1. Czech Beer Prepared by Jan Veselý, Czech Beer and Malt Association

2. Czech Beer2 Geographical Indication  The name of an area, specific location or country used to designate goods originating from that territory, provided the goods are of a certain quality and have a reputation or other characteristic that can be attributed to the geographical origin, and provided the goods originate from, or are processed or prepared on, the territory;  is generally applied for by manufacturers’ associations;  the period of protection is not restricted, nor is authorization for use required, i.e. anyone manufacturing on the territory whose products meet the quality requirement can use the geographical indication on their products  has no owner, cannot be established by a license agreement, thus cannot be subject to trade or sale

3. Czech Beer3 Comparison of Rights from Trademarks and Geographical Indication

4. Czech Beer4 Description of Czech Beer - I A light beer with a weak to mild aroma of light malt and hops. The color is golden-yellow, medium to high intensity. The beer is sparkly; a compact white head forms when poured into a glass. Divergent aromas and flavors are inadmissible, malt and hops flavors are dominant. This beer’s kick is medium to strong, and is released slowly with carbon dioxide from the solution. The flavor is medium- to full-bodied. The beer is fermented less, which means it has a lower alcohol content..

5. Czech Beer5 Description of Czech Beer - II A very important characteristic of Czech beer is its bitterness. The intense bitterness also supports the digestive process and is a source of stimulus to drink more. The absolute majority contains residual (unfermented) extract. It features a higher pH content and higher polyphenol substance content. The more intense color and the higher polyphenol content are a result of using the decoction method in the mashing process (as opposed to the infusion method). As for the technological side, the dominating factors influencing Czech beer are: the composition of the grain mixture and the amount of hops, their harmonization with the choice of yeast strain, and the fermentation process used. All those elements are guaranteed by a long brewing tradition and the human factor.

6. Czech Beer6 Ingredients Barley malt – a light malt, also called “Czech malt,” which is produced from two-row spring barley. The barley varieties for producing barley malt are approved by ÚKZÚZ in Brno and recommended by VÚPS, a.s. Praha. Czech hops and hops extracts – chiefly the varieties grown in selected localities of demarcated territories – 1) Žatec area, 2) Ústí area, 3) Tršice area (see map). Water – from local sources; the water is classified as soft to medium hard. Brewer’s yeast – bottom-fermenting yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae subsp. uvarum) are used.

7. CZECH BEER7 Geographical Area for Czech Beer Production

8. Czech Beer8 Proof of Origin Each beer manufacturer has its own list of suppliers of brewing ingredients. Records on buyers of finished products are also kept. Each product package is fixed with mandatory information about the manufacturer and the product. Those documentation requirements guarantee that the origin products can be tracked accurately. The manufacturing process is rigorously and thoroughly controlled. Monitoring of compliance with documentation requirements is performed by members of the local Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection office.

9. CZECH BEER9 Geographical Demarcation of Hops-growing and Barley-growing Areas

10. Czech Beer10 Production Method In order to retain the characteristic flavor of Czech beer, at least 80 % of the total grain mixture in each batch comprises malt produced from approved varieties. Once the mashing process has been completed, preparation of the wort begins (hops boiling). When the hops boiling process is over, the wort is cooled to the fermentation temperature up to 6 to 8 °C, aerated, then brewer’s yeast is added. The mashing process is performed by the decoction method (from 1 to 3 rests), the infusion method is not used.

11. Czech Beer11 Production Method - continued Primary fermentation takes place at a maximum temperature of 14° C and is a separate technological process from the secondary fermentation process, i.e. fermentation is a two-phase process. The secondary fermentation process takes place at temperatures close to 0° C. Once the beer has aged in conditioning vessels, the beer is filtered and then decanted in kegs, bottles, cans, or tanks. Shipments of unfiltered lagers (kvasnicové pivo) are also permitted.

12. CZECH BEER12 Historical Evidence of the Origins of Brewing in the Czech Lands Beer was brewed and consumed by the pre-Slavic inhabitants of the demarcated territory, as well as by the original Slavic tribes The first record of beer production in the territory is linked to the Břevnov Monastery (the Benedictines brewed beer there in 993) Evidence of malting and brewing beer has been plentiful in royal, feudal and municipal chronicles since 1330

13. CZECH BEER13 Why Is Czech Beer Unique? (1) Czech beer is brewed via a prescribed method originated by Czech brewers, only within the defined territory, and using local ingredients of a certain quality and local water sources, which give Czech beer its distinct sensory characteristics Its uniqueness derives from the centuries-old tradition of brewing in a demarcated territory.

14. CZECH BEER14 Why Is Czech Beer Unique? (2) By passing down the technique from generation to generation, its distinct characteristics have been preserved to this very day Czech beer’s global reputation comes by virtue of the excellent conditions for growing malting barley and hops in the demarcated territory, as well as the high professional standard of employees obtained by studying at Czech brewery schools of all levels.

15. Thank you for your attention! Cheers!