Hop Harvest in Kastélyosdombó

This year, for the first time, the Hungarian beer made with hops from Kastélyosdombó, southern Hungary, was available for tasting on site as the Hungarian Interchurch Aid has organized a charity family picnic in the Erdődy Castle Park under the title "Hop Harvest in Kastélyosdombó."

László Lehel, President and Director of the Hungarian Interchurch Aid summarized the results achieved in hop growing. He stressed that hop production, which started on one hectare, now covers 14 hectares in the region and provides regular employment for around 30 people, making the tiny Somogy County village of Kastélyosdombó, the "Hungarian hop capital" as the locals call it,

Tamás Tarpataki, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that at the beginning of his career, seven hectares of hops were grown in Hungary, then only five, which then decreased further. He is very pleased that today more than 14 hectares are being farmed in and around Kastélyosdombó and that the Ministry of Agriculture has made a significant contribution to this from the very beginning in the framework of this cooperation.

"Together, we brew the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world. The result of this fruitful cooperation is now a premium lager brewed from Hungarian barley and hops with the outstanding skills of Hungarian brewers," the CEO of HEINEKEN Hungária Breweries, Nikos Zois pointed out.

At the officially launch of the harvest, participants were treated to a special experience of following the journey of the hops from the plantation to the beer stein. The harvesting equipment was set in motion and the drying plant and the pelleting plant, among others, were demonstrated.  This year, for the first time, participants were able to taste the Sopron 1895 premium lager beer made with Kastélyosdombó hops.

The harvest program was rounded off again this year with sports, crafts and traditional events, as well as gastronomic experiences. Freshly prepared dishes from the barbeque, home-made delicacies and, of course, cheese specialties from Kastélyosdombó awaited the guests. The world-class music program was again guaranteed this year by acclaimed blues musician Little G Weevil and his bandmates.

The event was linked to the Hungarian Interchurch Aid 's this year's Back to School Together! fundraising campaign to support 2,000 struggling students in the country to start their school year. The price of admission paid by adults and other forms of donations on the spot also contributed to this cause.

Hop growing has a long tradition in Hungary, which has declined in recent decades. This tradition has been revived by a joint program launched four years ago by HEINEKEN Hungária Breweries and the Hungarian Interchurch Aid, which has been supported by the Ministry of Agriculture since its inception. The aim of the cooperation, which was set at the time of its establishment and has now been achieved, was to increase the quantity of high-quality Hungarian raw materials in beer production and to contribute to the livelihoods of disadvantaged families involved in the production process by creating jobs, the press statement concludes.