German hops are packaged and sealed by the growers directly after harvest. The seal contains all of the relevant information: country of origin, growing region, crop year, variety, and specification of whether the hops were processed or not. Leaf hops are sampled and tested for infection with diseases and pests, color, and odor, as well as the varietal purity. The hops can only be marketed once they have successfully passed these tests.
Further tests examine possible residues from crop protection products. These tests are carried out as early as the vegetation phase and continue on after harvesting through to the processing stage of the leaf hops.
Customers purchasing refined hops in the form of pellets, extract, hop powder, or processed hop cones can be sure to obtain the highest level of quality. Certification is performed step by step through a closed processing chain from delivery until it leaves the facilities. Each package is then issued an accompanying certificate, which includes the following information:
- Description of the goods
- Reference number of the certification
- Net and gross weight
- Growing region
- Origin and seal district
- Harvest year
- Variety
- Place and time of processing