High IBU year

The news has been covered by newspapers and TV, the 2011 harvest of Saaz hops is extraordinarily good, or maybe too good, if farmers are to be believed. The price of the prized aromatic herb has dropped so low that many of them warned that they would rather not even pick it.

So, breweries from all over the world and of all sizes, forget your Citra, Sorachi Ace, Nelson Sauvin, Amarillo and other faddish, transatlantic and antipodean hops. Get in touch with your dealers and buy a good fuckload of Žatecký Porloranní červeňák or Premiant at Lidl-like prices. And before any of you comes saying "But, mate! How can I brew my super double-triple barrel aged Imperial Indian Whatever with Saaz?" Buy a bottle of DeMolen Hel & Verdoemenis, which comes with 99IBU squeezed out of Premiant and Hellertau hops (and it's a bloody kick-ass beer, at least when two years old, great to celebrate a special day) or have a go at brewing something more subtle, yet flavourful, you know, the kind everyone likes (not counting snobs and geeks, of course).

Oh! And dear Czech brewers, with the price of your favourite hops so low, you don't have any excuses this year to use extracts, get your shit together and buy Saaz.

Na Zdraví!

Choose your preferred Prague hotels and get free transport.