Can i use these?

So a woman at work found out I brew and she told me her husband has been growing hops for a while. She dehydrated some and she told me she would give them to me. She brought in 2 bags, one had been properly dehydrated, one had dehydrated on the vine. The latter has a VERY fragrant citrus character, the former a more subdued earthy character. Both taste deliciously citrus. I just wanted to know if it would be alright to use them...

Not an expert but the ones on the right look good to use

as long as they smell and taste ok, should be fine.

Yeah ones on the left were the ones really in question. Oddly enough, they are the ones that smell the best (left)...both taste great and super citrusy!

The ones are the left are really brown. I'd be hesitant to use them.

What happens when you use really brown hops? What flavor(s) do they impart? Could I dry hop with them since they smell so amazing? I really appreciate everyone's help. Thanks!

Just use 'em... take a chance !

(then report back

Why not make a tea out of a small amount of the questionable hops and see if they smell good? Steep them in not quite boiling water for like 5-10 minutes? They do look a little questionable but it's hard to tell when I don't have them in my hands.

Usually by the time they brown on the bine, they lose potency and aroma. But if you can roll them in your hand and they smell good, you can use them.

I don't even need to roll them, I just open the bag and they are so wonderfully fragrant it's like a citrus punch in the face. Thanks for all the clarification! I will probably dry hop with them.

I have heard that some lambic recipes call for aged hops. perhaps this what they refered to?

So I used them, and 17 days later I'm drinking a very tasty pale ale. Very subtle character from the hops, but good and without off flavors nonetheless. Very pleased.

Thanks for the update on your experiment using the dehydrated-on-the-vine hops. Just to clarify, the brown bag on the left in the picture are the ones we're talknig about, right? How did you use them? Did you put them in the boil? For bittering (15 minutes to an hour) or aroma (5 minutes to flame out)?

billtzk said:

Thanks for the update on your experiment using the dehydrated-on-the-vine hops. Just to clarify, the brown bag on the left in the picture are the ones we're talknig about, right? How did you use them? Did you put them in the boil? For bittering (15 minutes to an hour) or aroma (5 minutes to flame out)?

Click to expand...

Originally it was said that they were going to be used for dry hopping. Is that what you ended up doing? Anyways, congratulations and I'm glad it worked out!

Bag on right was for 60 mins in the boil for bittering. The bag on the left I used at 2 minutes to flame out. I thought those might not be the best for the inaugural whole leaf dry hopping in my home brewery.