Technical Session 13: Hops III Session
Jiri Smetana, ARIX Co. (Zatec, Czech Republic)
ABSTRACT: Until 1994, only a single hop variety was
cultivated in the Czech Republic—the world-renowned fine aroma hop Saaz.
It is a traditional Czech variety and has been exported to breweries in
Europe and overseas since the 19th century. Over the years many premium
brands have used this variety. Significant changes in brewing
technology in the 1990s, e.g., installation of cylindroconical tanks,
HGB systems, reduction of the bitterness of beer, etc., encouraged Czech
hop growers to develop new varieties. In 1994, the first new varieties
Sladek and Bor were developed. Sladek proved to be suitable for second
hopping, giving the beer additional bitterness and an aroma similar to
Saaz hops. In 1996 a further variety, Premiant, was developed. This
variety is primarily used as a second hop gift for “mainstream beers.”
Later, Czech hop growers focused on two broad directions. 1) Development
of Czech high alpha-acid varieties that would also be suitable for base
hopping in the form of pellets or an extract. This led to the
development and registration of Agnus (2001), Rubin (2007), and Vital
(2009). 2) Development of an aroma variety that would provide a specific
feel to the resulting beer, significantly distinguishing it from other
products. This led initially to the development of Harmonie (2004),
which has a balanced profile of bitterness due to the ideal 1/1 ratio of
alpha- and beta-bitter acids. Another variety, Kazbek (2009), was
developed by the unique breeding of Saaz and wild hops from the
Caucasian mountains. The resulting variety is very durable, stable under
changing climatic conditions, and gives a distinguished earthy aroma to
beer. In tastings it has also been described as “herbal,” “natural,” or
“wild.” Recently, partially due to economic reasons, research has
focused on finding “more economical variants” of the traditional Saaz
and Sladek varieties. At the end of 2010, the Saaz Late variety, a
second generation of the traditional Saaz variety with a higher
alpha-acids content and similar aroma profile, and the Bohemie variety, a
second generation of Sladek with an alpha-acids content of about 6% and
mild, pleasant aroma with typical Saaz character, were developed and
registered.
Jiri Smetana graduated from the Faculty of Brewing
at the Institute of Chemical Technology of Prague in 1994. He has worked
in the hop industry as a technician, purchasing manager, and sales
manager of reality trading and, later, Saaz hop products. In 2004 he
co-founded the hop company ARIX, and is a partner there today. He also
manages the largest hop farm in Europe as the chair of the board of PP
Servis.
VIEW PRESENTATION 46
