For our second featured hop ahead of the Beer Mile World Championships, we are traveling to land of the “Czech Locomotive,” Emil Zatopek, winner of the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon gold medals at the 1952 Olympics.

Saaz is one of the world’s prized “noble hops,” meaning it was not cultivated by modern techniques but was originally discovered growing wild in the region for which it is named. Saaz originated in the Czech city of Zatec in Bohemia. It is used extensively to flavor beer styles such as pilsner, Dunkel, Oktoberfest and Marzen.

From a flavor profile standpoint, Saaz hops produce low relative bitterness and possess a very mild earthy, herbal and spicy characteristic. Like many Old World staples, Saaz is highly copied, notably New Zealand varietals Motueka and Riwaka, but neither replicate the perfect simplicity of the original.

Popular beers featuring Saaz as the predominant hop include Stella Artois, Lagunitas Pils, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Harpoon Leviathan Big Bohemian Pilsner, Weyerbacher Muse Farmhouse Ale and Troegs Dream Weaver Wheat. For purposes of easy drinking mixed with running, nothing comes close to the original: Pilsner Urquell.