The Birth of Beer / May
280 days of the beer journey. Month by month.
Field. Brewery. Pub. Barley and hops are grown in the fields -this is where the flavour of the beer begins. In the malting houses, barley is transformed into malt, and in the brewery, the beer goes through brewing, fermentation, and maturation. Finally, it is packaged into barrels, bottles, or tanks and delivered to pubs and restaurants.
May: Barley paints the fields green
In May, everything shoots up quickly. Barley grows and strengthens, turning the fields green. Hop growers train the hop shoots onto wires. This work often takes several days, sometimes even more than a week. Everything is done by hand—no machine can do it. After that, the hop plants have their direction set and climb upward along the wires. The entire growth process of these key brewing crops gains momentum.
Water in the fields
May is crucial from a water perspective.
When there is enough rainfall, it significantly helps accelerate the growth of both barley and hops. Hop growers can use the “Pro chmel” application, where they have access to data on temperature, air humidity, and the amount of water in the soil. At the same time, they can see the weather forecast for their hop fields. This helps them make better decisions about when irrigation is needed.
Some barley farmers are also testing the principles of regenerative agriculture on their land as part of the “Pro ječmen” project. Thanks to year-round soil cover and minimal disturbance of the topsoil, they achieve better rainwater absorption and improved soil cooling.
Fun fact of the month
Did you know that...
…hops are a perennial plant that, with proper care, can remain in the ground for decades—often 20 to 25 years.
The Birth of Beer
280 days of the beer journey. Month by month.
Field. Brewery. Pub. Barley and hops are grown in the fields -this is where the flavour of the beer begins. In the malting houses, barley is transformed into malt, and in the brewery, the beer goes through brewing, fermentation, and maturation. Finally, it is packaged into barrels, bottles, or tanks and delivered to pubs and restaurants.
Day 252 / 280
Join the competition!
Complete 5 quizzes and you’re playing for 280 beers
Fill out a short quiz and win a case of beer. Each month, we reward 5 winners, each receiving one case. If you answer correctly in 5 quizzes from March to November, you’ll have a chance to win 280 beers. You could also win a get-together with friends at the Šalanda, a beer tapping school, or a brewery tour.