is a German hop-growing area that is scattered across the southern part of the former East Germany. See german hops. It has a long tradition of hop growing that dates back to the 12th century. The region’s production declined with the rise of the Hallertau area as the juggernaut of German hop production. After World War II, hop farming was collectivized by the communist regime, which created much larger farms than can be found in the rest of Germany today. The average hop farm in Elbe-Saale is almost 125 acres (nearly 50 ha), almost four times as large as the average Hallertau farm. Unlike other hop-growing areas in Germany, Elbe-Saale does not have a cultivar that is uniquely associated with the region. Today not quite 10% of German hops are grown in Elbe-Saale, and almost nine-tenths of that is hops used more for bittering than for aroma. The region’s key varieties are Hallertauer Magnum, Herkules, and Perle. See herkules (hop), perle (hop).
