Harvesting hops for beer produces a lot of waste. These German groups are seeking to fix that

Associated Press

MUNICH (AP) — A startup called HopfON — a play on Hopfen, the German word for hops — and a research society in Bavaria are seeking to solve the problem of waste created during the hops harvest in Germany. The startup is using the organic waste to make sustainable building materials like acoustic panels and thermal insulation, with the twofold goal of reducing waste from the construction industry. The Society of Hop Research has developed new hops varieties that are more sustainable and produce less waste. The research did not sacrifice the hops’ quality — meaning they ultimately retained the traditional taste that brewers, and beer lovers, want.