Would any one growing in the Southwest US know of a plant source for native H.L. neo mexicanus plants? I have found only one source in New Mexico, but he believes the wild plants he has collected over the past 10 years are patentable (but has no money to do it or enforce it). Being that they are native plants, I gotta believe more than one person has collected some of these wild hops. They come from a different gene pool than brewer's hops and are adapted to dry alkaline soils - something that would be useful to breeding hop varieties that would do well in southern states. Anybody?
Southwest growers . . . H.L neo mexicanus
- Thread starter Jagdad
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He won't be able to patent it unless he can prove his plants differ from the native species significantly. After 10 years of interbreeding, he might actually have a unique strain but good luck finding 10 years of plant data and paying for testing. And after all that, his strain needs to have commercial value........
I live in Texas and my soil is very similar -- I would also love a source.
What is the flavor/aroma profile?
I live in Texas and my soil is very similar -- I would also love a source.
What is the flavor/aroma profile?
CJPaul
Member
I have collected what I believe to be neo mexicana along a small stream I like to fish. These hops are quite prolific, growing on hillsides and near the water, and seem to spread about a 5-10 mile length of the valley.
I am about 85% sure these are neo mexicana, but part of me wonders if these were once a cultivated variety like cluster or something, but have gone feral over the years. They have an aroma like none other, dank, woody and spicey with some other bright note I can't quite describe. They are apparently low in alpha acids, you can just about eat a whole cone without having your face invert. I have used them as the sole hope in two brews, the second being in the fermenter currently. I plan on making a simple pale ale with a continuous hop addition of these hops.
From a few searches I have done, I found some info about a guy in northern New Mexico who is propagating neo mexicana's, but little else is known. I also read about NMSU or another college doing a study in northwest NM. I would sight the sources if I could, but just try searching for yourself.
It seems that a few others are out there, trying to understand these wild, and native hops. If I find the links to the studies I will gladly share.
Cheers.
I am about 85% sure these are neo mexicana, but part of me wonders if these were once a cultivated variety like cluster or something, but have gone feral over the years. They have an aroma like none other, dank, woody and spicey with some other bright note I can't quite describe. They are apparently low in alpha acids, you can just about eat a whole cone without having your face invert. I have used them as the sole hope in two brews, the second being in the fermenter currently. I plan on making a simple pale ale with a continuous hop addition of these hops.
From a few searches I have done, I found some info about a guy in northern New Mexico who is propagating neo mexicana's, but little else is known. I also read about NMSU or another college doing a study in northwest NM. I would sight the sources if I could, but just try searching for yourself.
It seems that a few others are out there, trying to understand these wild, and native hops. If I find the links to the studies I will gladly share.
Cheers.
ReverseApacheMaster
Well-Known Member
I also believe you cannot patent a wild plant. It would have to be a unique strain. It's possible you could cross breed with neo mexicanus breeds to produce something unique and patentable.
I know the USDA bank in Oregon has several varieties of neo mexicanus on file but if you have access to wild hops you could just cultivate from there. Maybe try fertilizing a cascade or another American variety plant with one of them and see what you get.
I know the USDA bank in Oregon has several varieties of neo mexicanus on file but if you have access to wild hops you could just cultivate from there. Maybe try fertilizing a cascade or another American variety plant with one of them and see what you get.
I read through a lot of posts on many sites. There is some suspicion that Neo may have been a Cluster type that went feral from pioneer days. However, The New Mexico source claims to have collected them from arroyos and canyons that were never settled. (That doesn't mean a bird could not have dispersed the seed.) He sent the samples to Corvallis; who then determined they were genetically different from brewers hops.
My interest was in supplying them to hop growers in hot climates with alkaline soils. First, I would need to get a couple and test them out for yields, and brewing profile. Not much sense in though, if it is just a wild cluster.
My interest was in supplying them to hop growers in hot climates with alkaline soils. First, I would need to get a couple and test them out for yields, and brewing profile. Not much sense in though, if it is just a wild cluster.
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