colour reflect our grain base, including purple wheat, rather than a predefined idea of how a lager should look.
For us, terroir connects the variety, the place where it grows, the harvest and the people working with it. That includes our own fields in Hollenburg and the Austrian farms growing grain for us.
Just as we, as winemakers, carefully tend to our vines, or as brewers focus on hops, the family Haselberger dedicates themselves—perhaps even more so—to their ancient pear trees. Their deep connection to these trees, some centuries old, ensures the pears develop their exceptional character, with high tannins and bold acidity, perfect for our beer.
