is named after the Czech word for “brewer.” It was released by the Hop Research Institute in Žatec (Saaz) in 1994, after 25 years of breeding efforts. Sládek was bred from a Saaz “Osvald clone” crossed with Northern Brewer. See northern brewer (hop), saaz (hop). Alpha acids in Sládek range from 4.5% to 8.5%, of which 24% are cohumulone. Beta acids range from 5% to 9%. The alpha acids are slightly unstable in storage. In terms of essential oils, this hop has an unusually low myrcene content of less than 1%. Notably floral hops, by comparison, generally have about 35% myrcene. The balsamic, resinous humulene amounts to about 34% of essential oils, whereas the spicy carophyllene amounts to 12%. The floral farnesene amounts to only 0.5% of the total oils. Sládek matures semilate in the season and has a fairly high average yield, 2,200 to 2,400 kg/ha (roughly 1,950 to 2,150 lb/acre). The variety is resistant to downy mildew but slightly susceptible to powdery mildew. In the brewhouse, Sládek is best used as complement to, rather than a replacement of, Saaz in top-quality lagers.
