Germany remained the top hop-growing country with 18,962 hectares (down 6.5 percent), ahead of the USA, which fell to 17,057 hectares from 18,513 the previous year.
Average alpha acid content edged up slightly to 10.6 percent, but total alpha production still declined 3.2 percent to 11,532 metric tons. Aroma hops gained further share at the expense of bitter varieties. Germany held steady at 43 percent of global alpha output, while the U.S. share slipped to 40 percent.
Despite smaller acreage, supply again outpaced demand. Global beer production fell 0.7 percent to just under 1.9 billion hectoliters, and hop demand dropped nearly 3 percent to about 10,700 metric tons of alpha acid — driven by lower beer output, reduced hop dosage, and shifting beer styles. The result was a surplus of roughly 1,200 metric tons of alpha acid, equivalent to about 5,100 hectares of structural overcapacity.
"Although acreage has been reduced once again, the market has yet to find equilibrium," said report author Heinrich Meier, adding that a surplus of around 1,000 metric tons is expected again this season.
In Germany, acreage continues shrinking in 2026, down 6 percent to 17,861 hectares, with aroma varieties seeing the steepest cuts. Worldwide, growing area is expected to decline by about 1,300 hectares this year — not enough, BarthHaas says, to resolve the structural surplus as production costs keep climbing.
"The global hop and beer industry is undergoing a period of far-reaching structural change," said BarthHaas CEO Thomas Raiser, pointing to shifting consumer behavior and economic pressure across the value chain. Restoring balance, he said, will require further adjustments, fair pricing, and continued investment in variety development and efficiency.
The report online: www.barthhaas.com
