determining variety

first time poster , been following the HBT for awhile love this place!
Will become a real supporter when funding allows.

Anyway gal down the street has hops on the fence doesnt know what kind says I
can have some are they safe to brew with, I mean are there any out there that
are purely ornamental. I will gladly exp. to find out what they brew like but dont want to die

thanks a whole bine

There are ornamental hop plants and I know absolutely nothing about them with respect to whether they produce cones or not. I'd expect the Ornamentals may be males but I am guessing.

I suppose that if the plant does produce cones, you could pluck one and cut it in half to look for the resins within the bracts. They'd be an orange to yellow color or vice versa depending on how ready the cones are.

As to determining the variety you'd have to compare both the leaves and the cones to any of a hundred varieties and that would still be a guess.

The two most common ornamentals are Sunbeam (yellow leaves) and Canadian Redvine. Any hop is safe to use, but I haven't found a good source for identifying hops. Part of the problem, the pros use genetic markers.

Redvine is a good hop, Sunbeam so-so. They might also be Fuggle, as that is one of the oldest hops and has been grown just about everywhere. My Ditch Blond used hops from my neighbor's drainage ditch & I'm fairly certain it was Fuggle.

thaks guys, I think I'll plant some in a pot this year and see what comes out. Last year the cones had an awsome smell and were quite stickey, but that was early season and I didnt get around to trying too harvest or brew with any.

Also if their male it sounds like I should get rid of them and offer to help nieghbor get rid of thiers so we can replace them with females.