The institute is run by the German Hop Research Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hopfenforschung) and the Bavarian state.
Originally named the Hans-Pfülf-Institut after the then president of the German Brewers Federation, it was later renamed to the current Hopfenforschungszentrum Hüll.
[1] Under its first research director, Hugo Hampp (from 1926 to 1944), the institute focussed on countering the Peronosporaceae infections of the hop plants, which were causing downy mildew, primarily by means of pesticides.
Hampp's successor, Friedrich Zattler (from 1944 to 1970), shifted the focus towards breeding of mildew-resistant hop varieties.
[5] Both feature higher yields and better resistance against Verticillium wilt and Peronospora fungi infections than their respective ancestors while retaining their aroma.