301: Zdeněk Rosa of Bohemia Hop Is Bullish on the Future of Czech Hops

When brewers think of Czech hops, they naturally think of Saaz, whose delicate and ethereal character is nearly synonmyous with lager itself. Yet while craft brewers around the world have developed an obsession with punchy New World hops and the character of specific varieties, they often know relatively litle about the hops from this region that’s been growing them for more than a millennium. In this episode, we sit down in Žatec—the home of Saaz—with Zdeněk Rosa, chairman of Bohemia Hop, the collective of all Bohemian hop growers. Here, Rosa digs into: the promising overall trajectory of Saaz growth in recent years, despite the disastrous harvest of 2022 how agronomy and growing operations differ in Bohemia compared to the Pacific Northwest the unlikely specifics of how weather impacted the 2022 harvest the development of other varieties that offer similar character to Saaz but with better yield and sustainability newer, more expressive Czech aroma varieties such as Saaz Shine and Saaz Comfort, which offer enticing possibilities for lager and other kinds of beer leaning into a Czech take on cold IPA using more characterful Czech aroma hops And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project. 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Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America! ProBrew ( https://www.probrew.com ) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email contactus@probrew.com . Indie Hops ( https://indiehops.com/podcast ) : Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful! 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