Growing hops from seed

[Apimyces]

It was nice knowing you, bud.

 

[nagmay]

So any updates after the 2018 harvest?

The 2018 harvest was a blast. Way more cones to deal with, so we put together a micro hop stripper. Worked like a charm. Our experimental yard was harvest in a matter of hours (instead of days like 2017).



Since then, we've been brewing up batches to get a better feel for the flavor profile of each. In fact, I'm just finishing up a set of pale ales to compare 025 with 042: https://twitter.com/i/moments/1093561165647499270

In our second yard, we culled some 500 seedlings down to the 40 strongest females. Won't have any new info on those until they break ground in the spring.

 

[Sylvain]

Hey, there you go!
I’m new here, but not in hop culture.
I’ve been growing it in my garden for six years.
But it’s not enough anymore, I want to create new varieties now.
and everything I have read about this position has helped me to better understand this work.
I am also in contact with some of the forum.
thank you guys, and passion for hops has no frontier !!!

 

[Apimyces]

The 2018 harvest was a blast. Way more cones to deal with, so we put together a micro hop stripper. Worked like a charm. Our experimental yard was harvest in a matter of hours (instead of days like 2017).



Since then, we've been brewing up batches to get a better feel for the flavor profile of each. In fact, I'm just finishing up a set of pale ales to compare 025 with 042: https://twitter.com/i/moments/1093561165647499270

In our second yard, we culled some 500 seedlings down to the 40 strongest females. Won't have any new info on those until they break ground in the spring.

How do you harvest the seeds from the cones?

 

[nagmay]

How do you harvest the seeds from the cones?

No seeds in these ladies.

I'm still collecting seeds from a second yard, but those are left on the bine as long as possible - then collected by hand.

 

[Apimyces]

How do you sort the seeds from the strobiles, though?

I break them up, pass them through sieves, and then use a vacuum-powered seed cleaner I made.

 

[Apimyces]

First seed lot of the year, the rest just started stratification.

 

[Sylvain]

I’ve already received two lots, I’m still waiting for a package from the USDA.
For now, it’s already in stratification.
I can’t wait, it’s already 15°C outside in the afternoon.

 

[Sylvain]

It ended up putting out a few ounces short of a pound with some nice cones and good vigor. The raspberry aroma is still present at harvest but won't be able to verify that it will transfer to a beer until it's used.

Vigor and agronomics all look good but the lower sidearms seem to want to go bananas more so than any other variety I've ever dealt with. The lower vegetation was initially stripped around early June. A second huge flush of lower sidearms was stripped in early August. What you see in the pictures is what has grown since then. Most of those are between 3 and 4 feet long. Strange?
[/ QUOTE]

Hi, what happened to that hops?
this aroma of raspberry (and banana) is very interesting

"Bonjour, ce houblon est devenu quoi ?
c'est très intéressant cet arôme de framboise (et de banane)"

 

[B-Hoppy]

Hi, what happened to that hops?
this aroma of raspberry (and banana) is very interesting

"Bonjour, ce houblon est devenu quoi ?
c'est très intéressant cet arôme de framboise (et de banane)"

I've not brewed with it as the raspberry character has lessened since my initial notes were taken and the oil profile hasn't really improved enough to make me want to brew with it. But, it has really good vigor and is very structurally solid from a morphological perspective along with a favorable response to downy and some other pluses that have me thinking that I may take seeds from her in the future?

 

[Sylvain]

Thank you for coming back.
from what you’re telling us, he’s an ideal parent

 

[Sylvain]

The first part of my (American) seeds is warm, in theory it should take between 2 and 5 days to germinate
"La première partie de mes semences (américaines) est au chaud, en théorie ça devrait prendre entre 2 et 5 jours pour germer"

 

[Apimyces]

I've got a few far-south neomexes that started germinating, so I pulled my whole lot out of the fridge a bit earlier than expected. These buggers just couldn't wait like normal hops.

 

[Sylvain]

For the moment 3 batches out of the 6 of my first package, with an interesting germination rate.
"Pour l'instant 3 lots sur les 6 de mon premier colis, avec un taux de germination intéressant".

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Ok, so jumping into this thread late. But the idea of a raspberry/banana flavored hop is very very interesting!

I love the idea of trying to take two types of hop varieties and cultivating their seeds and creating a new strain in the future.

 

[Sylvain]

if you have room, don’t limit yourself to just 2 varieties.

"si tu as de la place, ne te limite pas à seulement 2 variétés"

 

[Sylvain]

Haha
Neomexicanus !!

 

[nagmay]

As mentioned, we've been brewing up micro batches with the experimental hops to test their true flavors/aromas. Only part way through, but lots of what you might expect: pine, citrus and floral notes. Then, we hit upon something a bit more unique...

The smash batch of 042 (left) vs 025 (right) is on tap right now.

42 gave off an extremely clean bitterness with only slight hints of citrus.

25 on the other hand, is like nothing I've ever tasted. The aroma of fresh strawberries hits as soon as you pull the tap. Diving in, the beer has a pleasant cedar/cinnamon spice to it that works surprisingly well with the strawberry.

Even my 7yo started sniffing the air when she walked into the room: "dad, are you hiding strawberries?"

 

[Northern_Brewer]

25 on the other hand, is like nothing I've ever tasted. The aroma of fresh strawberries hits as soon as you pull the tap. Diving in, the beer has a pleasant cedar/cinnamon spice to it that works surprisingly well with the strawberry.

Fun. The obvious comparator would be Barbe Rouge if you can get hold of it.

Given the affinity between strawberries and black pepper, I wonder if it might work with a yeast like T-58?

 

[Apimyces]

View attachment 620165

As mentioned, we've been brewing up micro batches with the experimental hops to test their true flavors/aromas. Only part way through, but lots of what you might expect: pine, citrus and floral notes. Then, we hit upon something a bit more unique...

The smash batch of 042 (left) vs 025 (right) is on tap right now.

42 gave off an extremely clean bitterness with only slight hints of citrus.

25 on the other hand, is like nothing I've ever tasted. The aroma of fresh strawberries hits as soon as you pull the tap. Diving in, the beer has a pleasant cedar/cinnamon spice to it that works surprisingly well with the strawberry.

Even my 7yo started sniffing the air when she walked into the room: "dad, are you hiding strawberries?"

Nice.

 

[DarkCoder]

...

25 on the other hand, is like nothing I've ever tasted. The aroma of fresh strawberries hits as soon as you pull the tap. Diving in, the beer has a pleasant cedar/cinnamon spice to it that works surprisingly well with the strawberry.

Even my 7yo started sniffing the air when she walked into the room: "dad, are you hiding strawberries?"

025 is a Magnum x Chinook ?!?

 

[nagmay]

025 is a Magnum x Chinook ?!?

That is correct. As is 042. When they say hops are extremely heterozygous, it is no joke.

 

[Apimyces]

That is correct. As is 042. When they say hops are extremely heterozygous, it is no joke.

Plus at least one other male, though? What would that one be?

 

[DarkCoder]

Plus at least one other male, though? What would that one be?

Nope ! Nagmay Potter did a little magic trick and used feminize pollen from Magnum.

 

[nagmay]

Nope ! Nagmay Potter did a little magic trick and used feminize pollen from Magnum.

That is correct. You can roll back this thread a ways, but the TLDR is:
After much trial and error, I collected viable pollen from a highly stressed Magnum.

These cones are from those original crosses. Since then, I have been working with 2nd and 3rd generation crossed, as well as pollen from some neomexicanus sources.

 

[Sylvain]

Lupuloïde

100% Neomexicanus

 

[Sylvain]

100% Neomexicanus (USDA)

 

[Sylvain]

Lupuloïdes

Hybrides Neomexicanus x Lupuloïdes

 

[Sylvain]

Silence, ça pousse

 

[nagmay]

Okay, since we're on a neomex kick

Here are some sprouted from seeds found near Pueblo, CO. They were sent to me from some awesome high school students who found the mother plant vigorously growing up the side of a canyon. Included a pic of the mom and cones.

I actually sprouted these last year, but have them inside right now under 12/12 hoping to determine which ones are female.

 

[Sylvain]

Magnifique dans le canyon

 

[Sylvain]

Lupuloïdes

 

[Sylvain]

100% Neomexicanus (USDA)

 

[Apimyces]

Mine are eager to get outside in real soil. My water profile isn't really to their liking.

 

[Sylvain]

news of my seedlings

 

[Sylvain]

all in all I must have a hundred seedlings, more a hundred in the fridge that have not yet risen (it is moreover worrying)
"en tout je dois avoir une centaine de semis, plus encore une centaine au frigo qui n'ont pas encore levés (c'est d'ailleurs inquiétant)"

 

[Sylvain]

Haha
Funny Hybrides Neomexicanus x Lupuloïdes

 

[Sierra brew club]

So small confession
"I'm addicted to this thread"
More so I just can't stop thinking about the new flavors that the dedicated will come up with.
The only thing I love more than hops is
The hops I have yet to discover and use in my beer!
Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see what this year's work will uncover!!

 

[Sylvain]

I’m a little upset, a large part of my USDA neomexicanus or neomexicanus hybrids have undergone an attack of aphids, some have suffered.
"je suis un peu contrarié, une grosse partie de mes Neomexicanus USDA ou des hybrides Neomexicanus ont subi une attaque de pucerons, certains ont soufferts."

 

[Sylvain]

many of these seedlings already grow sideways

"plusieurs de ces jeunes semis font déjà des poussent latérales"