Comparison of quality parameters of Czech and foreign hop varieties

Market varieties of hops are classified to several groups according to their use in the brewing industry - aroma, bitter (dual-purpose), high-alpha ones. Saaz and other genetically related varieties form a separate group among the aromatic hops. The group called fine aroma hops has a low content of a-bitter acids (3-4% w/w), its content of beta-bitter acids is in the range of 4-7% w/w and cohumulone ratio in the interval of 23-26% rel. The composition of hop oils is characterised by the content of beta-farnesene in the range of 15-20% rel. and trans-alpha-bergamotene at the amount of ca. 1% rel. Most market varieties of hops are of hybrid origin. It holds true about the Czech varieties Sladek, Bor, Premiant and Agnus. The content of alpha-bitter acids in bitter varieties is in the range of 7-10% w/w while the content of alpha-bitter acids in high-alpha hops is higher than 10% w/w.