Anyone else harvesting hops?

This last spring, I found out that a member of my church grows hops...........a lot of hops!

Cascade
Hallertauer
Saaz
Fuggles

It turns out they just like to grow the hops for decoration and don't brew. When I asked them what they do with the hops at harvest time, they said they just pull the vines and throw them out!

He said I could have them all if I wanted!

So yesterday I picked 4, 5 gallon buckets of Cascade and am drying it now. I will get the Hallertau later this week. Time to fire up the foodsaver and stock the freezer.

Anyone else picking hops?

When can we expect our shipments?

That rocks! You'll be set for a while!

IPA's all year!

I'll be harvesting my Cascade either tonight or tomorrow. They look and feel to be at their peak right now. The Nuggets and Willamettes aren't quite ready - maybe another week.

I've been thinking about leaving some on the vine and maybe doing a Hop Harvest ale using all freshly picked hops.

I've got no hop cones on my Cascades, but first year, so I wasn't expecting much.... probably could have used some fertilizer or maybe some more sun, but I was just trying to get them established this year, anyway.

One of my co-workers has boatloads of wild hops growing on her property, so I'll make a trip up and see what their status is in a couple of weeks. No idea what varieties they are, when I picked them last year, they were pretty much shot so I never used them. Have to get up there before they turn this year.

I think I picked at just the right time. Some of the flower leafs on the cascade were just starting to turn brown. Most were still green.

I'm told they are dry enough when you can drop a hop from 18-20 inches onto a table and some lupulin powder falls out. Time for 10 gallons of IPA! I'm almost out.

I can't wait for the hallertau. The hop flowers are about 2 1/2 inches long!:rockin:

I'm jealous of the fuggles! Delicious!

Only thing better than fuggles is goldings

Just harvested the hops off of my first year vines yesterday. I'll know how much I have after I finish drying but I don't think I have much more than 3 to 6 oz. Still I don't consider it too bad for a first year vine that wasn't watered much during our early drought.
Craig

Danny013 said:

I'm jealous of the fuggles! Delicious!

Only thing better than fuggles is goldings

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And the only thing better than that is a 50/50 mix. I love Fuggles and EKG so I hate having to choose.

bradsul said:

And the only thing better than that is a 50/50 mix. I love Fuggles and EKG so I hate having to choose.

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Too true! I've got to get out of my apartment so I can start growing hops.

To those of you that do grow your own, can you notice a difference in your brew? Even if the hops at the LHBS are fresh? Or do you just like to be that much more involved in your brew? Either way sounds good to me .

Danny013 said:

Too true! I've got to get out of my apartment so I can start growing hops...

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Amen to that! I'm dying to get out of my apartment so I can have both a garage and a garden.

To those of you that do grow your own, can you notice a difference in your brew? Even if the hops at the LHBS are fresh? Or do you just like to be that much more involved in your brew? Either way sounds good to me .

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I just liked the idea of growing my own.

I had hops planted out on the property where I grew up but my parents sold and moved into a condo.

I didn't think it was appropriate to ask the new owners If I could still tend to my hops.

I haven't planted any at my house. Maybe next spring. But then again, I now have a good supply without the hassle!

Still too soon for me, although the commercial farms inland have started on the early ripeners. Off to HopMadness Saturday. Assuming I can repair the rat-chewed wiring in the RV by then.

If you make a brew using fresh hops (right off the vine & not dried), there are some interesting differences. There's a Fresh Hop Fest up here next month. Typically, 20-25 brews, all made with fresh hops and many of them are single hop IPAs. There was an all-Nugget last year that was amazing.

I've always used dried. Do you need to adjust the amount using fresh hops?

Cookiebaggs said:

I've always used dried. Do you need to adjust the amount using fresh hops?

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You need to use more ounces, I believe about four or five times as many ounces, if you use fresh instead of dry. Hops have a lot of moisture in them before they're dried.

the_bird said:

You need to use more ounces, I believe about four or five times as many ounces, if you use fresh instead of dry. Hops have a lot of moisture in them before they're dried.

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That makes sense.

After 4+ hours of picking, I had to use paint thinner to get the yellow resin off my fingers.

Cookiebaggs said:

That makes sense.

After 4+ hours of picking, I had to use paint thinner to get the yellow resin off my fingers.

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That seems like such a waste!

I am a first year grower. My fuggles did not produce anything, but the Chinook took off. How do you know when it is time to pick? They are paper like to the touch, which I understand is a good thing, but what else should I look for?

I have tried to grow in the past with no good results. I lived in Lubbock, TX and it was just not right I guess for what I wanted to grow. Now I live in Oklahoma, planted my hops in April, and everyone has seen how much rain we got the first of this summer. I drowned all my outside hops by the end of June and only have one bine of Tettnanger still living. I was so disappointed because they all looked so promising. Next year I will try again, and say a prayer before doing so. I don't plan on any flowers this year off my Tett, but next year...... I hope I have a plethora. LOL Man I wish I had someone like Cookiebaggs found. That would just be too sweet.

CBBaron said:

Just harvested the hops off of my first year vines yesterday. I'll know how much I have after I finish drying but I don't think I have much more than 3 to 6 oz. Still I don't consider it too bad for a first year vine that wasn't watered much during our early drought.
Craig

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That's about what I had my first year. The following year, they really took off! I got nearly a pound, dried.

Danny013 said:

To those of you that do grow your own, can you notice a difference in your brew?

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Yeah, more hop aroma and flavor than I imagined. I figured, since I don't live in the PNW, my AA for my Cascades would be lower than what I could get commercially. After I brewed my first batch using them, I had to adjust my guesstimated AA to the mid-high range! I won't bother buying Cascade commercially again - I like my own too much!

the bird said:

You need to use more ounces, I believe about four or five times as many ounces, if you use fresh instead of dry. Hops have a lot of moisture in them before they're dried.

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Yes, and from what I have read, you are best off just using fresh-picked hops in the aroma or dry hop stages, not for the entire boil. Here's more info.

The guy who planted the hops got the rhizomes from a supplier in the PNW. He was given a spec sheet for each variety. They list a range for AA and say that the AA rate will be higher the older the vine gets. They planted the hops 7 years ago so I'm going to estimate the AA on the higher side.

These hops are grown in an area right along Lake Michigan. It stays cooler all summer here than even 8 to 10 miles away (West). I think that helps.