Hops

Does hops grow in Eastern Bohemia? The well-known breweries of the region cite the Saaz region around Žatec in northwestern Bohemia as their source. According to the brewery, Pardubický porter is brewed exclusively with hops from the Žatec region, and Bernard also names Saaz hops.

The classic variety is called Saaz, known in Czech as Žatecký poloraný červeňák, or Saaz Early Red in English. The name Žatecký chmel has been a protected designation of origin since 2007. Its aroma is considered fine, spicy, and herbal—not fruity or resinous like many American varieties.

Hops deliver two things: bitterness and aroma. The bitterness comes from alpha acids, which only become soluble when boiled. It's measured in IBU, a unit for the bittering compounds in beer. The aroma comes from essential oils, which survive short boils or late additions.

In dark beer, the hops stay in the background. The standard for Baltic Porter calls for 20 to 40 IBU, while wheat beer gets by with just 8 to 15. In porter, the bitterness balances the sweetness of the caramel malt; in wheat beer, it should barely register so as not to interfere with the yeast aromas.

Eastern Bohemia shows that hops don't need to grow near the brewery to belong to its beer. What matters is the variety, the amount, and the timing of the addition during the boil.

Saaz hop cones are harvested and dried in late summer. For brewing purposes, they're often pressed into pellets—ground and compressed hops that store better and allow for more precise dosing than whole cones. The hop's character is largely preserved in the process.