Identifying Mystery Hops

Please help me identify my mystery hops.

Here's what I know about them: The "parent plant" was started in the early to mid 1980's. The original owner thinks he may have obtained them through an ad in the Farmer's Almanac. They seem to be aroma hops.

The age of the original plant eliminates many of the more modern varieties.. I'm thinking that a Fuggles / Goldings might be likely suspect, but I'm unsure what other varieties would have been available 20+ years ago





I'd be happy to mail samples to anyone who might be able to help with identification.

TIA

I'm no expert, but those look just like my cascades. The long cone looks just like other pictures of cascades I've also seen. However, there may be other varieties of hops that have that characteristic long cone shape as well. Good luck with identifying them! At the very least you should have some good aroma/dry hopping material there.

A fairly good reference (that is very badly setup)

http://www.barthhaasgroup.com/cmsdk/content/bhg/varieties/

One problem with identification, many hops will have both three-lob and one-lob leaves.

TwoHeadsBrewing said:

I'm no expert, but those look just like my cascades. The long cone looks just like other pictures of cascades I've also seen. However, there may be other varieties of hops that have that characteristic long cone shape as well. Good luck with identifying them! At the very least you should have some good aroma/dry hopping material there.

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I'm not 100% certain, but I have Cascades in my garden & these don't look or smell like my Cascades.... Cascades have shorter cones and the Mystery Hops don't smell like the Cascades...at least not now. My Cascades are close to being ready to harvest and are quite aromatic. Mystery hops are still kind of grassy smelling and like my Magnum & Nugget seem to be on a different maturation schedule than the Cascades.

I say you should just use them in a giant IPA, make the recipe with normal store bought hops and add a ton of fresh hops in continual intervals till it is super super hoppy.

+1 on not cascade. When my cascades get that long they are very square in shape, and less triangular top to bottom. At that distance on the cut cone the lupulin looks to be low, which for me confirms your aroma tag. I'm not very well read on hops in america, but if the plant is truly that old there are only a few varieties that it could be. Sorry I couldn't be more help. I have a feral plant I've found at a relative's house and plan to evaluate it the best I can at harvest time and definately brew with it. If things work out even a little bit favorably I plan to take a cutting next spring and add it to the garden.

I am definitely not a hop expert, but they sure do look like my Cascade hops.



Cascade hops were developed back in 1972 so they were definitely around back 20 years ago.

Check out the link. They look like the hops in their photo also.

http://www.barthhaasgroup.com/cmsdk/content/bhg/varieties/us_cascade.html

cuinrearview said:

+1 on not cascade. When my cascades get that long they are very square in shape, and less triangular top to bottom. At that distance on the cut cone the lupulin looks to be low, which for me confirms your aroma tag..

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After picking my Cascades yesterday, I'm now certain the mystery hops are not Cascades. I've also passed samples around to my hop growing friends and the verdict is: Not Cascades. Another friend is bringing samples to his favorite brew pub for an opinion. Still a mystery.

well thats a heavy set in my mind and nether Fuggles or Goldings produce all that much both are farly lite in my exsprance ,that and there cones are no that long at all

my off the cuff guess Willamette

david_42 said:

A fairly good reference (that is very badly setup)

Index of /bhg/varieties/

One problem with identification, many hops will have both three-lob and one-lob leaves.

Click to expand...

Nice Link, thanks!