Saaz

Saaz, Kazbek, and ... Juno? Whether punching up lagers or adding interest to IPAs, newer Czech hop varieties—little known outside their country—are an overlooked source of distinctive flavors.

Whether you want to brew a more convincing Czech-style lager, or you simply want to borrow a few tricks to shape the kind of beer that seems impossible to stop drinking, here are some elements to consider.

One of the world’s most cherished hop-growing regions had a rough growing season last year—but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, and there is more to Czech hops than Saaz.

Jester King founder Jeff Stuffings explains their approach to hopping their rustic farmhouse ales, often choosing to embrace large quantities of low-alpha, spicy Noble hops. He also discusses aging hops on site for their more lambic-like beers.

“We think pilsners can be as different from each other as the four or five IPAs we have on tap,” says Kurt Smith, cofounder and head brewer at Smith & Lentz Brewing in Nashville, Tennessee.

A true brewer's beer, this Czech-influenced lager from 2nd Shift in St. Louis is packed with Saaz hops flavor.

This might seem like just another hoppy session beer, but the regionally authentic ingredients do tend to come through even in the face of atypical hops.