I believe I'm close to harvesting

I planted Cascade and Nugget rhizomes May 5th of this year and surprisingly I think I might get a decent harvest. Because they are first year I let all the bines go to get their root system well established. I ran out of room and had to attempt to train them back down so I have quite a mess to sift through when I harvest, but I'm just excited that I will be able to this year. I pulled one hop cone off just to take a look at it. It didn't quite feel papery like I've read they are supposed to and it did spring back when I pressed it between my thumb and index finger. They didn't smell that strongly but when I cut it open I could detect a little something. All these things lead me to believe that they need a little longer before I harvest. Some of the cones haven't fully closed so I know I need to wait on those. There are many that have closed up and seem to be further along. I'm guessing a week or so. I attached some pictures and am interested in what you all think.

A couple more pics.

I had the same uncertainty for my first harvest. I never really experienced the strong hop aroma like I expected, I went by the feel of the flower. I quantified it as a very similar feeling to taking a piece of tissue paper (like the paper your wife buys to make gift bags pretty) and balling it up. The flower/cone should feel close to that light and papery. I waited until the leaves just barely started to turn a tiny bit brown.

here's a little kitchen-counter video that I sent a friend to get his opinion - and they were perfect to harvest.
http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/SuperTedMaximus/Hops/?action=view&current=video-2010-09-02-18-01-41.mp4

The tissue-paper feel test that Gridlocked mentioned is the same strategy I use. The "snapping stem" technique never worked for me. The first year I had a harvest, I picked them too early. Patience pays off in more fragrant hops. I think the color changes, too, which can help identify when they're ready. They tend to turn light yellow even tan, not light green like when they first-set hops from burrs, when they're ready. I tend to find some hops that have browned just slightly, when the bulk are ready for harvest. Unless, you have time to harvest over the course of the week or two or three, it's best to shoot for the time when most hops are at the ideal level of readiness, which means a few might be a bit passed prime and some are a bit early. For me, it's a convenience thing because harvesting takes time. It took me 2 hours+ to harvest 3.5 pounds off three second-year plants yesterday...

Either way crumble one of the average ones in your palm to make sure that it's fragrant and hoppy smelling, not grassy and weak. If it doesn't have much aroma, then I'd let them sit on the bine some more. In terms of AA% and aroma, I think picking them a little late is better than a little early, even though they don't look as pretty.

I had a small harvest this morning. First time. I used the dry papery technique and browning technique. I got my first 3.2 ounces...with more on the bines. I used the dehydrator for this batch but will try using a screen technique next.

Awesome! Yeah I was thinking that I should probably wait a little longer but I didn't want too long. You all just reaffirmed my thoughts. Yeah I would definitely say the one I removed had more of a tissue paper feel that you mentioned Gridlocked and not the typical paper feel that I thought I was to be looking for. The pics and video were also helpful. I think I'm about a week out on my first harvest!:rockin: I have this sat and sun off so I'll check on them then. Then to decide how to dry them. I don't have a dehydrator so I may have to go the furnace screen route as those are the only two ways I've seen while scouring the site. Thanks again.

mrkrausen said:

Awesome! Yeah I was thinking that I should probably wait a little longer but I didn't want too long. You all just reaffirmed my thoughts. Yeah I would definitely say the one I removed had more of a tissue paper feel that you mentioned Gridlocked and not the typical paper feel that I thought I was to be looking for. The pics and video were also helpful. I think I'm about a week out on my first harvest!:rockin: I have this sat and sun off so I'll check on them then. Then to decide how to dry them. I don't have a dehydrator so I may have to go the furnace screen route as those are the only two ways I've seen while scouring the site. Thanks again.

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Good luck.

Well had my first harvest Thursday. It went pretty well, I harvested 2.20 oz of hops. Not a whole lost but there will be plenty more to come. I definitely have a better feel for when they are ready I believe. They had some browning on the leaves, had that noticeable tissue paper feel and slightly more apparent odor. They also didn't have that deep green color. They had more of a yellowish hue to them. Anyway, I just thought I'd update.

mrkrausen said:

Well had my first harvest Thursday. It went pretty well, I harvested 2.20 oz of hops. Not a whole lost but there will be plenty more to come. I definitely have a better feel for when they are ready I believe. They had some browning on the leaves, had that noticeable tissue paper feel and slightly more apparent odor. They also didn't have that deep green color. They had more of a yellowish hue to them. Anyway, I just thought I'd update.

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I've already harvested 3.4 dry punches from my chinook. Time to do my first Willamette harvesting too but doubt ill even get an ounce. Excited because I just got done creating a pale ale recipe to brew tomorrow using all my Chinook! It does get easier to identify done hops after the first/second harvesting. Cheers!

I haven't tried the screens yet. I've not gotten enough to fill the sehydratir yet. Let ne know what you chose ti do

I haven't tried the screens yet. I've not gotten enough to fill the dehydratir yet. Let me know what you chose to do

I had a screen laying around so I just set it up over my keggle and put a fan on low towards it. I only had them drying for about 24 hours but it seemed to work pretty well. I should be harvesting at least the same amount again today. I have been checking craigslist for a dehydrator though. Kinda funny though, I just bought a food saver. I definitely wouldn't have if I wasn't homebrewing/growing hops. But now I'm excited to use it for everything else too.

mrkrausen said:

I had a screen laying around so I just set it up over my keggle and put a fan on low towards it. I only had them drying for about 24 hours but it seemed to work pretty well. I should be harvesting at least the same amount again today. I have been checking craigslist for a dehydrator though. Kinda funny though, I just bought a food saver. I definitely wouldn't have if I wasn't homebrewing/growing hops. But now I'm excited to use it for everything else too.

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Bought a Foodsaver as well haha! Got the 2000/2222 version, how do you like yours?

Also, I picked my Cascade today so how do these look??
View attachment 70815
This is my first year harvest and some of the mid-level cones were browning up quite a bit so I figured that I needed to get the dryest good ones off. Just need some input.

SkyHighBrew88 said:

Bought a Foodsaver as well haha! Got the 2000/2222 version, how do you like yours?

Also, I picked my Cascade today so how do these look??

This is my first year harvest and some of the mid-level cones were browning up quite a bit so I figured that I needed to get the dryest good ones off. Just need some input.

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I would have picked them off a little sooner but the taste and smell and lupulin output is the important factor. Just used 3oz homegrown Chinook in a brew and the smell was amazimg! I haven't picked up a vacuum sealer yet but the hops held well in the freezer for a week at least.

Thanks for your input! I was worried about picking too early that I probably let them go too long. The cascade plant had some issues with spider mites as well and that also probably contributed to the browning.

Cascades are now currently drying:


How about these Centennials?:

SkyHighBrew88 said:

Thanks for your input! I was worried about picking too early that I probably let them go too long. The cascade plant had some issues with spider mites as well and that also probably contributed to the browning.

Cascades are now currently drying:

How about these Centennials?:

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Centennials look good! When picking by feel. If the hop gives under pressure it's ready. It it still feels really solid when pinched, give it a little longer. Or let the hop barely start to brown. I have to go out and get my first Willamette haves picked today.

Centennials are really a gorgeous hop! Not to mention quite useful ;-) ...

SkyHighBrew88 said:

Centennials are really a gorgeous hop! Not to mention quite useful ;-) ...

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I was amazed at how much they look like Willamette. See.

Yeah they are similar in shape and size for sure. The Centennials seem to be really bright and a lighter shade overall, which I think is why i've hesitated to harvest thus far.

What beers do you plan on using the Willamettes in?

SkyHighBrew88 said:

Yeah they are similar in shape and size for sure. The Centennials seem to be really bright and a lighter shade overall, which I think is why i've hesitated to harvest thus far.

What beers do you plan on using the Willamettes in?

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I've already constucted and brewed a brown ale recipe that uses both Willamette and chinnook so that after I harvest i have something to brew. Im always trying to incorporate the hops I grow into a beer recipe. Such as the recipe I designed last night for using only Chinook. I was amazed when the pale ale i brewed today had more I.p.a. characteristics. Even though I only used 3 oz dry hops.

Skyhigh, I'm still waiting on my foodsaver to arrive. It should be here on the 9th though. The hops that I've harvested already are in marked ziplock bags in the freezer. I'll just transfer them over to the vacuum sealed bags in 1 oz increments when it arrives. I purchased the Foodsaver 3240. It seemed to get pretty good reviews and was within the price range I was willing to pay. You cascades look exactly like my first harvest did. This time around I picked them a little sooner. I think I'm getting the hang of it. This harvest I was able to get 5.2 oz so I'm really excited. Can't get to my phone but I'll edit a picture in. There are still plenty more yet to come and they are only first years. I am a little bummed that my Nugget seems to be about a month behind my Cascade. If I'm able to get anything off it this year I'll be happy. I need to do a little searching though. If all goes well I will be closing on a house next month and I would like to transplant both of my plants to my new house. Hopefully all goes well. Also it's hard to tell, do you have your drying Cascades between two filters Skyhigh?

Sounds like a good plan to me. I'd hate to have to start with new plants again at a new house. I do have mine between two cheapo filters. Got 4 of them for $2.88 at wallyworld. Glad I bought the ones I could kind of see through because they seem to let enough air through. They've dried from 2.8oz to 1.1oz over 16hrs and I think they should be done and down to about 0.5-0.6oz by hopefully 5pm this evening. On another note, the 2 Centennial plants I have should yield much more and they are not nearly as past due as the Cascades were so I'm probably going to pick them tonight if my dryer is free.