Hop Identification ... ?

How can I identify what type of hops I have?

I moved recently. Last week, my wife discovered little plants growing in the garden, which she could not identify. We decided to let them keep going for a few more weeks to see what they were, since they were in a line. At this point, they look like young hop shoots. Hooray!

Now, the problem, how do I find out what type of hops these are? And is there any at-home method for calculating alpha acids?

Also, if a friend gives me picked hops, how do I figure out what they are? He doesn't know, he just bought "hop rhizomes" because he thought that was cool.

Thanks!

-M

Other than brewing with the hops and trying to distinguish it by taste, there's no real way to tell. Most hops look about the same. AA% needs to be lab tested and it's too pricey for more people to bother.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

Other than brewing with the hops and trying to distinguish it by taste, there's no real way to tell. Most hops look about the same. AA% needs to be lab tested and it's too pricey for more people to bother.

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Is there a way to test IBUs? Other than taste testing? Could work back to the approximate AA from there.

maztec said:

Is there a way to test IBUs? Other than taste testing?

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You really can't even tell from taste testing. The oils on the raw, untouched cone are not going to be bitter. (Hop) Bitterness is our perception of the amount of alpha acids that have been isomerized, and thus bitter, during the boil.

Just consider yourself lucky for finding them and make a couple experimental batches. A SMaSH will give you an idea of what they taste like.

Reno_eNVy_446 said:

Just consider yourself lucky for finding them and make a couple experimental batches. A SMaSH will give you an idea of what they taste like.

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Good call, thank you.