ODOLCHMEL

Project motivation:

Climate change, especially the lack of moisture, is reducing hop yields in the Czech Republic. Therefore, growing areas that have the possibility of irrigation are at an advantage, but its use is often limited by a ban on water abstraction from small water sources. Where there is no irrigation at all, hop growing areas may soon disappear, and even cease to be used for agricultural purposes. This problem should be solved by planting hop fields with drought-resistant hop varieties or genotypes.

Drought-resistant hop varieties will increase efficiency and productivity, and thus competitiveness on the Czech and global markets.

Project objectives:

  1. To maintain the competitiveness of Czech hops on the Czech and foreign markets.
  2. To maintain hop growing areas even in regions with low rainfall.

How to ensure project goals?

  1. Obtaining new drought-resistant hop genotypes
  2. Registering these varieties
  3. Developing a methodology for growing new hop varieties in arid regions
  4. Applying these varieties in cultivation and brewing practices

Project results

2021

  1. Nesvadba et al.: Evaluation of Czech hop varieties, Kvasný průmysl. 2021, 67(2), 428-434, https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2021.67.428
  2. Nesvadba et al.: Evaluation of Czech hop varieties in beer Kvasný průmysl (2021) 67: 529–536, https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2021.67.529

2022

  1. Registration of the Juno variety, 8.12. 2022, UKZUZ 222959/2022.
  2. Registration of the Saturn variety, 8.12. 2022, UKZUZ 222959/2022.
  3. Establishment of the first semi-operational area: Nesvadba V, Charvátová, J., Trnková, S. Semi-operational area of tall structures with promising genotypes resistant to drought [semi-operational]. Chmelařský institut Žatec (k.ú. Nesuchyně č.p. 2766), 0,25 ha, 2022.
  4. Establishment of the second semi-operational area: Nesvadba V, Charvátová, J., Trnková, S. Semi-operational area of tall structures with promising genotypes resistant to drought [semi-operational]. Chmelařský institut Žatec (k.ú. Rybňany č.p. 16/1), 0,32 ha, 2022.
  5. Registration of six promising genotypes for registration trials:
Working Title External code Internal code REG – date of application REG – application designation
5165 HML42129 5109613 28. 11. 2022 B7936
5304 HML42132 5109616 28. 11. 2022 B7939
5432 HML42130 5109614 28. 11. 2022 B7937
5461 HML42131 5109615 28. 11. 2022 B7938
5465 HML42133 5109617 28. 11. 2022 B7940
5559 HML42134 5109618 28. 11. 2022 B7941
  1. Trefilová M., Nesvadba V., Charvátová J. (2022): Evaluation of resistance to Pseudoperonospora humuli and of the content of alpha acids and hop oils in hops of selected genetic resources of hop Humulus lupulus L. Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 58: 36−42. https://doi.org/10.17221/70/2021-CJGPB
  2. Nesvadba V., Olšovská, J., Straková, L., Charvátová, J., Fritschová, G. 2022: Evaluation of yield and alpha acid content in selected hop varieties. Kvasny prumysl (2022) 68/3+4: 637–641. https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2022.68.637
  3. Nesvadba V, Charvátová, J., Trnková, S. 2022: Evaluation of fine aroma Saaz Shine hop variety. Kvasny prumysl (2022) 68/5: 642–646.
    https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2022.68.642
  4. Nesvadba V, Charvátová, J., Trnková, S. 2022: Evaluation of hop yield stability in Czech bitter hop varieties. Kvasny prumysl (2022) 68/6: 674-678.
    https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2022.68.674

2023

  1. Registration of the Ceres hop variety, 7. 3.2023, UKZUZ 037525/2023
  2. Establishment of the third semi-commercial area: Nesvadba V, Charvátová, J., Trnková, S. Semi-operational area of tall structures with promising genotypes resistant to drought [semi-operational]. Hop Research Institute Žatec (cadastral area Nesuchyně no. 3074), 0.36 ha, 2023.
  3. OLŠOVSKÁ, Jana, Vladimír NESVADBA, Lenka STRAKOVÁ, Jaroslav PŘIKRYL, Tomáš VRZAL, Pavel DONNER, Radim CERKAL: Drought-tolerant hop genotypes – A promising solution to the problem of climate change for the hop industry? Kvasny prumysl (2023) 69: 777–785. https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2023.69.777
  4. NESVADBA, Vladimír, Lenka STRAKOVÁ, Gabriela FRITSCHOVÁ, Jana OLŠOVSKÁ, Jitka CHARVÁTOVÁ and Sabina TRNKOVÁ. Evaluation of variability of the content of alpha and beta acids in Czech bittering hop varieties (Humulus lupulus L.) Kvasný průmysl. 2023, 69(2), 719-725. E-ISSN 2570-8619.
    https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2023.69.719
  5. NESVADBA, Vladimír, Miloslav KLAS, Jitka CHARVÁTOVÁ and Sabina TRNKOVÁ. Evaluation of Czech hop varieties (Humulus lupulus L.) in a dry area without irrigation. Kvasný průmysl. 2023, 69(5), 803-810. E-ISSN 2570-8619. https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2023.69.803
  6. NESVADBA Vladimír, Jana OLŠOVSKÁ, Lenka STRAKOVÁ and Jan HERVERT. Impartment of spicy, fruity and herbal aromas from the Czech hop varieties of Ceres, Pluto and Saturn to beer. Kvasný průmysl. 2023, 69(6): 831-838. https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2023.69.831

2024

  1. NESVADBA, Vladimír, Jitka CHARVÁTOVÁ, Jana OLŠOVSKÁ and Sabina TRNKOVÁ. Evaluation of variability in alpha and beta acid content in European hop varieties (Humulus lupulus L.). Kvasný průmysl. 2024, 70(4), 919-926. E-ISSN 2570-8619. https://doi.org/10.18832/kp2024.70.919.
  2. OLŠOVSKÁ, Jana, Lenka STRAKOVÁ, Vladimír NESVADBA, Tomáš VRZAL, Michaela MALEČKOVÁ, Josef PATZAK and Pavel DONNER. SAAZ—Fine Aroma Hop Pedigree: A Review of Current Knowledge. Beverages. 2024, 10(3), 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages10030090
  3. OLŠOVSKÁ, Jana, Lenka STRAKOVÁ, Vladimír NESVADBA, Tomáš VRZAL, Michaela MALEČKOVÁ and Jaroslav PŘIKRYL. The Comparison and Brewing Value of Saaz Hop Pedigree. Beverages. 2024, 10(4), 101. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages10040101
  4. NESVADBA, Vladimír, OLŠOVSKÁ, Jana, CHARVÁTOVÁ, Jitka, TRNKOVÁ, Sabina, FRITSCHOVÁ, Gabriela, New Czech fine aroma hop varieties (Humulus lupulus L.) – Saaz Brilliant, Saaz Comfort and Saaz Shine – have found extensive use in hop growing and beer brewing. BrewingScience. 2024, 77, 142-149.
    https://www.brewingscience.de/index.php?tpl=table_of_contents&year=2024&edition=0011%2F0012&article=93139

New products from the brewery involved in the project

Plzeňský Prazdroj / Pivovar Elektrárna

 

  • CERES IPL (hop Saaz Comfort, Ceres)
  • Summer Ale (hop Saturn, Pluto)
  • Kryšpín (hop Juno)
  • Brut Ale (hop mix Saturn)
  • Franz Spalek (hop Saaz Comfort)
  • Matylda (hop Saturn)
  • Radegast Rezist (hop Uran, Saaz Shine)

Česká pivní vize

The Czech Beer Vision tasting competition includes a special category: Implementation of new raw materials and technologies in brewing. Czech Beer Vision includes a special category focused on innovation in brewing, which is currently dedicated to beers hopped with new varieties of drought-tolerant hops – known as Odolchmely.

 

These modern varieties include Saaz Shine, Saaz Comfort, Juno, Uran, Ceres, and Saturn. The category was created in cooperation with the Hop Research Institute in Žatec as part of research project QK21010136 of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic.

Project partners – research team

  • Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, a.s. – RNDr. Jana Olšovská Ph.D.
  • Hop Research Institute, Ltd. – Ing. Vladimír Nesvadba, Ph.D.
  • Elektrárna Experimental Brewery (Plzeňský Prazdroj, a.s.) – Ing.  Lenka Straková, Ph.D.
  • Chrášťany Agricultural Company Ltd. – Ing. Miloslav Klas CSc.

Funding

Application of new drought-resistant hop varieties and genotypes in cultivation and brewing practices (2021-2025)
QK21010136 – Applied Research Program of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period 2021-2025.