Description
The Znojemské Pivo PGI is a beer produced using malt made from spring two-row barley, hops of the Zatecký poloraný cervenák and Magnum Hallertau varieties and local drinking water without further treatment. The beer is produced in three categories: light draught, dark draught and lager.
Production Area
The production area of the Znojemské Pivo PGI is located in the area of the Znojmo province, administrative region of the South Moravia.
Production Method
The production of the beer follows different stages which begin in the brewhouse. Initially the malt is milled and mixed with water, and then through the classic twomash decoction process the optimum temperature for the extraction of substances from the malt is achieved. Then the boiling stage follows, when the wort (malt extract mixed with water) is boiled with the hops to produce hopped wort. The hot wort is separated from the spent grain and cooled, after which it is fermented pitched with yeast (a bottomfermenting yeast) in open vats for about seven days. When primary fermentation is complete the green beer is transferred to the lagering cellar to mature which takes place at a temperature of about 2°C. Maturation of the beer takes between 30 and 90 days, depending on the variety. The purpose of maturing the beer is to optimise its organoleptic properties. Before being transferred to barrels or bottles, the green beer must be filtered to remove the yeast. It is then stabilised and pasteurised (in order to increase its colloidal and microbiological shelf life), and a second maturation takes place in lagering cellars which are linked to the historic area of tunnels below the town of Znojmo. The product thus obtained is ready to be marketed.
Appearance and Flavour
The Znojemské Pivo PGI changes depending on variety: the light draught beer is more highly fermented, with a hint of bitterness, hoppy aroma, good head; the dark draught type is garnet-coloured, with a less pronounced bitterness, and a malty caramel aroma; the lager variety is a medium fermented beer with a fuller taste, with bitter notes and good head.
History
The Znojemské Pivo PGI has an ancient tradition, which in the city of Znojmo is transmitted since the 13th century. The earliest documentary evidence dates from 1268; moreover a documentary evidence of 1363, the Losunková kniha, identifies a number of houses and townspeople having the right to brew beer. One of these was the brewer Hostan, whose name has become the symbol of the beer and of the Znojmo brewery. At the beginning of the 17th century there were two independent breweries in the town. In 1924 the two town breweries merged and Znojmo became the centre of beer production of the city. Following privatisation in 1993, the town's brewing tradition was carried on by Hostan, s.r.o., and continues also after the merging in 2002 with Starobrno, a.s. Today, the ancient and established tradition has contributed to render Znojemské Pivo PGI the symbol of the city.
Gastronomy
The Znojemské Pivo PGI is best kept in cool, dry places, away from direct sources of heat. Before consume, it is advisable to place it in the refrigerator. The Znojemské Pivo PGI is a high quality beer which is generally consumed cool as a drink. In the Czech tradition it accompanies the three main meals of the day and if drunk in the traditional taverns, called hospoda, it amplifies the traditional atmosphere of the place.
Marketing
The product is sold as Znojemské Pivo PGI Light draught, Dark draught, and Lager. It is sold in bottles or kegs of various weights and dimensions.
Distinctive Features
The Znojemské Pivo PGI is produced exclusively in the Znojmo city, follows a traditional centuriesold production method, and uses high quality raw materials and local water sources which lend this beer specific characteristic, guaranteeing its distinctiveness from other beers produced in the surrounding areas.
