Recent content by JLem

2nd year hop grower here. Lots of side shoots this year, particularly on my Goldings (the Cascades less so). The past couple of days have seemed to really spur them on - some are over a foot long. Should I try to train these like the main bines or let them just free grow?

@mirthfuldragon - thanks for the reassurance and for the suggestion to keep an eye on the pressure. Cheers!

I'm about to keg a beer I brewed for my family's July 4th party. My home setup has the CO2 tank in the fridge next to the keg. When I serve the beer on July 4th, I'll need to keep the keg in a cooler on ice, but the CO2 tank will need to be outside the cooler. I've never done this, so I...

Thanks. That was what I assumed, but am glad to get some reassurance. I think I'll dry hop a pint with the 6 cones that grew! :mug:

I planted 4 total rhizomes in the spring - 2 Cascade, 2 Goldings. I only have 7 total cones - all from one Cascade bine. The Golding look great, though short (only ~6 feet) - lush, green...but zero cones. The Cascades grew taller (10-12 feet), but looked "iffy" all season - certainly less...

Some leaves on one or two vines look like this. They are in the middle of the bine. Newer leaves look great. Any idea what caused this?

Thanks all. I'll leave them alone. I pruned back the early bines - only keeping 1 or 2 per rhizome, but these new growths surprised me...I was thinking the cones formed on the main bine. Glad I didn't just go ahead and lop them all off!

This is my 1st year growing hops and was wondering what to do with these side shoots. Cut the off? Leave them? Train them? Also...is this normal? And why are they so much lighter than the main bine?

A couple of things come to mind: 1) as mentioned above - exposure to light. Light + hops = skunked beer. 2) DMS (dimethylsulfide), which is often described as having an odor like cooked cabbage. Certainly sulfury. This occurs naturally in grain, and is particularly high in pilsner malt...

I'm going to be planting my first hops this spring (two each of cascade and goldings). I have the gist of how to set it up, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to use for the bines to climb - wire? if so, what gauge? twine/string? if so, how thick? I assume it needs to be thicker than...

You actually don't need to have the beer line/tap attached....just don't put the ball lock connector on the keg. The ball lock post on the keg will keep the beer/cider in the keg.

:ban: Woohoo!! It worked great and was a big hit at the family BBQ yesterday. Thanks for all the help and reassurance along the way!

I'm not going to lie...I feel a bit embarrassed to be asking some of these questions given I am 42 years old and have been brewing for over 10 years. BUT, this is my first foray into kegging, so I guess it is all OK :o 1) Transporting, kegged, carbed beer (about an hour drive) - shut off gas...

I checked on it again this morning and it was holding steady at 12psi. Could the temperature have anything to do with it? The beer may not have been fully chilled before I put it on the gas, and both the regulator and CO2 canister were at room temp before I put everything in the fridge.

Quick question. I just checked on my keg in the fridge after 24+ hours and the regulator gauge was reading zero. I turned the dial and heard gas flowing and set the gauge back to 12psi. Any idea what happened and/or if I need to worry about anything?