The town of Spalt, Germany, known for its tradition of hop growing, was the setting for the meeting of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the International Hop Growers’ Convention (IHGC), organised by the International Hop Growers’ Convention. The event, held from 29 June to 3 July 2025, brought together researchers, producers and experts from the sector to share the latest advances in the industry. I-ReWater researchers Javier J. Cancela (Campus Terra USC) and Perrine Loussert (HOPEN) represented our project to present the results of the pilot trials in Galicia, Castile and León (Spain) and Taizé-Aizie and Lot-et-Garone (France). On the last day, Cancela was named Knight of the Order of Hops.
During the three days of conferences, attendees were able to learn about the latest scientific and technological advances in the hop sector. As part of the I-ReWater Interreg Sudoe project, Perrine and Javier J. Cancela presented a scientific poster with the results of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the French hop pilot, developed by the USC in collaboration with HOPEN. In addition, Cancela also gave a presentation on the progress of the hop pilots in Galicia and Castile and León. For her part, Perrine Loussert shared her work on modelling yields and alpha acids worldwide.
On the second day of the event, those attending the IHGC 2025 visit took part in a tour to discover the town of Spalt, the HVG cooperative and a hop farm that follows organic farming practices. To round off the day, there was a tasting of beers made with Spanish hops from the I-ReWater project. This event, in addition to being a moment of sensory exchange, served to strengthen the link between science and the brewing tradition.
Knight of the Order of the Hop
On the last day of the meeting, Javier Cancela was named Knight of the Order of the Hop in recognition of his career and contributions to the beer industry. The Order of the Hop, based in Germany, has been recognising people committed to the advancement of hop cultivation and use for decades. This award, presented by the International Hop Growers’ Convention (IHGC), highlights significant contributions to the development and promotion of this key plant in beer production.
