EN Official Journal of the European Union C 194/6

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2016/C 194/05)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ŠTAJERSKI HMELJ’

EU No: SI-PGI-0005-01191 — 10.1.2014

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Štajerski hmelj’

2. Member State or Third Country

Slovenia

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.8. Other products of Annex I to the Treaty (spices etc.)

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

The hop plant is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant. It is dioecious, which means that a single specimen will have either male or female inflorescences only. Only the female inflorescences are of economic interest, since it is only on female plants that hop cones develop.

‘Štajerski hmelj’ is distinguished by its fine hop aroma, with herbal, fruit or flower notes. ‘Štajerski hmelj’ comprises the Slovenian hop varieties included in the National List of Varieties, mainly Savinjski Golding, Aurora, Atlas, Ahil, Apolon, Bobek, Buket, Blisk, Celeia, Cekin, Cicero, Cerera, Dana, Styrian Gold, Styrian Eureka and Styrian Eagle. The most widely-grown varieties are Aurora, Bobek, Celeia and Savinjski Golding, with the newer varieties Dana and Styrian Gold accounting for a minor share. The varieties are classified as fine aroma and aroma hops (Aurora, Bobek, Celeia, Savinjski Golding) and bittering hops (Dana).

Each year, the Slovenian Institute for Hop Research and Brewing (IHPS) determines the average content and composition of essential oils in freshly picked and dried hop cones that grow in the protected geographical area. The 10-year (2005-2014) average for Aurora, the most popular variety, was 1,4 ml of essential oils per 100 g of dried hop cones, with 6,1 rel. % farnesene and 0,8 rel. % linalool. The ratio of alpha-humulene to beta-caryophyllene was 3,1. The 10-year (2005-2014) average for Savinjski Golding, the most popular variety, was 1,1 ml of essential oils per 100 g of dried hop cones, with 6,0 rel. % farnesene and 0,5 rel. % linalool. The ratio of alpha-humulene to beta-caryophyllene was 2,9.

The minimum essential oil content for ‘Štajerski hmelj’ is 0,5 ml per 100 g of dried hop cones.

The name ‘Štajerski hmelj’ to be registered refers to dried hop cones and the products made from them in the form of hop pellets and hop extracts. All the products are obtained from dried hop cones. Conventional hop products comprise type 90 pellets, lupulin-enriched type 45 pellets and CO2 or ethanol hop extract.

Type 90 pellets are produced by grinding the hops and pressing them through a pellet die. Type 45 pellets are produced by grinding frozen dried hops that have previously been sieved to remove the cone fractions that do not contain lupulin.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages in the production of ‘Štajerski hmelj’, including the drying of the hop cones, must take place within the defined geographical area.

Pellets and extracts may also be produced outside the defined geographical area. No substances may be added to the dried hop cones in the production of pellets or extract.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

—

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

‘Štajerski hmelj’ is labelled with a common logo for ‘Štajerski hmelj’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area for the PGI extends to the western border of the Štajerska region and continues to the south-west and south along the Sava River. To the south-west, the area is limited by the state border with the Republic of Croatia, to the east by the Mura River and to the north by the state border with Austria.

5. Link with the geographical area

Besides giving rise to hop production in the area centuries ago, the favourable climatic and pedological conditions also contributed significantly to the high quality of ‘Štajerski hmelj’ and consequently to its international reputation and renown.

Several rivers (the Savinja, Mislinja, Drava and Mura) flow through the geographical area of production for ‘Štajerski hmelj’ and have a significant influence over the growth and development of the plants and the quality of the product. The predominant soil on the fluvial terraces of these rivers is medium-deep to deep eutric cambisol lying on sandy gravel, which are classified as cambic soils. These are the most suitable soils for hop production. Temperature is also a major factor dictating the rate of growth and development for hop plants. Hops grow best at temperatures between 15 °C and 18 °C. The entire geographical area where hops are produced has this optimum temperature bracket. During growth, hops need between 500 mm and 600 mm rainfall. During the growing season (April to September) an average of 690 mm of rain falls in the geographical area.

The specified geographical area has a vast influence on hop production as the climate, soil and tradition all determine the quality and hence the renown of ‘Štajerski hmelj’. The influence of the geographical area can be seen from the Savinjski Golding case study. The English hop variety Fuggle was brought over from England at the end of the 19th century. After 1926, when the more sensitive varieties were destroyed by downy mildew, Fuggle's ecotype, Savinjski Golding, gained ground. Although Savinjski Golding belongs genetically to the Fuggle group, the quality of its essential oils differs from the Fuggle varieties. This is the result of influences from the geographical area of production, which are expressed in the composition and quality of the oils (Joh. Barth & Sohn GmbH). A comparison of individual essential oil components from several samples of the two varieties indicates that Savinjski Golding has a lower maximum value of beta-caryophyllene, giving it a higher maximum value for the ratio between alpha-humulene and beta-caryophyllene. The alpha-humulene-to-beta-caryophyllene ratio is one of the main indicators of quality for hop aroma. The maximum values of farnesene and linalool — two further indicators of a fine hop aroma — are higher in Savinjski Golding than Fuggle samples (as confirmed by many findings over the 60 years of work of the Slovenian Institute for Hop Research and Brewing). It is precisely this variety, Savinjski Golding, that has given ‘Štajerski hmelj’ (Styrian hops) its reputation within the trade all over the world.

‘Štajerski hmelj’ is used almost entirely (99 %) for brewing beer, giving beer its characteristic bitterness and the aroma imparted by the hop bitters and essential hop oils. It is known far and wide for its refined aroma and boasts a high essential oil content, in some cases above 4,0 ml/100 g of dried cones.

The quality, i.e. high content of alpha-acids or essential oils, uniformity and stability of the product has been further improved by targeted breeding, which has led to the development of new Slovenian hop varieties. Higher alpha-acid and essential oil content is found in all types of the product. The Savinjski Golding variety has been followed by new, local Slovenian varieties that maintain the characteristically pleasing hop aroma, with a range of different fruit and flower notes. These varieties enjoy a unique and positive reputation around the world and give beer a pleasant, rounded bitterness and high quality flavour.

Cultivating plants from high quality planting material and mother plants free of viruses and viroids also has an impact on the quality of the hops produced.

Hop growing has a long tradition in Slovenia and the mention of hops for beer brewing goes as far back as around 1160 in the land registry records of the Škofja Loka manor, which belonged to the archbishopric of Freising. More intense hop production started to develop after 1870.

In 1852, detailed instructions concerning hops, entitled Priporočilo hmelja (Hops Recommendation) were published in the Slovenian language in the newspaper Novice kmetijskih, obertnijskih in narodnih reči (Dr Janez Bleiweiss, 15 February 1852).

‘Štajerski hmelj’ was mentioned in 1883 in Gospodarska priloga (the Business Supplement) of the Styrian Business Association of 12 August 1883, which states that in 1881 and 1882 ‘Štajerski hmelj’ was the earliest variety to go on sale in Nuremberg.

The newspaper Jutro of 24 September 1929 reported that on 20 September 1929, at the market in Strasbourg, ‘Štajerski hmelj’ fetched twice the price of the best varieties from Alsace, which showed that it was well on the way to earning the reputation it is due.

Outside Slovenia ‘Štajerski hmelj’ is more readily recognised, and valued, by its English name Styrian hops.

The Eco-Museum of Hop Growing and the Brewing Industry in Žalec keeps a booklet entitled Styrian Hops, which was printed back in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929-1945). According to the booklet, not much ‘Štajerski hmelj’ was consumed in Yugoslavia, so the majority was exported to the UK, the USA, Canada, Belgium, France and the Far East. It also expressly cautions the buyer which labels or certificates to look for when buying ‘Štajerski hmelj’ in order to avoid buying counterfeit product.

Today ‘Štajerski hmelj’, marketed as Styrian hops, is known in all the leading and also numerous smaller breweries across the world. ‘Štajerski hmelj’ is highly prized and rated as of the highest quality at international exhibitions and tastings organised by established beer connoisseurs.

Owing to the high quality of ‘Štajerski hmelj’, many customers swear by the products made from ‘Štajerski hmelj’, which are an essential part of their beer-making work. The hop trade in Slovenia is very much export-oriented, with exports to foreign markets constituting over 95 % of production for many years now.

The reputation of ‘Štajerski hmelj’ has been maintained to this day, some of the credit for which being attributable to the traditional hop celebrations, such as the August hop-growers' festival in Braslovče (Praznik hmeljarjev v Braslovčah), and the hop-growers feast (Hmeljarski likof) celebrated at the start of October in Žalec, as well as the annual selection of the elder and princess of the hops. Some years ago the Eco-Museum of Hop-Growing and the Brewing Industry was opened in Žalec, with a focus on the hop-growing tradition in Slovenia.

The present-day reputation of ‘Štajerski hmelj’ is attested to in a variety of sources (books, websites, broadcasts, etc.), all emphasising the quality and renown of ‘Štajerski hmelj’ (e.g. Slohops, A small flower is a big industry for a Slovenian valley, 7.8.2015, Ljubljana, website of RTV Slovenia).

In his book, World Beer (Dorling Kindersley, 2013, London, UK), the author Tim Hampson writes that it is ‘Štajerski hmelj’ that imparts the orange and grapefruit flavours on the Greene King IPA bitter. The same author states in his other volume, The Beer Book (Dorling Kindersley, 2008, 2015), that ‘Štajerski hmelj’ is the hop variety used in Sri Lanka-based Lion Brewery.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.mkgp.gov.si/fileadmin/mkgp.gov.si/pageuploads/podrocja/Kmetijstvo/zascita_kmetijskih_pridelkov_zivil/SPEC_HMELJ_25_3_2016.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.