More first year hops - Am I ready to harvest?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

camiller

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
1,907
Reaction score
51
Location
Omaha, NE
After work I drove out to the brother-in-laws to check the hops, I've been remiss and haven't been out for a couple weeks. Here are my first year cascades:

Bottom part of bine. The one further away did not quite reach the top of the trellis and got so heavy it slipped down the coir yarn. More cones than I was expecting for first year.
08-11-08_1744.jpg


Couple of hop cones.
IMG_3497.JPG


Left cone cut open.
IMG_3502.JPG


So, do these look like they are ready? If you guys think so I'll be harvesting tomorrow.
 
Personally I'd give them another week. My cascades look just like that and I was tempted to pick some tonight but I'm waiting for the weekend or so.

(good pictures though)
 
I live about 3 hours west of you on I-80. My friend owns a brewery here in town and grows cascade locally as well on a center pivot corner. We've planned our hop picking (several bushels) for the 21st.
 
My friend owns a brewery here in town ...

Thunderhead ?

We've planned our hop picking (several bushels) for the 21st.

I was under the impression that hops were susceptible to being over "ripe" and you had to pick them when they were ready but I'll take you and TCHDNSD's advice and hold off a while longer. Interestingly one of the other varieties I planted is just beginning to flower so I'm guessing September before I can harvest them.
 
I understood that papery, ansd crushes flat without returning to it's original shape, were key traits.

I also know that picking the ripe ones and leaving the rest is very preferable. They will not all be ready at once.
 
That's a nice first year. I think you can give them a little bit. They'll get really papery. The color looks a little dark to me...but I am no expert yet :D
 
Looks like you're going to have a nice haul there!
My Saaz and Hallertauer have cones that are all over the place - ranging from the just-about-ready to still very much in burr stage. Crystal is a bit behind, but is exploding with burrs and looks like its maturity will be a lot more evenly timed.
 
Yeah, only my Cascades look like that, the Mt. Hood have a few burrs and the Magnum and Sterling look barren :( .
 
Wow, those hops cones look awesome for first year plants. My first year plants just have lots of fuzzy balls. No cones. Looks like you're makein' beer with homegrown hops already. Good luck! Better luck for me next year.
Beerbeque
 
Thunderhead ?

Yes, Trevor and his farmer friend Darryl have a small plot just outside town and we pick about this time each year.

I was under the impression that hops were susceptible to being over "ripe" and you had to pick them when they were ready but I'll take you and TCHDNSD's advice and hold off a while longer. Interestingly one of the other varieties I planted is just beginning to flower so I'm guessing September before I can harvest them.

The date is for convenience only since he plans to brew with them right away, but they should be ready. Mine look about like yours.
 
I've seen several people with some impressive first year hops. Nice going guys!

I downloaded a "Hops Manual" from a website, which I can't remember off the top of my head, and this is an excerpt from it about when to pick:

"The most straightforward way to tell if a hop cone is ready to be picked is to look at it and feel it. As the hops mature, they gradually lighten in colour from a rich, brilliant green to a paler shade, with some of the bottom bracts turning slightly golden. The lupulin will also gradually change colour, darkening from a very pale gold to a dark yellow reminiscent of Ministry of Transportation vehicles. As the lupulin darkens, it also becomes more sticky - in some varieties, you can judge ripeness by the stickiness of the cones. Cones will also go from feeling distinctly damp when squeezed to feeling light, papery and quite dry, and will become more resilient."

EDIT: Found the link:http://www.crannogales.com/HopsManual.pdf
 
Back
Top