Where can I buy fresh whole cone hops?

Are whole cone hops available?? I am looking to buy some for my next brew.

I was also wondering if you grow your own hops when can you use them? I mean do you have to dry them first?

Canadian homebrew supplies has a good selection in vacuum pack.

As for my own home-grown hops, I just boil 'em up fresh after a quick rinse to remove some of the bugs.

It's a bit late for fresh hops right now. At least, I think most have been harvested by now.

Using them off of the bine is called "wet hopping", and even where I live my hops have been ripe, harvested, and dried. I know the harvest in Washington is well underway, if not finished, as dried hops have been for sale for at least a few days or a week.

There may be more, of course, but I think it's a bit late to consider ordering wet hops right now unless you know of a place that is waiting for them right now, and will ship immediately when they come in.

For your own homegrown, you can use them "wet" right off of the bine at harvest, or once dried. I brewed last week with three varieties of dried 2013 homegrown hops, and it smelled great!

Thanks for the info; I was planning on planting some this spring but I got side tracked, maybe next season!

I've still got cascades on the bine, need to get them picked this week though. If you were closer I'd have you come take them and use them! I just run out of time so fast in the fall. Perhaps there is someone else in your area that would have some still ready to pick?

conpewter said:

I've still got cascades on the bine, need to get them picked this week though. If you were closer I'd have you come take them and use them! I just run out of time so fast in the fall. Perhaps there is someone else in your area that would have some still ready to pick?

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Well I appreciate the offer never the less. Do you grow any other types?

I used to grow several different types but when I moved I consolidated down to just cascades, I don't have the room at the new place for lots of varieties. Used to have Nugget, Centennial, Fuggle, Goldings, Willamette, Hallertau. But since I can't cheaply know the AA% of a home grown hop any of the ones I would use for bittering were not that useful (nugget) and centennial is close enough to cascade... I mainly brew American IPAs or Stouts. Stouts do not require much in the way of hops. So I picked the one that grew great and matched my styles.

www.zzhopsfarm.com they do whole cone hops

Only by the ounce? Damn, that can get expensive!