The brewing value of atec hops
Ing. Pavel Průcha, ing. Ivo Hlaváček, CSc., Plzeňský Prazdroj, joint stock company, Plzeň
The fame of Czech beer's taste qualities is historically connected with the specific properties of Czech hops. To prove this statement we can cite the "Book of Economy", written by a priest Krysstoff Fisser in 1679 and its Czech translation dated 1706. In chapter VIII, dedicated to hops and hops-gardens, it is written: "...Nejlepssý se rodj okolo Klatow, atec a Aussi v kragi Litoměřickém. Tento dobře dělaný / w kwětu a hognosti marky /gend gest kwětu marka / znamenitěgssý gest nad giné / po něm Němcy neywjce touj / a geg mjti pro swé piwowáry / a welmi z husta geg do swých kragin wywáj ..."
The next citation from the above mentioned historical source proves, that our forefathers used hops not only for its taste properties, but also for its empirically known conservation bacteriostatic effects:
"...Kwět chmele gegj suchý a teplý mage moc stjragjcý zbraňuje / aby wody / k nim přimjssen býwá / nehnily / a poruený nebyly.
To té činj chmel při nápogi / co sůl při pokrmu a giných věcech ./ který magj dlouho zachowané býti. Nebo chmele moc a povinnost gest / piwo při sýle zachowati / gak zkussenost to dokazuge /..."
The progress achieved in natural sciences has enabled us to successively find and prove casual nexuses between the quality of beer and the composition of hops. Also generations of brewing and hops specialists helped to achieve a higher level of knowledge through results of their research. Such names as Osvald and Salač achieved world honourable mention. It is their success, that in spite of many obstructions, the Czech hops of the atec area has still the quality standard of good repute in fine hops.
Salač's works were a significant contribution to the problems regarding hop-growing, bitterness of beer and the importance of atec hops. An original idea was the determination of the so-called bitterness index, which was determined as a ratio of bitter substances in beer in molecular form, to bitter colloid bounded substances. Its determination allowed the evaluation of both the bitterness quality of the beer and also the quality of the hops used, and atec hops were considered the standard. When dosing the hops, Salač did not consider orientation to alpha bitter acids the only right one, he stressed the importance of the beta-part which gives the pleasant bitterness to the beer .He stressed it namely in the atec hops. The brewers of Plzeňský Prazdroj always used to select the parts of atec hops personally, and they took the bond between the quality of 12% Prazdroj and atec hops as a historical one. The overall effect of the bitter substances contained in the atec hops shows us that although the bitterness of 12% Prazdroj is extremely high, reaching analytically 40 international bitter units, its character is noble. It can only be recommended that the work and ideas of Salač were tested using existing modern analytical methods, and the results utilised by Czech brewers in practice.
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| Table 2: TRAP ratio in different hops varieties |
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At present, nobody has perhaps any doubt that it is this particular composition of atec hops that causes the soft bitterness of the light lager Prazdroj beer, complete with an inimitable aroma, which is appreciated by generations of beer lovers all over the world, and its pleasant, soft bitterness creates a model for other light lager beers. Strength and fullness which is masked and harmonically harmonised with bitterness stands behind the phenomenon called drinkability . During a study of casual nexuses affecting its drinkability, a significant positive statistic correlation was found, through animal testing, by employees of the Plzeňský Prazdroj company (r2 = 0,82) between the drinkablity of light lager beers of European origin and the content of bitter substances. It is an appeal to the current generation, and also for future generations of brewers and hops specialists, to find and describe those hops substances that positively affect physiological processes in the human body. Plzeňský Prazdroj employees proved that the share of the total anti-oxidant capacity (TRAP - Total Peroxyl Radical -Trapping Antioxidant Parameter) in beer, when using atec hops, comes to about 25 % (see Table 1). When the same dose of alpha bitter acids is added atec hops contribute, compared to other varieties, the highest share of antioxidant capacity due to the higher content and probably also specific composition of polyphenol substances (see Table 2).
It can be expected that the near future will bring proof of the existence of other hop compounds that are minor in content but significant regarding their biological effect. It can be expected that other positive health connections between hop compounds and nutritional properties will be found in the second most common drink in the world. We are persuaded that future inventions will confirm the exceptional position of Czech beer, and after the current obstacles are overcome, there will be a renaissance of Czech hop-growing again.
God give luck.
Table 1: Evaluation of different hops varieties - TRAP
