FreshieSaaz a.k.a. Žatec
The defining hop of Czech pilsner.
What it tastes like
Saaz is one of the four Noble hops and the single defining aroma of Czech pilsner. Soft, spicy, herbal, with a delicate floral edge — almost no fruit, almost no resin. If you've ever drunk Pilsner Urquell, you've tasted Saaz.
Best in these styles
Beers showcasing Saaz
- Pilsner UrquellPilsner Urquell
- various Czech-style lagersNotch
- Slow Pour PilsBierstadt Lagerhaus
Substitutes & relatives
If you can't source Saaz, these hops bring overlapping character.
Lineage & family
Saaz is a landrace / founding variety — a root of the hop family tree. Trace where it leads in the Hop Lineage explorer →
All 1 descendants
Shinsuwase
Pedigree data adapted from the Rohwer (2021) hop family tree (CC0 1.0). Compilation, analysis & visualisation © 2026 Veryation · Freshie™.
For brewers — technical profile
Oil composition
History
Documented in Czech brewing since at least the 13th century. Saaz was the original hop used in the world's first pilsner (Pilsner Urquell, 1842) and remains the defining aroma of Czech-style lagers.
Explore more hops
Flavor twins across Freshie
Drinks and foods across Freshie that share Saaz’s flavor fingerprint — matched on shared flavor axes via the Freshie Taste Graph.