Fine, herbal Czech hop aroma with a brighter streak of fruit and citrus. Saaz Shine is a young Czech fine-aroma hop, bred from Sládek and a Saaz male, for pale lagers that should smell unmistakably Czech.
Alpha 2–5 % · Beta 2–4 % · Fine aroma · T90 pellets · 100 g
What it does in your beer
The breeder describes a rich yet fine hoppy aroma with a pronounced fruity and citrusy scent, backed by balanced herbal, floral and spicy notes. The bitterness is lower in intensity and fine in character, and it fades gently.
Lighter lagers are its home: Czech pale lager, pilsner and premium pale lager. Dark lagers, India pale lagers and pale ales are further options when you want a softer, European hop note.
At a glance
| Variety | Saaz Shine (international code SAH) |
| Bred by | Hop Research Institute, Žatec — Sládek × Saaz male, registered 2019 |
| Origin | Czech Republic |
| Form | T90 pellets |
| Pack size | 100 g |
| Alpha acids | 2–5 % |
| Beta acids | 2–4 % |
| Co-humulone | 21–27 % |
| Total oil | 0.45–1.0 g/100 g |
| Purpose | Aroma |
| Aroma | Fruity, citrus, herbal, floral, spicy |
What 10 g does in 20 L
| Added at | IBU from 10 g in 20 L (approx.) |
| 60 min | ≈ 4 |
| 30 min | ≈ 3 |
| 15 min | ≈ 2 |
| 5 min | ≈ 1 |
Approx., Tinseth formula, OG 1.050, mid alpha 3.5 %. Recalculate with the alpha on your pack.
How to use
- First addition: gives a soft bitterness, though aroma is the reason to buy this hop.
- Second addition: very well suited to flavour hopping.
- Late (third) addition: recommended to keep the fine herbal and spicy aroma.
- Dry hop: possible, for a gentle, traditional hop aroma.
- Low alpha means bigger additions for the same bitterness: 10 g at 60 minutes adds only about 4 IBU to 20 L.
Swap it for
The breeder's brewing trials rate Saaz Shine and Saaz Comfort as two possible alternatives for pils lager.
Its character sits close to classic Saaz (Žatecký poloraný červeňák), which is in our range.
Pairs well with
Brewing a Czech pale lager? Try it with our Czech Pilsner Malt, a touch of Weyermann CARAHELL and SafLager W-34/70 for a clean, cold ferment.
Storage & shelf life
- Keep it sealed, cold, dry and dark.
- Pellet data sheets specify a dry, odour-free store at −3 to 5 °C.
- Opened: press out the air, reseal and put it straight back in the cold.
Food information
- Name: Hop pellets, Saaz Shine
- Ingredients: hop pellets (Humulus lupulus)
- Allergens: none — hops are not among the 14 allergens listed in Annex II of EU Regulation 1169/2011
- Net quantity: 100 g
- Country of origin: Czech Republic
- Storage: sealed, cold, dry and dark
Good to know
- No crop year is given for this listing; the alpha, beta and oil figures above are the product's typical values.
- 100 g of T90 pellets.
- Hops are dispatched from our partner's warehouse in the Czech Republic, separately from equipment, so expect two parcels if you order both.
FAQ
How does Saaz Shine differ from classic Saaz?
It was bred from Sládek and a Saaz male and registered in 2019. The character stays close to classic Saaz, with a more pronounced fruity and citrusy scent.
Is Saaz Shine a bittering hop?
Not really. At 2–5 % alpha it gives a soft, gently fading bitterness; it's grown for aroma.
Which beers suit it?
Lighter lagers first: Czech pale lager, pilsner and premium pale lager. It also works in dark lagers, India pale lagers and pale ales.
What does SAH mean?
It's the international code for the Saaz Shine variety.