Farmers won’t get their hops up

Farmer Auernhammer, surrounded by Spalter hops plucked by his harvesting machine in Spalt, Germany. — ©️2023 The New York Times Company

GENERATIONS of farmers in the sun-lashed green hills of Spalt, Germany, have proudly tended to their hops plants, used for brewing beer, since the Middle Ages.

Asked what makes the native breed of Spalter hops so special, enthusiasts rhapsodise about their delicate, spicy aroma; their lightness; and the harmony and hint of bitterness the crop imparts.