Hop Growers in San Fran and Sacremento area

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.

Air_Force_FE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Messages
134
Reaction score
11
Location
vacaville
An just starting to grow my own hops and was wondering if anyone in the area has had any luck and what hops y'all are growing.
 
I just started too. Planted cascade, chinook, nugget, and fuggles in west sacramento. I'm curious what everyone else is planting and their successes in nor cal.

I tried to get a variety of flavor and aroma hops and a variety of growing conditions, hot/cool climate thickness but only have space for a few plants.

We'll see how it turns out at the end of the season and next year.
 
I am trying my hand at 5 different varieties myself. Cascade, Northern Brewer, Hallertauer, tettnanager and willamette. My buddy has had great success with with willamette. I am goin to see what grows best and go with it.
 
Yea they do pretty well here in Ca, in fact most of the central valley was hop yards at one point.
Ive got casccade and willamette now, I just put some chinnok in yesterday. I try to get the varieties that match our climate (hot/dry)
 
That's good to hear that your fuggles are doing well. I was worried that it might be too hot and that they might suffer in the heat. It's already been 2 weeks with no sprouts and I'm getting anxious. =)
 
Mary from Hops-Meister is a commercial grower in Lake County. He's having good success with Cascade, Chinook, Nugget, and Columbus. From my brief conversation with him Fuggle was not very happy with the heat in the area.
 
There is a good sticky on this forum for a comparison of flavors, resistances, AA% and styles.
Midwest supplies closed their pages that I usually reference. Good thing google caches the internet. :D

Tettnang : 4.0-5.0% AA. Grows well in moderate climates, suffers a little in hot climates. Tettnang is a Noble hops. It is herbal, slightly woody, slightly spicy. Tettnang is used in German, Bohemium and American Lagers.

Willamette: Grows well in all climates. A U.S. grown cousin of Fuggle. It is very similar to Fuggle, but it does have a more fruity and floral note. It is earthy, fruity, slightly woody and slightly floral. 4.0-6.0% AA.

Cascade: Grows well in all climates. Susceptible to aphids. Cascade is the traditional American Ale aroma/flora hops. It adds a citrusy, grapefruit character even if it is used as a bittering hops. 4.5 - 7.0% AA.

Northern Brewer: Grows well in temperate climates. Suffers a little in hot climates. This hop has a very woody, earthy and slightly fruity aroma/ flavor. It is a noticeable hops in most beers. 8.0-10.0% AA.

Hallertau: Grows well in mild, moist climates. Suffers a little in dry, hot climates. A very traditional German hop variety. Plants can produce abundant hops the first year!
 
I'm in West Sac too and just put in some Cascade. Wasn't planning on it, but picked up a rhizome that MoreBeer had on clearance. Talked to some folks at the LHBS and they said hops grow like weeds in Sac.
 
I planted 2 cascade and 1 centennial last month. The cascades have 1 bine each about 12" tall and the centennial is just starting to break the soil.
 
let me know how they turn out. My fuggles just broke ground with this heat wave. I have 5 or so on one rhizome and 1 on the other. My cascade has one bine that is already starting to open the leaves. can't wait until the rest get going.

good luck!

BDR, I'll be looking for hop bines (in a few months) as I'm cruising through the neighborhoods of west sac. =)
 
image-2065468369.jpg

Time to build some trellis.
 
I just received an email from my LHBS that they have Willamette, Cascade and Goldings in. I was going to wait until next year to start growing but between this thread and the email I think the brewing gods are calling. I've learned not to ignore them. I'm assuming that if they (LHBS) have these they should do okay. I know the Willamette and Cascade are good, we'll see about the Goldings.
 
I live in Fair Oaks so that's a drive for you. The LHBS is Folsom Brewmeister. I just was there and picked up two Willamette, two Cascade and two Goldings. It looks like they're going fast. I think they'll take reservations because they asked me if I had reserved any. They are on the web so just look them up and give them a call. Good luck!
 
Back
Top