Kazbek hops for spicy lemon in Czech style lagers

A Czech hop with more lift than Saaz

Kazbek was bred at the Hop Research Institute in Žatec, the centre of Czech hop growing. It was registered in 2008. Like most modern Czech varieties, it was bred with Saaz in mind: Czech brewers wanted hops that kept the familiar spicy, earthy character while yielding more and resisting disease better.

Kazbek keeps that spicy base and adds something Saaz does not have: a distinct lemon and citrus note. Alpha acid is moderate, usually around 5 to 8%, roughly double a typical Saaz crop. That makes it more useful for bittering than Saaz while still behaving like an aroma hop when added late.

What a Czech pale lager asks of its hops

The Czech premium pale lager is one of the most hop led lager styles. Bitterness runs around 30 to 45 IBU, usually firmer than a German helles and often softer in feel than a German pils at the same number, thanks to the fuller malt body many Czech brewers keep. The hop aroma is spicy, herbal and floral, traditionally from Saaz alone.

That leaves room for Kazbek in two ways. It can sit alongside Saaz to add a lemony top note, or replace part of the Saaz for brewers who want a slightly brighter, more modern beer. In either case the beer should still read as Czech. Our guide to Saaz hops and Czech lager covers the classic version.

Where to put it in the boil

The lemon note is carried in the hop oils, which a long boil drives off. Kazbek added at 60 minutes gives clean bitterness with a little spice. Added at 15 minutes or later, or in the whirlpool, it keeps much more of its citrus.

A practical pattern for a 1,000 litre Czech style pale lager at 36 IBU:

• 60 minutes: Kazbek or a clean bittering hop for about 24 IBU. With Kazbek at 6.5% alpha and 28% utilisation, that is 24 x 1,000 / (0.065 x 0.28 x 1,000), about 1,320 g.
• 20 minutes: Saaz for about 8 IBU.
• Whirlpool around 80 °C: Kazbek at 1 g per litre for aroma, adding a few IBU of its own.

Check the finished beer's IBU in a lab once. Whirlpool bitterness varies a lot between brewhouses.

Matching it to the rest of the beer

Czech lagers often use a rich pale malt base and, traditionally, decoction mashing, which deepens malt flavour and colour slightly. Kazbek's lemon note cuts through that richness well. In a lighter, drier lager, such as one with rice in the grist, the lemon reads more clearly still, so a smaller late addition may be enough.

Water matters too. The classic Czech pale lager was built on very soft water. Hard, high bicarbonate borewell water, common in many parts of India, makes a hoppy lager taste coarse. Dilute with reverse osmosis water and keep mash pH around 5.2 to 5.4 so the hop bitterness stays fine rather than harsh.

How it compares with its neighbours

Against Saaz, Kazbek is spicier and more lemony, with roughly twice the alpha. Against the Czech Sladek, it is less fruity and more citrus driven. Against German Spalt, it is brighter. Among American hops, Mount Hood and other aroma hops bred from European lines are the loose comparison, though the lemon note is Kazbek's own.

Understanding why these hops differ comes down to their oil profiles and how each oil behaves in the kettle. That is what lets a brewer substitute one for another with confidence instead of hope.

Handling and storage

Czech aroma hops are bought for their oils. Those oils fade with heat and oxygen. Keep foils frozen at around minus 18 °C and sealed. Once opened, press out the air, seal again and finish the bag within a few weeks. In an Indian brewhouse, where the floor near the kettle can run well above 30 °C, take out only what you need for the brew and return the rest to the freezer at once.

Rub a few pellets before each brew. Fresh Kazbek smells of spice and lemon zest. If it smells cheesy or flat, use it for bittering and buy a fresh lot for the late additions.

Where to start

Brew your usual Czech style pale lager, but replace the whirlpool Saaz with the same weight of Kazbek. Keep every other variable the same. Taste the two beers side by side after lagering, ideally with a colleague who does not know which is which. If the lemon is welcome, the next step is moving some Kazbek into the 20 minute addition.

Common questions

What does Kazbek taste like?

A spicy, earthy Czech hop character with a clear lemon and citrus note on top.

What alpha acid does Kazbek have?

Usually around 5 to 8%, roughly twice a typical Saaz crop.

Can Kazbek replace Saaz?

Partly. It gives a similar spicy base with more lemon and more bitterness, so the beer will taste brighter. Recalculate the dose for its higher alpha.