spider mites

[hrvstar1100]

while drying my hops on a screen my 6 yr old noticed lots of spider mites. are my hops ruined or will they be ok after drying?

 

[day_trippr]

My beds were besieged by the most amazing/appalling 2-spotted spider mite invasion this season, and considering the scope of the ensuing war (my side of the battle went from containment to making the rubble bounce) I have no doubt that there are plenty o' their casualties resting in the ~ 4 pounds (dry) of Centennial, Chinook, and Cascade cones bagged and chilling in the freezer.

The way I figure it, it'll all be sterile after the boil, and who knows, maybe the wee bit of extra protein will help keep the heads high

But I will definitely not be dry-hopping with any of these. But that's ok - I never dry-hop with my home growns, just 'cuz I know they were "challenged by wildlife".

Which is ironic, because I'll dry hop using commercial grown without giving any consideration that they were most likely not grown in a pest & predator-free environment.

Clearly, ignorance really can be bliss...

Cheers!

 

[hrvstar1100]

well then I will go on with drying what I have unless I hear otherwise. thank you

 

[beerloaf]

I like spider mites. I found that they add extra flavor to the brew. Boiling them adds an extra "protein rest" to the brewday. My Spider Brew could not be made without them.

beerloaf

 

[Hethen57]

I think it goes with the territory with home grown hops...I saw a few tiny things scurrying under the screen as I was bagging my dried stash, but figured the "seal a meal" treatment, plus freezing, and then boiling at brewing, would take care of any microscopic pests that remained on the cones...