Bohemia Hop (BH) together with the Hop Research Institute (HRI) organized the 23rd year of a traditional seminar focused on the use of Czech hops varieties in brewing. This year's seminar, which took place on the grounds of HRI on 23rd June, was a bit specific. After a one-year break that was forced by an epidemiological measure in response to Covid-19, it was one of the first professional and social events from the brewing environment which we could organize. Participants appreciated the opportunity to meet other brewers and practitioners after a long time and to discuss their experiences. In addition to the tasting of prepared beers from the Experimental Brewery of the HRI, brewed by the brew-master Jan Hervert, the 2nd year of the Kazbek Cup 2021 tasting competition took place, during which participants evaluated the samples sent to the competition.
According to official data (UKZUZ) the hop acreage registered in the Czech Republic by the end of April 2021 is 4988 ha, which an increase of 22 ha compare to the harvested acreage of 2020.
Saaz hop growing region is the largest hop area in the Czech republic with 3834,5 ha (76,9 %), followed by Tirschitz hop region with 631,4 ha (12,6 %) and Auscha hop region with 521,7 ha (10,5 %).
Saaz variety remains to be the dominant Czech hop variety with 4199 ha (84,2 %), followed by varieties Sládek – 374 ha (7,5 %) and Premiant – 217 ha (4,4 %). There were small acreage increases of Premiant, Sladek and Agnus varieties. Kazbek variety had a small decrease of its acreage. The data shows that also new Czech aromat varieties Saaz Brilliant, Saaz Comfort and Saaz Shine were planted.
The positive news is that Czech hop growers continue to invest into replanting of acreage to achieve stable yields and the baby hop area accounts for 280 ha
BOHEMIA HOP Company together with the Hop Research Institute Co., Ltd. aimed to focus on current world trends in beer styles, in which hop varieties of Czech provenance can be used. Last year, BOHEMIA HOP also launched a new product, the Kazbek variety in the form of enriched pellets type 45 (PE 45) with a higher content of alpha acids and essential oils (http://www.bohemiahop.cz/330-so-a-little-different-kazbek-cup-2020). The two above-mentioned organizations decided to brew beer in the increasingly popular NE IPA style using the Kazbek variety in this particular form. The production technology and brewing process were designed by the brew master of experimental brewery Jan Hervert after consultation with Michal Havrda from the Pioneer Beer Brewery in Žatec, on whose initiative this product was created.
The Whole Report Including Methodology and Test Results
BOHEMIA HOP was registered in the commercial register on March 25, 1991.
With its foundation in 1991, BOHEMIA HOP followed up on the activities in the international trade of Czech hops from previous decades when SAAZ hops were traded worldwide under the brand BOHEMIAHOP - CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
BOHEMIA HOP was set up after the 1989 Velvet Revolution as a sales arm of the Czech hop growers cooperative CHMELAŘSTVÍ. The first Chairman of the Board of Directors of BOHEMIA HOP and the Chairman of CHMELAŘSTVÍ, cooperative Žatec, concurrently was František Chvalovský, Sr. Jaroslav Kareš was elected to be the first director of the company.
The current Board of Directors consists of Zdeněk Rosa (Chairman of the Board), Jiří Mašek (Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors), Lubomír Vent, Pavel Řepík, Radek Gregor, Jaroslav Navrátil and Josef Fric. The commercial director of the company is Vladimir Šeretka.
According to the records of the Board of Directors, representatives of Kirin, Sapporo, Alken-Maes, Interbrew, Guiness or BRAU AG breweries arrived at BOHEMIA HOP for hops selection in the fall of 1991.
In 1991, the main markets, to where BOHEMIA HOP exported Czech hops, were Japan, U.S., Brazil, Belgium, Great Britain, Austria, Germany and Sweden. Over 64% of these exports went to Japan and the U.S. In the two decades since, China and Russia, along with the fore mentioned countries, have become the main markets for Czech hops. The total production of beer in the world approached 1.2 billion hl in 1991; in 2019, it was already at 1.9 billion hl.
Read more: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of BOHEMIA HOP, a.s.
