Unknown hops

Talking to a colleague of mine, it turns out that he has some wild hops growing near his cabin. This is very near the polar circle, and I was surprised to learn that hops would survive such hard climate.

He does not know what type of hops this is, but my curiosity is definitely wide awake, and I was wondering if I could use some fresh hops in a future brew. Couple of questions:

a) When is the right time to harvest the hops?
b) Can I use it fresh (how), or do I need to dry it first?
c) What is a good (preferably extract based - I've only started brewing in december) recipe for hops of unknown type?
d) Is this just asking for trouble?

 

Hops are harvested in the fall. You can definitely use them fresh just by adding them to your boil. A good recipe would be any pale ale recipe. You really want to showcase the hops even if they are unknown. I think you should definitely harvest them and use them this coming fall. When harvesting the hops you can smash the cones in your hands and see how they smell. If they smell good I would definitely use them.

 

I made a hefeweizen with Sunbeam hops. Never heard of them? Me neither. Didn't have much (I think about 2 oz) and put most of it in for bittering with a dash at the end of the boil.

a) I don't know. The ones I got are yellowish when fully mature, so I assume colour isn't the method to choose. I'd guess before they start to deteriorate on the vine / before the first frost?
b) You can use fresh whole hops. One thing I didn't do was account for them not being dried out. I think 6:1 ratio rings bell. 6 oz wet cones = 1 oz pellet. Not the greatest without a reference for AA%, but a starting point.
c) SMaSH it. If the objective is to get a feel for what these are and how they work it's best to not complicate things with the malt bill. Use some as bittering and some for a flavour addition. Hope for the best, learn for next time.
d) What's the worst thing that happens? One wasted brew day in the name of science and some non-perfect beer.

 

Thanks, WayFræ,

My colleague said that they smell amazing when rubbed between the fingers.

This being polar region, would I just collect them when I feel that freezing nights are coming?

What would I do with all the cones that I cannot use in the first brew? Can I just freeze them and use "semi-fresh" at a later point?

This is getting excitingly fun!

And send my love to dear Utah, I spent a year in Murray in the 1980s as an exchange student

 

a) depends on the climate where they are growing, but sometime in the fall. The cones should be starting to dry and have a 'papery' feel, but not too dry.
b) either dry or fresh. I dry mine by placing over a window screen about 2 - 3 feet off the ground and leaving in the garage. Once dry, vacuum seal in a bag and store in freezer. If using fresh, you will need to increase the amount of hops
c) any beer you like. crush the fresh hops between your hands to get a feel for how they will smell. You can also just throw them in a glass of 'bland' beer and see what they do to the flavor.
d) nope.

 

I live right next to Murray in Taylorsville! Generally, you want to pick the hops when the cones start to feel papery on the outside and when split in half the yellow lupulin glands are a dark yellow, like a school bus yellow. (I don't know if school buses are yellow in Norway but think back to your time in Utah.) If you don't use them all for your brew I would dry them before storing. The way I dry my hops is just laying them out in a single layer on a screen or fine wire mesh for a few days or until they are about 20% of their original weight.

EDIT: I have never tried freezing fresh hops but I have been told that it can work and still give that fresh hop flavor.

 

I had hops growing along the deck at my place North of Edmonton.

Wrong kind of hops, though, never did see a cone on them. Strictly decorative. But indicative that they would survive there.

Worth asking if your bud or yourself, can actually confirm that here are cones or were, before you vest anything into this plan, eh?

TeeJo