Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2007/C 184/11)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘CHODSKÉ PIVO’

EC No: CZ/PGI/005/0363/22.9.2004

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main product specifications for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

2.   Group:

This application is for a derogation from Article 5(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the ground that there is only one producer in the area. The requirements laid down in Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1898/2006 (2) are fulfilled.

3.   Type of product:

Class 2.1 — Beers

4.   Specification

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name:

Chodské pivo

4.2.   Description: Only natural raw materials are used to produce Chodské pivo: malt, hops, water and yeast.

Only Czech aroma hop varieties (Žatecký poloraný červeňák and Sládek) and bittering hop varieties (e.g. Premiant) are used in Chodské pivo.

The traditional two-stage fermentation of the wort gives Chodské pivo a rich maltiness, a hint of bitterness, a strong flavour and a head.

4.3.   Geographical area: The historic Chodsko region is located on the territory of today's Plzeň region, i.e. the area along the entire length of the border with Bavaria, from the Všerubský Pass to the Dyleň in the mountains and uplands of the Bohemian Forest. The borders were defined in accordance with the land registers of the municipalities within the area.

4.4.   Proof of origin: Procedures are in place to guarantee the authenticity of origin and ensure that all beers appearing on the market under the designation ‘Chodské pivo’ were actually produced in the geographical area specified. In addition, each product has to display mandatory information on the producer, including the producer's address.

The CAFIA (Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority) sub-office monitors both the procedures and appropriateness of individual control methods and checks the results to make sure that they meet requirements.

All raw materials are purchased on a contract basis only, so that the brewery knows not only their geographical origin but also the technology and processes used to produce them. Precise records are kept of the raw material suppliers and of the purchasers of the end-products. The individual batches of raw material used in the production of individual batches of beer are also recorded.

4.5.   Method of production:

Water:

The only water sources used have an exceptionally low mineral content — a dGH (degrees of general hardness) of about 1,6° — owing to the area's geology, and in particular the presence of a granite massif. This water has a distinctive influence on the ultimate taste of the beer produced. The water, with its low mineral content, produces no chemical reaction with the other raw materials and has a positive influence on the rich maltiness of the beers produced.

Malting method:

Locally produced malt is used for brewing light and dark beers. It is prepared by the traditional method of germinating barley on malting floors and drying it in kilns. The malting barley (Hordeum vulgare sub. Distichum) originates in a defined area identical to the Chodské pivo production area and is listed in the Register of Authorised Varieties.

Preparation of the wort:

A double mash process is used. The first mash is put in the copper and gradually heated to 70-75 °C. After saccharification, it is brought to boiling point and boiled for 20 minutes.

The boiled mash is added to the rest of the mash, bringing the temperature to 65 °C. After the temperature has stabilised, the second mash is put in the copper. The second mash is also heated to 70-75 °C and allowed to saccharify. It is boiled for 20 minutes and transferred to the mash tun. It is mashed out at 75-78 °C.

Specification for primary fermentation and lagering:

Primary fermentation takes place at a temperature of 6-9 °C. The temperature of the fermenting wort is checked twice a day. Cold-fermenting strains of bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast (W 95 — the type of bottom-fermenting yeast in common use) are employed. The apparent extract is monitored daily for four days before casking and, after the requisite values have been attained, the green beer is skimmed and casked. The green beer is racked in lagering tanks, in which it completes its fermentation. During this second fermentation, the pressure in the lagering vessel is maintained at 0,70-0,90 KPa. The temperature is 2-6 °C.

Bottling and packaging method:

The beer is bottled with no artificial carbonation. All the CO2 in the beer is a natural product of the fermentation process.

4.6.   Link: The brewing tradition dates back to the 12th century. Its history and significance are borne out both by a 1341 document from John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, concerning brewing in the Chodsko region and by the fact that Chodské pivo used to be supplied to Prague and to Bavaria for consumption by the royal court. This region on the border with Bavaria is historically renowned for brewing. In 1945 there were still over 60 working breweries there.

The distinctive features of Chodské pivo are the pronounced golden colour of the light beers and its rich maltiness, slightly bitter taste and strong flavour. These properties are conferred by a traditional brewing process involving two-stage fermentation of the wort, lengthy maturation, selection of the raw materials used, harnessing local natural resources, in the form of exceptionally soft water, and bottling and casking with no artificial carbonation.

The designated area and its specific environment are marked in particular by water sources with an exceptionally low mineral content and by malting barleys that are grown and malted locally in accordance with the procedures described above. The entire brewing, fermentation and lagering process is conducted in the designated area.

In the last few years Chodské pivo has been mentioned in the regional and supra-regional press about once every two months on average and over the same period the brewery has received many national and international awards for its products.

4.7.   Inspection body:

4.8.   Labelling: —

(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

(2)  OJ L 396, 23.12.2006, p. 1.

(3)  ‘Content’ means the mass fraction.