History of hop growing
Once upon a time
Once upon a time
Hops have been known to man since the antiquity. First records proving intentional growing of hops as a crop have been attributed to the medieval times.
1 000 AD
1 000 AD
Many written accounts in ancient herbariums prove that in the beginning, hops were used as a medicinal herb. The first ones to actually use hops for spicing and conservation of beer were the eastern Slavic tribes.
Hop growing has had a very long tradition within the Czech lands. First historical records of hop growing in what is today Czech Republic come from the 11th century AD. Written records of the founding of Czech monasteries from 1086, 1092 and 1100 AD prove, that even at that time, hops were grown and used for brewing great beers by the monks.
According to many written records, the exportation of hops from Czech lands to their neigbours started in the beginning of second millennium. First records proving hop growing took place in Moravia come from the 13th century AD.
14th century
14th century
During the rule of Charles IV in the 14th century, hop growing in Czech lands experienced a significant expansion. It was thanks to the fact that Charles was aware of the exceptional quality of hops grown in the Kingdom of Bohemia. As a proof of this claim serves the fact that at that time, the punishment for exportation of hop plants from the Kingdom of Bohemia was a death penalty. In the coming centuries, hop growing in the Czech lands went through a series of worse and better times, which were often linked to the political and economic situation in Europe of that given era.
19th century
19th century
Along with the expansion of industrial revolution, even hop growing had to modernize. Slowly the wooden pole trellises were replaced by the tall trellis construction systems that still are the most common method of hop growing to this day, and which are also typical for all the hop growing regions around the world. Hot air kilns and first experiments with intentional hop breeding started in this era as well. Just shortly before the beginning of World War 1, the total acreage of hop gardens in the Czech lands exceeded 17 000 ha (42 008 acres), which made Czech lands the absolute leading hop producing country in the world.
20th century
20th century
Just after the World War 2, the majority of hop growers started using mechanization. Around the same time, Dr. Karel Osvald contributed immensely to the success of Czech hop growing. It was him who established the first specialised research of hop varieties, which eventually gave birth to the world’s famous Saaz Fine Aroma hops, a variety that remains the most grown Czech hop variety to this day.
Since 1987, new Czech hybrid varieties have been grown as well. Out of all the new varieties that were introduced since, we’d mention particularly Sladek and Premiant, two varieties whose popularity grew significantly enough to provide a decent acreage.
21st century
21st century
New millennium brought along new challenges. Due to a number of factors, the total hop acreage in Czech Republic gradually dropped to today’s approximately 4 900 ha (12 108 acres). A major challenge has been the changing climate, which brings higher temperatures and less precipitation every year, as well as ever increasing pressure by the authorities to limit or completely ban chemical plant protection products.
Today’s innovations therefore focus mostly on breeding of new hop varieties that will be better adapted to the new climate (such as our variety Saaz Special), breeding of varieties adapted to low trellis construction, as well as construction of irrigation systems.
