Identify these hops maybe?

After some discussion there is no definitive way to identify the hops. Very unfortunate :-(.

Some tips.

Get a lab test for DNA tracking. Much $$$$
Lab test for Alpha acids, humulene, etc. content for a more affordable cost
Make a hop Tea and judge yourself.


(Original Post)
I was sipping a beer in my friends back yard when I noticed a weird bush. Thinking those have some odd looking leaves i walked over and realized it was hops that took over an entire tree.

Can anyone identify these. cones varied from the size of an acorn to almost 2 inch long. These are the leaves from one vine. the top leave were at the base and bottom leaves were further up near the cones.

Nope.

TeeJo

sassafrass on the top row

To expand on my earlier missive.

A couple leaves in rough shape is barely enough info to ID those as Hops, let alone ID the type.

If you dig around here you will find many many posts asking the same question (coincidently, it was trying to ID Hops that brought me here too) and getting essentially the same answer.

To tell what they are you either compare to what you can and make your best guess, or you ship a sample to a lab and pay a LOT of money for them to possibly tell you that they cannot match it to anything.

There are labs that will test the component parts of the ripe hops, that are a bit less expensive, but that will only give you a range (Alpha acids, humulene, etc. content) to compare, and you are still stuck comparing and guessing at the flavors.

Even with a bunch of better pictures, there is almost no chance of a positive ID unless the pot that they arrived in is present.

So, back to real world terms. The answer is still Nope.

TeeJo

Admin should do a sticky thread with this one... each year, usually around Springs, there is always 15 to 20 new threads asking for IDing hops plants based on leaves.

Just like corn, tomatoes and many other plants, you cannot ID the variety based on leaves / appearance of the plant.

Updated the OP with your recommendations and what I found online.

I’m always amazed at how fixated people are on identifying hops that they’ve found. For me, what matters more than a name are characteristics such as bitterness, flavor, and aroma. Obviously those aren’t all the characteristics, but in general they dictate how to use the hops (what beer style, what addition schedule, what quantity/ weight). Just my two cents.

If someone is specifically interested in the hops’ lineage for historical purposes, that’s a little different. I can relate. I’ve spent some time hunting for Vassar hops near where I grew up.

Also, as far as tips, try brewing a small/ one gallon single-hop IPA (something like a smash where the hops can shine).

I can see the attraction to hoping that there are folks around that can tell what they are. With the name of the hops in hand, then you already know, roughly, what they taste like and where they are best used.

It is fortunate that there are actually labs that will test the hops samples to plot out the various component parts, and those will give 'some ideas as to roughly what sort of hop they are, but at the end, yeah, it pretty much boils down (oohhh! Bad pun!) to what they actually do for the beer that will determine if they get used or tossed.

I have several bines nearing readiness right now, that are essentially growing wild. No idea what they are, but will pick anyway.

TeeJo