When the hop season in Germany has long since ended, it is in full swing on the other side of the world. For Anna, a young hop grower from the Hallertau region, the Hops & Travel program by BarthHaas became a unique opportunity to experience the hop harvest in Australia first hand. For four weeks, she worked on a farm in the Ovens Valley, gaining impressions that went far beyond hops alone.
The program connects hop growers across regions and offers practical insight into different growing environments. In Anna’s case, it also became a valuable example of knowledge exchange within the global BarthHaas Group, with Hop Products Australia opening the door to one of the most intensive and memorable harvest experiences of her career so far.
“Programs like the Hops & Travel Program are incredibly valuable, not only for the individuals who take part, but for our business and industry as a whole. Hosting young hop growers from around the world supports meaningful knowledge exchange, builds global capability, and reinforces our commitment to developing the next generation of people in hops. Anna brought curiosity, energy and a genuine desire to learn, and it was a pleasure to support her time with us at HPA” says Kate Taylor, General Manager of People & Culture, HPA.
From the Hallertau hop garden to Victoria
At the end of February, Anna travelled from Munich via Dubai to Melbourne and then on to the Rostrevor Hop Gardens farm of Hop Products Australia (HPA) in the Ovens Valley in Victoria. There, she spent four weeks working right in the middle of the Australian hop harvest.
As part of the BarthHaas Group, HPA provided the setting for Anna’s stay and gave her the opportunity to experience Australian hop growing from the inside: from the fields and harvest operations to breeding, laboratory work and processing.
From the moment she arrived, it was clear that this experience would be very different from anything she knew in Germany. The sheer scale of the farm, the vast hop fields, and the technical equipment immediately impressed her. The landscape, with its mountains, rolling hills, and wide open spaces, also left a lasting impression. One special moment came right at the beginning: in the conditioning hall, Anna discovered a German hop press made by Reith Landtechnik.
Her first thought was: “Now I’m on the other side of the world, and they’re using the same hop press as we do!”
Working between drying, laboratory, and field
Even before the harvest began, Anna was able to support breeding and research activities and gained insights into both existing and new hop varieties. During the harvest itself, she mainly worked in hop drying. In addition, she became familiar with almost all stages of processing: loading hop bines, transporting them to the picking machine, working in the harvest hall, pressing the dried hops, and gaining insights into laboratory work. She also operated both bottom cutters and top cutters.
The work intensity was high: the harvest ran 24 hours a day, six days a week. Anna herself worked daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What Australia does differently
Anna found the direct comparison with Germany particularly exciting. Many challenges are similar, especially with regard to climate change. At the same time, hotter and drier summers make irrigation indispensable in Australia.
Differences also become apparent during the harvest. In Australia, operations are carried out on a much larger scale. This means impressive technology and high efficiency, but also more complex processes.
Experiencing these differences first hand gave Anna a deeper understanding of how hop growing adapts to local conditions. It also showed how much can be learned when growers from different regions share their perspectives and compare their ways of working.
Technology, team spirit, and many unforgettable moments
Among the highlights for Anna were insights into year round cultivation, working in different areas of the harvest, the day spent in the laboratory, and the exclusive tour of the new pelletizing plant. She especially enjoyed transporting hops by tractor through the hop gardens.
Equally formative were the people on the farm. Anna remembers many open, warm conversations and how quickly she felt like part of the community. The joint barbecue at the end of the harvest, evenings after work, and visits to breweries and pubs remain particularly vivid memories. The Pacific Ale beer style also made a strong impression on her.
“What stood out most was how open and welcoming everyone was. I quickly felt like part of the team,” Anna recalls.
A very personal moment was saying goodbye to the farm: the farm manager and the head of breeding came by personally once more to say farewell and to thank her for the collaboration.
“Anna was a great addition to the team while she was with us, especially during our busy harvest period. She showed a strong work ethic, asked good questions, and was keen to learn how we do things on the ground. Having someone like Anna on the farm brings fresh perspectives and reinforces the value of sharing knowledge across the hop‑growing community.” – Aaron Bailey, Farm Manager, HPA.
What remains when the journey is over
For Anna, her stay in Australia was far more than an internship during the hop harvest. Professionally, she takes away new perspectives on cultivation, processing, and technology, but above all, the insight to remain open to different methods and viewpoints. On a personal level, this time also left its mark. New cultures, new ways of working, and many special encounters broadened her outlook.
For BarthHaas and HPA, Anna’s experience also reflects the value of international collaboration within the BarthHaas Group: connecting people, sharing expertise and strengthening the link between hop growing regions worldwide.
Before returning to Germany, Anna is now traveling further along Australia’s east coast, gathering even more impressions of this remarkable country. Her conclusion is clear: anyone who gets the chance for such an experience should take it.
Or, as Anna herself puts it: “This trip was definitely more than just working on a farm - it was an experience that stays with you.”