Hop variety · 🇨🇿 CZ
Saaz
Earthy herbal floral spice. Žatec region, Czech Republic - centuries-old noble hop.
- Alpha acid
- 2.8–3.5 %
- Total oil
- 0.3–0.7 mL/100 g
- 3MH-family thiols
- Low
- 4MMP
- Not rated
- Data
- Verified
Aroma in one line
Brewers describe Saaz as earthy herbal floral spice. In Hoparoma's hop notes its thiol character is filed as noble herbal. Its aroma is carried mainly by the essential oils listed below rather than by thiols.
Brewing values
Typical ranges come from supplier datasheets and lot certificates; the median column pools 12 published sources. Oil fractions are percent of total oil.
| Measure | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha acid % | 2.8–3.5 | 3.5 |
| Beta acid % | 3–5 | – |
| Cohumulone % of alpha | 24–26 | – |
| Total oil mL/100 g | 0.3–0.7 | 0.6 |
| Myrcene % | 25–32 | 30 |
| Humulene % | 22–35 | 35 |
| β-Caryophyllene % | 7–13 | 10 |
| Farnesene % | 14–22 | 12 |
| β-Pinene % | 0.4–0.6 | 0.3 |
| Linalool % | 0.3–0.5 | 0.3 |
| Geraniol % | 0.1–0.3 | 0.2 |
Range source: Hopsteiner Saaz CZ landrace data sheet + Kvasny Prumysl Czech HEO study 2011-2020 (myrcene/humulene/caryophyllene/geraniol/b_pinene literature-fill from Kvasny Prumysl 10-year study averages).
Thiol potential
Most of a hop's thiol aroma sits in the cone as odourless precursors bound to cysteine or glutathione; free thiols are a small fraction of the pool Gros et al. 2012 Kishimoto 2009. The tiers above summarise published precursor measurements and supplier statements for this variety. They are qualitative on purpose: Hoparoma's internal weighting is not published, and lot-to-lot variation is large.
Variety note: 2011 to 2020 study confirms year variation in hop essential oils; 2023 and 2024 yields slightly above average.
Which yeast brings it out
Thiols are not this hop's story. Pick the yeast for its ester and terpene handling: a β-glucosidase-active hazy strain lifts the oils, a clean strain keeps them precise.
Rule of thumb only. See the yeast table for every strain's rating and the literature behind it.
In Hoparoma
Hoparoma computes how much of Saaz's aroma compounds survive your boil, whirlpool, and dry hop, and models the thiol side across yeast, hop, malt, and Phantasm together. The result is a research-based estimate of where the beer is likely to land, not a guarantee.
Free in any browser, 3 recipes a month. What the calculator does
Sources and data quality
- Data quality: Verified (verified 2026)
- Typical ranges: Hopsteiner Saaz CZ landrace data sheet + Kvasny Prumysl Czech HEO study 2011-2020 (myrcene/humulene/caryophyllene/geraniol/b_pinene literature-fill from Kvasny Prumysl 10-year study averages)
- Thiol background: Gros et al. 2012, Kishimoto 2009, Takoi et al. 2009, Roland et al. 2016
- Supplier references: Yakima Chief Hops, Hop Products Australia, BarthHaas, NZ Hops, Hop Alliance
Full list with links on the sources page. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct the dataset in the next release. This page's tables are published under CC BY 4.0; reuse with credit and a link.