‘Saaz is our gold’: the Czech scientists breeding hops that can survive a hotter Europe

Researchers are working to create new drought-resistant varieties of the ingredient that gives Czech pilsner its character

It is the country that drinks more beer per capita than any other but in the last few years Czechia has been hit by droughts and heatwaves, which make it harder to grow the Saaz hops, one of the key ingredients that goes into the country’s world famous beer.

At the Hop Research Institute, however, scientists are working to create new, climate-resilient hop varieties that have shown promise in overcoming Czechia’s heat and its strict traditionalism.