Are these hops ready?

**zrule** · 07-30-2011, 09:21 PM

Can anyone give me input whether these are ready or not? I am in Northern IL. They are chinook.

**Celticway** · 07-30-2011, 09:25 PM

They look pretty good. How is the nose? I like to wait until there is a very slight browning on the edge of one or two leaves of the cone.

KevyWevy · 07-30-2011, 10:24 PM

I agree ^ I'd say let them go a little longer, not quite yellow enough for me

**Retrofit** · 07-31-2011, 01:03 AM

I'm in Aurora IL, my Chinook look similar. I'm letting them wait. I am starting to harvest around them. I'll probably do them last.

**zrule** · 07-31-2011, 03:48 PM

Thanks for all the input. Hey Retrofit, what else are you harvesting or have harvested. I harvested some centenial that were dryer than these. I will let my chinook go for awhile yet.

**RugenBrau** · 08-01-2011, 01:51 AM

Great pics and a great post. As a first time hop grower this was a great help

**Retrofit** · 08-01-2011, 02:23 AM

My centennial is also dry, but I haven't harvested anything. I just got my vacuum bags on Friday. I'm going to start walking the suburban hop yard and pick something to start with. My Fuggle or Centennial are probably the first to come down. The fall harvest probably starts tomorrow after work. Ironically, a lot of my plants seem to have a second growth started and I may try to harvest off the bine and see if I can get a tiny second harvest. Depending on variety, some hops are just starting to burr. I'll look tomorrow and report back with a better list of what's ready and what's not.

Oh yeah, your pics are fantastic.

**zrule** · 08-01-2011, 02:46 AM

Hey Retro, I am west of you about 45 minutes just off 88. Have you been to the roundhouse since Two Brothers bought it?

Off subject but I want to make a fresh hop beer, but haven't a clue as to how much to use. Same as a regular batch?

My wife's camera...takes great macro shots.

Where did you get your vacuum bags. I have been using the food saver bags with the vacuum sealer.

**zrule** · 08-02-2011, 03:59 AM

The first three photos and the last are my cascades. The fourth is my Chinook. The Chinooks did not branch out like the rest and will probably have less than half of the Cascades. My Centennial were even less. These are all second year hops. You can see at the top of the bines the damage from the beetles this year. For some reason they stayed at the top. I didn't really feel the beetles were that bad. When I shake the bines maybe 5-6 beetles will fly out. I need to come up with a sprayer that will reach to top. My wife says a supersoaker.

**tchuklobrau** · 08-02-2011, 03:42 PM

very nice. almost jealous.