Which hops to grow?

I just started brewing, but the time is right to be planting rhizomes and I want to get started now so I can get a good yield in a year or two. My mom has a real green thumb, and is also going to grow some hops for me out at her place (we both live in zone 6). I already ordered some stuff for her on freshops, their recommended cascade, magnum, and nugget, and a sterling rhizome too. I really like cascade and have used it on single hop batches twice so far, and it seems that magnum and nugget are mostly bittering hops. I want to balance them out with some aroma varieties in the hop yard I get going here. Most of my favorite styles are wheat beers, which seem to use a lot of noble hops. I also want to be sure to go with something that will do well in my area and something that is easy to keep healthy. I was considering growing cascade, mt. hood, and williamette here, but wanted some feedback before I order the second batch. Any suggestions or general hop growing tips?

Those are the three I started with. I can't say anything for you're climate...but williamette does horrible in Northern Illinois. It took three years before I got anything useable out of the plant, and even then, it was only an ounce. The other two do great in my area.

This will be my first year growing hops, as well. I am in zone 5 (Kansas City). You stated that you like wheat beers, I love traditional hefeweizen, so I bought two Mount Hood rhizomes. They are hybrids of hallertau, which seem to be used in German wheat beers, but they are more resistant to disease. So, I would suggest Mount Hood to go with the wheat beers you brew...

Cascade, mt. hood, and williamette are all good choices. A higher alpha acid hop might be good too, something like chinook or centennial.

frailn said:

This will be my first year growing hops, as well. I am in zone 5 (Kansas City). You stated that you like wheat beers, I love traditional hefeweizen, so I bought two Mount Hood rhizomes. They are hybrids of hallertau, which seem to be used in German wheat beers, but they are more resistant to disease. So, I would suggest Mount Hood to go with the wheat beers you brew...

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I'm moving to OP from Merriam here in a few days, to a house! So I'll be ordering some here pretty soon so I can plant them when the time comes. W00t w00t for OP!

I'm thinking Mount Hood as well as the Kent Goldings.

I heard on the Sunday Session that you want to make a mound of dirt so there is a small hill to drain well away from the base of the plant to prevent mold.

I'm taking a shot at growing my own hops as well. I just bought some Hallertau and Tettnager (I love German beers) to try and grow. Hopefully I get something out of them.

I'm in Chicagoland and my wilmette has never produced. My chinook is amazing. Cascade always does well. And my mt hood is on the low end but a producer.

DannPM said:

I'm moving to OP from Merriam here in a few days, to a house! So I'll be ordering some here pretty soon so I can plant them when the time comes. W00t w00t for OP!

I'm thinking Mount Hood as well as the Kent Goldings.

I heard on the Sunday Session that you want to make a mound of dirt so there is a small hill to drain well away from the base of the plant to prevent mold.

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Welcome to Overland Park! I'm in a small apartment, so I will be planting my hops in a large container and running them up the side of a fence.