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manually "attached" as frequently as in the case of The use of roof spaces for drying in component part 02
a pole field, also the poles did not have to be taken has also been attested by several other details, such as
down and then set up again in the spring. A single winches, counting inscriptions executed on wooden
harvester could pull down the same number of bines elements of the structure, and last but not least, the
as several people under the previous system. The wire quality of the floors with precisely laid floorboards or
trellises also made it possible to start using teams brick tiles with specific barriers of the floor perimeter that
of animals for cultivation, and later machines, even prevented the hops from falling through to lower levels.
though this was slow to be introduced here.
Hop drying using natural heat lasted for several days, it
Technological development in drying depended on the weather, and it required large spaces.
Specific developments in hop drying processes have That is the reason why new, more economical drying
had an impact on building structures and their image methods were sought. Some farmers also hung the hop
associated with the processing of this crop. drying trays in heated residential dwelling rooms. In
1858, the principal of the first Czech agronomical school
Drying in lofts (roof spaces) in Rabin near Netolice, and agronomist and organiser,
Since time immemorial, hops in the Czech lands were František Horsky (1801–1877), started using drying on
commonly dried laid on the floors using natural heat. hop drying trays which were on stands. This method
They were placed in the shade, as it is a fact that the was adopted both in practice and through the expert
sun’s rays decrease the potency of the hop substances literature of the period. At the end of the 19 century,
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desirable for brewing. Drying of hops was carried out in rope hangers with loops for hanging hop drying trays
all usable areas and spaces of country farmsteads and spread in the Žatec region, replacing stands. They were
2. Description In loft spaces within the roof structure, hops were spread stands. This way, handling the hop drying trays was made
arranged above each other in the same manner as in the
other suitable structures.
more accessible, and not as much space was needed.
However, hop drying was still affected by the weather. In
in thin layers of only of 2–4 cm in depth. During drying,
dry weather, the hops were dry in 2 to 4 days; but in wet
they were carefully turned over three times a day.
The repeated seasonal use for drying in the nominated weather, drying lasted up to 10 days.
property (both of the component parts) is proven both The development in the cultivation of hops in the
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114 by the specific design of the roof structures with gables, second half of the 19 century was reflected in the great
large manipulation openings for shifting of hops into construction development of farmsteads, which resulted
the roof spaces and by numerous typically shaped roof in significant remodelling and adaptations of most
dormers which served to get rid of the humidity that was existing buildings, including superstructures and/or their
accumulated in the lofts during the drying. extensions.

A typical courtyard of a hop farmstead, where hops were dried in the attic, Trnovany, early 20 century
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