Hop Supplies

I would really like to get into growing this year. Where is a good place to start?

Thanks!

Saxmk6 said:

I would really like to get into growing this year. Where is a good place to start?

Thanks!

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Before you decide to research what hops to grow, where to buy the plants, fertilizers, how to care for them, harvesting, ect...

You should really look at weather or not your yard will be conducive to growing them IE: sunlight, soil, drainage...

I see you are from Michigan, so you shouldn't have a problem growing them....(weather wise)

Once you decide where to grow them, or if to grow them, start researching the other threads on the rest of the issues I listed.
Good Luck,
-john

Also remember that since you won't know the exact AA% of your hops, unless you get them tested, so you'll really only be able to use them for aroma/flavor and dry hopping unless precise IBU isn't that important to you.

Jeez guys, don't scare a potential grower off so fast. If we had people like you telling us all of the things that could go wrong with our first batch of homebrew who knows how many of us would be left.

I live about an hour from you Sax, sitting (literally) in the middle of a lake about 3-4 feet above the water table. Last year I grew cascade, centennial, mt. Hood, and hallertau here and all did well. I put them all in full sunlight, but the soil is questionable and the drainage speaks for itself. The cascade will be five this year and the others were first year plants. We really have a pretty good climate here for growing hops and they require little maintenance after the first year. I'm digging up the cascade this year to propogate and put it into a raised bed. If I have enough cuttings I'll be getting rid of some if you're interested.

cuinrearview said:

Jeez guys, don't scare a potential grower off so fast. If we had people like you telling us all of the things that could go wrong with our first batch of homebrew who knows how many of us would be left.

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There is a difference between scaring someone off and being realistic about growing hops. Yes most people can grow them, the question is, how much time, energy, and money will you spend and what will you get out of it. I've blogged on the fact that I love growing my hops. four plants yielded just about a half pound the first year.... I'm expanding from four to 10 plants this year and my place isn't that conducive to growing hops. I get more out of it than hops for my beer. But I'm honest with people, because it takes a bit of a commitment to manage them. I had 70% (almost $50 worth) of what I bought the first year fail... not because they were bad, it's because I didn't do my home work to start. If I had listened to other people being honestly realistic about growing them (which were few if at all in the hype of a new hop shortage) I might have had more success. The guy will grow em if he wants to, regardless of what I say... But what I say may help him avoid a few headaches like I dealt with.

I guess I have a green thumb or am just plain lucky. The first one I planted five years ago I just dug up some sod, filled the hole with dirt and placed the rhizome about 2" in. Of the three I bought this year, one did fail, but it was an ugly dried out looking thing so I doubt that it was viable in the first place. I replaced it in June and that one got some good growth and root development. I don't get fancy, just made sure they have water. I did visit them almost daily, but that commitment is only time.

I guess what I am saying is that people get pretty compulsive on here trying to grow what is essentially a weed. It's really easy and I highly suggest anyone grow them as long as you have a spot with full sun and can keep them watered in the drier climates.

It really is not rocket science or a huge commitment noone is building a rocket here. A little time each day and making sure that the area you are planting can grown anything and you will be pretty successful. If you plant a rhizome in a spot where grass can't grow you are probably not going to have a lot of success. I would say in my store last year people had about a 90% rate of success if they followed the pamphlet I sent out.

And just so people know it is not that hard to determine an approximate AA level for your hops. All you need to do is take a commercially grown whole hop and make a tea with it for 60 minutes and then do the same with your hops and just compare the two You can probably determine the level with 1or 2 AA units. I know it is shocking but people made beer before the advent of Spectrophotometers.

I have a book in my brewing library called The Homebrewer's Garden. It covers it pretty well. You can find all of the info here on the Inter-Web but I like having a nice library and have the info at hand when I want or need it.


Amazon.com: The Homebrewer's Garden: How to Easily Grow, Prepare, and Use Your Own Hops, Malts, Brewing Herbs: Joe Fisher, Dennis Fisher: Books