my hops are ready to pick and still spell like grass

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straycat

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i've got 3 plants, 2 cascade and 1 willamette. first year plants. they grew fine, not crazy but they all reached 10 feet and produced pretty looking cones. the problem is, they still smell no better than my lawn (grass). when i open them up i can see the nice bright yellow/gold crystals. they look good, but if you hold it to your nose it smells very grassy. i've tried letting them go longer but now several are going brown and the others are definitely dry enough to pick. is this a normal first year occurrence or is there something else i should be concerned about. the way it looks now i wont be harvesting any or using any in a fall brew. no big deal on that, i just want to get an idea what to do now and if i have a good shot at harvesting next year. thanks in advance.
 
i just harvested my cascade first year just a little while ago and they smelled pretty good but my nugget plant next to it is about ready to harvest and some cones smell like grass and some smell good
 
The oil farnasene usually creates the grassy smell. The flavor profile changes as the bines get older until they hit 3rd or 4th year. When you dry, many of the grassy flavors will go away as that oil has a relatively low boiling point. Pick, dry, see what happens.
 
Mine were piney/citrusy with a little green smell when just picked. They are almost dry now and are more hoppy/citrusy.

Also, just ripping them open doesn't do much....try rolling them around and really crushing a few in your palms and then just open your thumbs and stick your nose in and sniff.
 
Try picking one of the cones and smashing it in the palm of your hand. You should get some citrus/spice/hop aromas that way. I find that when they're still on the plant and still have lots of moisture to them they're just gonna have some grassy aroma along with the hop aromas.

Also I find that higher alpha acid hops have a stronger more pungent aroma while on the plant. My Centennials and Columbus have a more noticeable aroma right off the plant than do my Cascades.

Happy Harvesting!
 
Try picking one of the cones and smashing it in the palm of your hand. You should get some citrus/spice/hop aromas that way. I find that when they're still on the plant and still have lots of moisture to them they're just gonna have some grassy aroma along with the hop aromas.

Also I find that higher alpha acid hops have a stronger more pungent aroma while on the plant. My Centennials and Columbus have a more noticeable aroma right off the plant than do my Cascades.

Happy Harvesting!

+1 Lower alpha hops have a much milder aroma and do smell a bit grassy. I'm on my 4th year and still have trouble telling when my cascades are ready by smell alone. I pay more attention to the appearance of the hop cones and the lupulin glands now than I do the smell.
 
ok, i went ahead and picked them last friday, here are a few pictures...they still smell grassy to me.

on the vine
preharvest.jpg


willamette and then 2 different cascades
harvest1.jpg


cascades
harvest2.jpg


my helper
helper.jpg
 
I had the same issue with my centennials. But I dried them out for 2 days and they smelled awesome; no more grassy smell.

I might be picking my cascades tonight so I can throw them in the dry hop on Saturday of a Belgian Red IPA I made a few weeks ago.

Love the bottom picture. My three girls love helping with the hops and brewing.
 
Are you sure you have Cascades? Those pictured sure don't have the distinct classic square elongated cones of Cascade - rub some cones out in your hands; if the lupulin forms little balls it is probably Cascade. (Magnum is the only other variety I know that will do this) As for the grassy smell - take Dan's advice and dry with some heat - it drives out the farn . . .
 
I just finished drying my 3rd year Cascades and didn't notice nearly as much grassy aroma as I have the first 2 years. Maybe they loose the grassy aroma as they age?

My Cascades look just like yours. My Columbus are looking like square and elongated cones this year though.

My daughter was also out helping me pick the hops from the vines this past weekend. It was great, she had to mention how every cone smelled like beer :)

2-1.jpg
 
side note hops can kill ur dog i didint know about that untill i started growing my own hops and planted them far away from my house and put a small fence around it , just thought id share the info for anyone who might not know. :)
 
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