Hop growers in the Czech Republic started in the end of March the spring operations in the hop fields for the 2020 season.
The spring operations are starting with pruning, stringing and will be finishing with hop training in the beginning of May. The individual operations are spread in time depending on varieties, plant age and hop field location.
Despite the fact that the current situation has complicated the availability of seasonal labour for spring works, it now seems that the growers managed to secure seasonal labour from alternative sources for the individual operations. It is necessary to appreciate the work of the Hop Growers Union of the Czech Republic on this issue as well as interest of official authorities and Czech brewers, e.g. Pilsner Urquell and Czech beer and malt association. We would like to wish brewers as well as hop growers so that the situation with beer consumption returns to normal with this nearly summer weather as soon as possible.
You can follow the spring operations in the Czech hop fields on our Instagram account – bohemiahop_official – #bohemiahop
The most prestigious beer festival in the Czech Republic – Zlatá pivní pečeť – was held in February 2020 in České Budějovice. Bohemia Hop was again one of traditional partners. This year was exceptional in number of registered samples – which was 1409.
During the week, more than 450 judges evaluated the beer samples. Number of 271 breweries from 24 countries around the world took part in the World Beer Seal this year.
Nine representatives of craft breweries from Serbia visited Chmelarstvi, cooperative Žatec and company Bohemia Hop for the first time in the framework of the Serbian incoming mission.
The mission was accompanied by Pavel Svoboda, the Agricultural Attaché of the Czech Embassy in Belgrade and Ondřej Misiaczek, the Ministerial Assistant Principal from the Trade and International Cooperation Department. The aim of the three-day programme, was to introduce business entities operating in the brewing sector the tradition and high level of the Czech Republic in this area and the possibilities of business cooperation in the supply of raw materials and technologies for beer production.
We would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for being part of the programme.
In November 2019 and January 2020, a traditional meeting of hop suppliers was held to assess the 2019 season. During the meeting, suppliers were acquainted not only with the harvest results in the Czech Republic and abroad, but also with the evaluation of quality parameters.
The best regional supplier award gained AGRA Velký Týnec fromTierschitz region, ZEPOS Radovesice from Auscha region and Agrochmel Kněževes from Saaz region.
Bohemia Hop and Cooperative Chmelarstvi Žatec would like to thank all contractors for their supplies in 2019 crop.
The judges chose the fifth Beer Idol
The fifth year of the professional beer tasting competition - the World Beer Idol – was held in Prague at the beginning of January. Beer sommeliers rated submitted beers from 17 countries of the world. The traditional brewery from Bavaria won the competition.
More than 20 representatives of educational brewing organizations such as beer sommelier schools, research institutes, journalists and brewers met. These representatives created testing committees that evaluated aroma, appearance and taste and fullness of flavour of individual beer samples. The judging process was blind. The best beers were awarded bronze, silver and gold medals. Greif Hell beer from Forchheim, Bavaria, became the absolute winner across the beer styles. This unknown brewery achieved similar successes at the European Beer Star in Germany and the World Beer Awards in Britain last year.
Pivovar Svijany and Tradiční Pivovar v Rakovníku were among the Czech successes as the first one was awarded gold medal and the second one silver medal. A total of 9 gold, 16 silver and 21 bronze medals were awarded in total.
Bohemia Hop is a traditional sponsor of World Beer Idol.
