When you can't get proper german saaz

because there aren’t any grown organically available on the spot market and everything has to be organic for various reasons and you want to brew a bo pils what do you do?

The options are New Zealand Saaz (Motueka), German Spalt Select, German saphir, G. Hallertaur (Tradition or mittlefrueh), G. Opal, G.Perle, Am. Sterling, Am Liberty.

There are a few others but those are the ones that immediatly seemed like they might work.

Not sure if you find sub for Czech Saaz. It is quite distinct hop. US Saaz is closer to hellertau. Hellertau is too clean.

I’ve made a Belgian blonde table beer with tett and used sterling for the late addition.  It was a beautiful beer.

The saphir might be an acceptable substitute. Firestone Walker uses it in Pivo Pils (although that’s more of a German pils than a Bo pils).

Sterling would be my choice. I have used it in a couple of beers and like it. It is a Saaz derivative.

Tettnanger has the same DNA as Saaz according to Stan Hieronymus. Differences in flavor and aroma are due to soil and climate.

+1 to Sterling. But not sure if there’s an organic variety.

Humans and bananas have 97% the same DNA and I would not substitute one for the other.

Same DNA as in identical. The terroir makes them different.

I guess it depends on how close to the BJCP’s insistence on saaz you want to follow.

I would opt for saphir or sterling.

I do not meant to be difficult.

I did not think you were.

Do you guys pronounce it as Zahts or Sahz? A few people in my homebrew club say zahts and it just sounds funny to me as I always say sahz.

In reality it should be call žatecký červeňák.
http://obchod.chizatec.cz/index.php?obsah=produkty&kat=34&lang=cz

Check this site. It is Czech hop institute.

You can ask there If you can get organic Saaz.

Motueka is nice, but I don’t think it is a good substitute for Saaz.  Motueka has plenty of lime.

I’ve had some really crappy Sterling, and some Sterling that was almost a perfect substitute for Saaz.  Nothing else has really come close.

it isn’t a problem for me, as I use Mittelfrueh much more often, and love Liberty in its place.  Of the stuff I make regularly, BPA is the only style where I really need/prefer Saaz.

Quick google search says we share only 50% DNA with bananas. Don’t mean to be difficult.

I’ve heard of a theatrical production in Amsterdam where they substitute bananas for humans.

I can get sterling organically grown. Seems like that might be my best bet for now. So I guess it won’t quite be a bo-pils. I have SEEN organic saaz it just doesn’t seem to be available right now.

I brewed a Bo-Pils with Motueka recently, and while it is a fantastic beer, it is far from a traditional Bo Pils. Motueka does have some Saaz character, but the lemongrass/lime zest character is quite distinct.

I’d go with Sterling. Ultra is another option if you have access to it. Sterling can get a fruity, lemonade character in larger amounts.

I would add my vote for Sterling as a substitute for Saaz.