Protected Geographical Indication

PGI is used throughout the European Union and in other countries that have concluded agreements with the EU on the protection of geographical indications. It is used to label agricultural products and foodstuffs that originate from a specific region and have specific characteristics determined by their place of origin (PGI – Bayerisches Bier / Germany).

At the end of the 1990s, we conducted extensive research comparing the chemical composition of beers from different parts of the world. The results clearly showed that Czech beer differs from others in a number of quality parameters. This uniqueness stems from traditional production methods, specific raw materials, and centuries-old proven processes.

Europe’s move towards sustainability has inspired us to protect Czech beer as a cultural and technological heritage. To prevent traditional production from being threatened by strict energy limits, we have initiated a legislative protection process together with our colleagues from the Czech Association of Breweries and Malt Houses (ČSPaS).

This resulted in the registration of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Czech beer in 2008.

This designation defines the exact technological process, raw materials, and production area. The malt must come from specific varieties of Czech barley, the hops from approved Czech hop gardens, and we only use bottom-fermented brewer’s yeast. We also place emphasis on a precisely controlled mashing and fermentation process. All this contributes to the typical higher fullness, bitterness, and lower occurrence of foreign flavors in Czech beer.

Our research and sensory evaluations have confirmed that Czech beer is analytically and taste-wise distinguishable from foreign beers. Parameters such as color, pH, bitterness, residual extract, and polyphenols form its characteristic profile. Using modern statistical methods, we have been able to accurately describe these differences. Currently, 19 breweries and more than 100 beer brands use the PGI designation. Thanks to this system, we have contributed to the preservation of barley varieties, the stabilization of the malt and hop markets, and strengthened protection against unfair competition. Even breweries that do not use PGI often use the recommended raw materials, thus contributing to the sustainability of the entire system.

We are proud to be part of this journey – protecting the quality, tradition, and future of Czech beer.

A detailed overview of the characteristic properties of Czech beer was published by RIBM staff in the Czech Journal of Food Sciences (J. Olsovska, P. Cejka, K. Siegler, V. Honigova: The Phenomenon of Czech Beer: a review, Czech J. Food Sci, 32(4), 2014, 309-319).