Leading German hop supplier releases 2025-2026 Global Hop Report
German-based leading global hop supplier BarthHaas, has issued a report on the 2025/2026 season concluding that the market remains oversupplied.
On July 21st, 2026 from Nuremberg, Germany, BarthHaas released their analyzation on the state of the hop industry and a call to action:
The global hop market remains under significant pressure despite further acreage reductions. Global hop acreage fell by 5.5 percent to 52,660 hectares in crop year 2025. There was also a decline in crop volume: A total of 109,188 metric tons of hops was harvested worldwide, 3.8 percent less than the year before. These figures are taken from the BarthHaas Report 2025/2026 which the world's leading hop specialist presented during an online press conference on July 21.
Germany remained the largest hop-growing country, with 18,962 hectares. This represents a year-on-year reduction in acreage of 6.5 percent. It is followed by the USA in second place with 17,057 hectares, down from 18,513 hectares the year before.
Crop volume declines worldwide
In crop year 2025, global hop production fell to 109,188 metric tons. Average alpha acid content rose slightly from 10.5 to 10.6 percent. On balance, however, the volume of alpha produced decreased by 3.2 percent to 11,532 metric tons.
The share of aroma hops in total crop volume and in the volume of alpha acids produced increased, while the share of bitter hops decreased accordingly. In crop year 2025, as in the previous year, Germany accounted for 43 percent of global alpha volume. The U.S. share fell to 40 percent (previous year: 41%).
(Note: Alpha acid is the most important hop constituent for brewing and is responsible for the bitterness in beer. Hop growers sell their hops partly on the basis of the alpha volume delivered, and alpha acid is also often a price factor in contracts with breweries.)
Overproduction despite decline in acreage
Despite the smaller planted area, hop production still exceeded demand in 2025. Global beer production fell by 0.7 percent last year to just below 1.9 billion hectoliters. At the same time, hop demand fell by nearly three percent to roughly 10,700 metric tons of alpha acid. In addition to the lower beer output, the key factors responsible were reduced hop dosage in the brewing process and changes in beer style structure. As a result, there was a surplus of approximately 1,200 metric tons of alpha acid. This corresponds to a structural overproduction capacity of approximately 5,100 hectares.
“Although acreage has been reduced once again, the market has yet to find equilibrium,” explains Heinrich Meier, the author of the BarthHaas report. "Production exceeded demand again in 2025. We expect the current supply balance sheet once more to show a surplus of approximately 1,000 metric tons.“
Germany continues to reduce acreage
The decline in hop acreage in Germany continues in 2026 as well. According to the Association of German Hop Growers, the planted area currently stands at 17,861 hectares, down 1,101 hectares, or six percent, year on year. Aroma hop acreage has contracted by 715 hectares and that of bitter varieties by 386 hectares. As a result, the balance is shifting slightly in favor of the bitter varieties.
The reduction in planted area worldwide in 2026 amounts to roughly 1,300 hectares. Therefore, according to BarthHaas, the structural surplus persists. At the same time, businesses are coming under further pressure: Production costs in hop growing and processing are rising, while the market continues to be characterized by significant overcapacity despite the adjustment measures that have been implemented.
The industry must adapt
“The global hop and beer industry is undergoing a period of far-reaching structural change,” says Thomas Raiser, CEO of BarthHaas. “A persistent surplus is compounded by changing consumer behavior and mounting economic pressure throughout the entire value chain. What matters now is how adaptable the industry remains, all the way from hop growing to brewing.“
Restoring market equilibrium therefore remains the key challenge. In addition to further structural adjustments, adequate prices and investments in variety development and production efficiency will be crucial to ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the hop industry.
About BarthHaas
BarthHaas is one of the world’s leading suppliers of hop products and hop-related services. The family-owned company specialises in the creative and efficient use of hops and hop products. As visionaries, instigators and implementers of ideas, BarthHaas has been shaping the market surrounding a unique raw material for over 225 years.