Hops

Hops in the Waldviertel were long nearly forgotten. During the First World War, the plant largely disappeared from the region, and it was the Schwarz brewing family from Zwettl who brought it back. Today it once again climbs poles and wires across the hill country.

According to the brewery, six farming families harvest hops across 14 hectares. They share four kilns used to dry the cones and together supply around 20,000 kilograms a year. For comparison, the Hallertau region in Germany spans roughly 17,000 hectares.

What do hops do in beer? They provide bitterness, balancing the sweetness of the malt, plus aroma ranging from herbal to floral. The bitterness comes from the alpha acids in the cones, the aroma from essential oils that evaporate quickly during boiling.

That's why brewers often add hops in stages. Added early in the kettle, they deliver bitterness; added late, or even in the lagering tank, they bring more fragrance to the beer. A Pilsner thrives on this late addition, while a Märzen needs it less.

In Schrems, the organic hops come from the Hopfenbauern-Genossenschaft Waldviertel-Mühlviertel. Zwettler Original relies exclusively on Waldviertel hops. The fact that a beer is once again made from local ingredients is a deliberate choice here, not a coincidence.

Drying also requires a careful touch. Freshly harvested cones hold a lot of water and must go into the kiln quickly or they spoil. Farmers dry them at moderate heat to preserve the aroma, then press the hops into bales or pellets for the brewery.