A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF HOP REFINING ST. JOHANN
FROM RAW MATERIAL TO HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT: AN EXCITING COMPANY TOUR THROUGH THE WORLD OF HOP PROCESSING.
Hops are one of the most important ingredients in beer production and give the popular beverage its characteristic aroma. However, before hops are used in breweries, they undergo a number of processing steps. The PASSION4IT GmbH team had the opportunity to take an exclusive look behind the scenes at Hopfenveredelung St. Johann GmbH at the end of the joint digitalization projects and gain exciting insights into the various departments and processes.
THE WORLD OF HOP REFINEMENT
Hops are far more than just a plant - they are an essential part of the art of brewing. During hop processing, it passes through various stages to be processed into high-quality products for breweries worldwide. These include
- Drying & storage: Freshly harvested hops are dried to ensure their shelf life and quality.
- Pelletization: Hops are processed into compact pellets that can be used efficiently in the brewing industry.
- Extraction: Modern processes are used to obtain hop extracts that ensure a consistent and intense aroma.
- Quality control: Each batch is rigorously tested to ensure the highest standards.
THE COMPANY TOUR
The day began with a welcome and a brief introduction by Richard Lenz. This was followed by a four-hour tour of the entire plant. Together with a delegation from another customer, BarthHaas UK Ltd, the PASSION4IT GmbH team gained detailed insights into:
- Receiving raw materials and initial processing steps
- The ultra-modern production facilities
- The quality assurance laboratories
- Logistics and worldwide shipping of hop products
The combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovative technology used in hop refinement was particularly impressive.
COOPERATION IN DIGITALIZATION
PASSION4IT GmbH has been working on the digitalization project together with the hop processing team for over four years, with the aim of digitalizing the entire plant. This close collaboration has not only contributed to the optimization of numerous processes, but has also enabled visitors on site to get a realistic impression of what has actually happened in terms of digitalization - and not just talk about it in theory.
CONCLUSION
The visit to Hopfenveredelung St. Johann impressively demonstrated how much know-how, care and high-tech is behind hop processing. The combination of tradition and innovation makes hop processing a fascinating company that is important far beyond the brewing industry.
Keywords: Hops, brewery, beer production, food processing, technology, production, quality assurance, digitalization, digital work
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Short facts:
- PASSION4IT visited the St. Johann hop refinery.
- Insight into modern production and quality assurance processes.
- Four-hour guided tour through all relevant departments.
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PASSION4IT GmbH and Hopfenveredelung St. Johann have been working together on the digitalization of the plant for over four years.
