Clockwise on the wire two or three of the strongest hop shoots are wound on the wire, the remaining ones are mechanically plucked. As close as possible to the shoot, the hop guide wire is then placed to guide the plant.
Varieties
Saaz
Clonal selection in original hops within the Saaz and Auscha regions, it is grown in nine clones.
Registration
1942
Aroma
genuine, delicate, hoppy
Ripening time
122–128 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
13–20
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
2,5–4,0
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,0–6,0
α/β ratio
0,6–0,9
cohumulone (% rel.)
23–26
colupulone (% rel.)
39–43
Sladek
Selection from hybrid progenies of varieties Northern Brewer and Saaz.
Registration
1994
Aroma
delicate, hoppy
Ripening time
133–140 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
17–24
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,5–6,5
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,0–6,5
α/β ratio
0,7–1,3
cohumulone (% rel.)
25–31
colupulone (% rel.)
45–51
Premiant
Selection from hybrid progenies of Saaz variety in an inzucht line and other breeding material.
Registration
1996
Aroma
hoppy and pleasant
Ripening time
128–134 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
19–25
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
7,0–9,0
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
3,5–5,5
α/β ratio
1,7–2,3
cohumulone (% rel.)
18–23
colupulone (% rel.)
39–44
Kazbek
Selection from progenies of hybrid material crossed with Russian wildgrowing hops.
Registration
2008
Aroma
spicy, intense citrusy
Ripening time
131–141 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
17–22
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
5,0–8,0
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,0–6,0
α/β ratio
0,9–1,5
cohumulone (% rel.)
35–40
colupulone (% rel.)
57–62
Saaz Late
Saaz variety and further breeding material.
Registration
2010
Aroma
fine genuine, delicate, hoppy
Ripening time
128–135 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
15–22
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
3,5–6,0
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,0–6,5
α/β ratio
0,8–1,0
cohumulone (% rel.)
20–25
colupulone (% rel.)
39–43
Agnus
Selection from hybrid progenies of Sládek, Bor, Saaz, Northern Brewer, Fuggle varieties and other breeding material.
Registration
2001
Aroma
strong, spicy, hoppy
Ripening time
132–138 days
Hop resins
total resins (% w/w)
26–32
α-bitter acids (% w/w)
9,0–12,0
β-bitter acids (% w/w)
4,0–6,5
α/β ratio
1,9–2,6
cohumulone (% rel.)
29–38
colupulone (% rel.)
51–59
Processing methods
Pressed hops
Cone-shaped
Pressed hops are a typical form of hop processing. Undesirable hops and foreign ingredients are separated from dried hops after homogenization. If need be, the hops are finally dried to the required moisture, usually 10–12%. Having been thus treated, they are then pressed by hydraulic presses into ballots or rectangular bales with a weight, as a rule, of 100–150 kg.
Pressed hops
Hop head
In this simplest form of hop processing, the hop heads are stripped of unwanted hop and foreign impurities and dried to the desired moisture content. The hops are then processed by hydraulic presses into jute bales or prisms of different weights.
Granulated hops
TYPE 90
Undesirable hops and foreign ingredients are separated from dried hops after homogenization, and they are finally dried to 7–9% moisture. Having been thus treated, they are then ground to powder and granulated. The diameter of the pellets is 6 mm. The pellets are filled into aluminium foil bags filled with inert gas (N2/CO2 mixture). The most common number and weight of bags in a carton is 4 x 10 kg. Granulated hops are virtually identical to cone-shaped hops in terms of the content of substances valuable for brewing. Compared to cone-shaped hops, however, they have a more effective utilization of substances valuable for brewing, longer durability, easier and higher-quality storage, handling, and transport.
Granulated hops
TYP 45
Undesirable hops and foreign ingredients are separated from dried hops after homogenization, and are finally dried to 7–9% moisture. At a temperature of -35 °C they are ground to powder, and the lupulin part is separated from the vegetable part on vibrating screens. By repeatedly mixing them with a precisely determined ratio of the lupulin and vegetable parts, a standardized product with the required content of alpha-bitter acids is obtained. The powder thus obtained is granulated and packed into aluminium foil bags in the same manner as with hop pellets type-90. The advantage of hop pellets type-45 is mainly a higher concentration of hop resins and simple hop dosing in view of the fact that the content of alpha-bitter substances is predetermined.
Crop report
How we grow
Healthy soil is essential, which is why we have been trying to return nutrients to our soil naturally for the last decade. We are abandoning the old ways of farming, where the soil is ploughed in autumn and the nutrients succumb to frost in winter, only to have to be replenished artificially in spring.
- Introducing
- Growth
During June and July the hops grow after the guide wire. The young plant is susceptible to pests, so it is treated against aphids, silkworms and leafhoppers, and possibly against peronospora or hop leafhoppers.
- Harvest
At the beginning of August, the first heads are analysed for bitter substances. The growth is then used to estimated the start of the harvest. This usually falls at the end of August and the first half of September. Plants are picked from the hop fields and the heads are sorted on combing machines.
- Drying
The hops are dried in chamber or belt dryers until they contain about 10 % moisture. It is then pressed into 50-55 kg rectangular bales. Within 48 hours it must be transported to a climate-controlled warehouse where it is stored at a temperature of 2-4 °C.
- Processing
Hops are processed into rectangular bales, hop pucks, 90 or 45 granules according to demand. They are stored in a climate-controlled warehouse before dispatch.
- Storage
All our products, i.e. hop pucks, granulated hops, hop extract or dried hop heads, are stored at a temperature of ±2°C from the moment of drying the hops until the dispatch of the finished products, which guarantees high and constant quality. We also keep samples of all batches in the warehouse for possible subsequent inspection.
Storage
Our central air-conditioned warehouse can hold up to 1,350 tonnes of dried hops. All our products, i.e. hop pucks, granulated hops, hop extract or dried hop heads, from the moment the hops are dried to the dispatch of the finished products, they are stored at a temperature of ±2°C, which guarantees a high and constant quality. We also keep samples of all batches in the warehouse for possible subsequent inspection.
Protected Designation of Origin
Žatecký chmel is a trademark registered by the Industrial Property Office of Czech Republic
