Almighty

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2nd Year Goldings just started to come up


3rd Cascade also just started to come up. Had to cut about 5 rhizomes off this year.


3 new plants this year in containers. These are off to a good start.
Centennial


Chinook


Magnum



More pictures here:
http://jeffreycrane.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-hop-gardens.html

Brewitt

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I live about 2 miles from the ocean in North County. I'm thinking about planting hops sometime early next year. I'm wondering whether anyone here is having luck growing close to the coast. I'm far enough inland that the fog burns off relatively early in the day and doesn't generally come back until dark. I have a very happy vegetable garden so that's a good sign.

Also, what do you folks do with your hops (dumb question)? What I mean is do you use them fresh, freeze them, dry them, etc?

Thanks for your help.

Almighty

Recipes 

If your vegetables are doing well I imagine your hops will. You just might have to find what hops grow well for you. I would suggest getting a few different varieties. All the popular American hops like Cascade, Centennial and Chinook grow very easily. They really like as much sun as possible. I have had a harder time with English varieties but with your coastal fog you may be in a great area for it.

Remind me next March and I will provide you with some rhizomes. Our homebrew club QUAFF has several growers with too many rhizomes including myself.

As for what to do with your hops it all depends on your harvest and your taste. I don't like wet hop beers and my harvest has yet to be big enough to need to freeze any. (But next year will be different)

Brewitt

Recipes 

Almighty, Thanks for your response. I would be very interested in obtaining some rhizomes if folks have them to share. I am also be interested in learning more about QUAFF. I looked at the website and I guess you folks meet down in Hazard Center. Can anyone just drop in? What goes on at the meetings? Is there an agenda posted or are they just informal get togethers. It's a bit of a drive for me so I'd be interested in knowing in advance if something of particular interest in going to happen. Thanks for any info.

Regarding hops: Does your response mean that you pick and dry them and then use them for brewing? What is the difference with wet hops?

Lots of questions. Early in this game.

Almighty

Recipes 

No Problem.

You are right the QUAFF website is not the best area for information. Once you join the Club you will be a part of the email list. Which is very active and probably the best place for advice and questions. They will also announce what talks will be at the meeting. I have not seen anything posted about the next meeting yet.

Anybody can come to the meeting and if you like the meeting then you can choose to join (which the best part is we get discounts at most of the San Diego homebrew shops).

The meetings are always different. We have had some local brewers come speak with us like Jeff Bagby of Pizza Port and Peter Zien of Alesmith (former president of QUAFF). Members share beers and can get feed back. Members will do presentations on certain styles or growing hops (last march)

QUAFF is quite large with over 200 members and at least half at the meetings. And because of this the meetings are somewhat formal with an agenda.

You should come to the next meeting and see if it interests you or if you want something else. There are quite a few other brew clubs in San Diego and a couple in North County.

Hops: We will have plenty to share next year, our plan is to bring them all to the March or April QUAFF meeting. But you can remind me here and I'll get you some.

Yes the hops are picked as soon as they start feeling dry and papery. When they are first picked they contain a good amount of water (80% or greater) so these are called wet hops. Some people use them like this because they get a super fresh hop taste (no oil lose), but there can be some vegetal or grassy notes.

So then you can dry the hops after picking (several methods just search) and use them like you normally would. Most people assume an average alpha acid number for that variety.

Let me know if you need any other info

Brewitt

Recipes 

Great information. Thank you. I will show up at a meeting in the next couple of months. Thanks also for the offer of hops.