Saaz hops
{{Short description|Variety of hops}}
File:Eduard Scharrer & Co, Nürnberg-Saaz Hopfen tin.JPG
Saaz is a "noble" variety of hops.
It was named after the Czech town of Žatec ({{langx|de|Saaz}}). This hop is used extensively in Bohemia to flavor beer as the Czech pilsner.
Saaz hops accounted for more than {{frac||2|3}} of total 2009 hop production in the Czech Republic.{{cite web
|url=http://www.czhops.cz/index.php/en/hop-statistics
|title=Hop Statistics - Hops Growers Union of the Czech Republic
|publisher=www.czhops.cz
|accessdate=2010-01-23
}} It is the main hop variety used in the production of global beer Stella Artois, a Belgian pilsner.
Characteristics
Saaz has a distinctive flavour. When used in beer, the resultant aroma is very mild, earthy, herbal and spicy. Despite its popularity and noble pedigree, Saaz generally has a very low Alpha acid level and is not very effective as a bittering hop. This hop is generally used for Bohemian style lagers and pilseners.
{{cite book |last = Palmer|first = John|title = How to Brew|publisher = Brewers Publications|year = 2006|location = Boulder, CO|pages = Chapter 5 part 3|url = http://www.howtobrew.com/|isbn = 0-937381-88-8}}
Another variety of Saaz hops has been propagated in the United States of America. The US variety has a higher Alpha acid content than the original Czech variety.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hopslist.com/hops/aroma-hops/saaz-us/|title=Saaz (US)|date=2014-03-08|website=Hopslist|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-19}}
Acid and oil breakdown
| class="wikitable"
! width="300"| Property ! width="100"| US variety{{cite book |last=Daniels |first=Ray |title=Designing Great Beers |publisher=Brewers Publications |year=2000 |location=Boulder, CO |pages=72–106 |isbn=0-937381-50-0}} |
| align="center"| Yield (kg/ha)
| align="center"| 800–1,200 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Alpha acids (%)
| align="center"| 2.5–4.0 | align="center"| 6.3–7.0{{cite web|url=http://www.hopsdirect.com/hops/pellethops.html|title=Hops Direct - US Saaz growers|publisher=www.hopsdirect.com |accessdate=2010-01-23}} |
| align="center"| Beta acids (%)
| align="center"| 4.6–6.0 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Alpha/beta ratio
| align="center"| 0.6–0.9 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Cohumulone (% of alpha acids):
| align="center"| 23–26 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Colupulone (% of alpha acids):
| align="center"| 39–43 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Total oils (mls. per 100 grams dried hops)
| align="center"| 0.4–1.0 | align="center"| 0.6 |
| align="center"| Myrcene (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 25–40 | align="center"| 37 |
| align="center"| Linalool (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 0.4–0.8 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Caryophyllene (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 6–9 | align="center"| 7 |
| align="center"| Humulene (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 15–25 | align="center"| 23 |
| align="center"| Farnesene (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 14–20 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Selinenes (as % of total oils)
| align="center"| 0.5–1.5 | align="center"| N/A |
| align="center"| Possible substitutions
| align="center" colspan="2"| Centennial, Amarillo, Motueka, Stirling, Summer |
References
{{Wikisource|Circular of the United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Botany/Hop cultivation in Bohemia|display=Hop cultivation in Bohemia}}
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