2014 Hop garden photo thread

[1fast636]

Pics from today on first year cent



Bad pic of three of the four

 

[jeff13]

First few dozen of at least a thousand on my five first year plants. Magnum wins the first to be ripe

 

[mattmmille]

Friend invited me over to pick son's Cascade hops...he's move away for a job and won't be able to get back to them I left a couple beers for him when he visits his mom. I brought a big movie theater popcorn bucket...should have brought a 5 gallon pail! I had no idea there would be so many! They were 4 year bines and LOADED! I wound up with 13 ounces...I vacuum sealed and stuck in the freezer some pint jars that each hold two ounces and I have about 5 ounces I'm going to dry.

 

[day_trippr]

First thing tomorrow, take those jars out of the freezer, hope the cones aren't already mush, before you dry them properly and then vac-freeze them. Wet hops absolutely do not freeze well...

Cheers!

 

[kirbcheck]

First thing tomorrow, take those jars out of the freezer, hope the cones aren't already mush, before you dry them properly and then vac-freeze them. Wet hops absolutely do not freeze well...

Cheers!

I was under the impression it's fine as long as you throw the frozen hop mush directly into the boil and not let it thaw...

That being said I'd reconsider freezing a glass jar for long term storage. Also, I'd still go to the effort to dry hops in the future. It makes using them easier and I think they store better/longer.

However, I think I've read that it's bad to freeze, thaw and refreeze. So I'd let these be and change methods on the future. Just my $.02.

 

[sablesurfer]

Hop harvest day, I went up because the magnums were feeling right, found the centennial ready too. Centennial my top producer so far.

(Look at the bounty of willamette from a second year plant! Bah.)


The biggest problem was my cascades. I had a ton of them, I got about half ounce dried from picking a few weeks back. Everything else looked like it was needing more time. This is what was left on plant after picking today...half the crop already browned and falling apart...ARGH!!

 

[bristela]

I was under the impression it's fine as long as you throw the frozen hop mush directly into the boil and not let it thaw...

That being said I'd reconsider freezing a glass jar for long term storage. Also, I'd still go to the effort to dry hops in the future. It makes using them easier and I think they store better/longer.

However, I think I've read that it's bad to freeze, thaw and refreeze. So I'd let these be and change methods on the future. Just my $.02.

I'd like to reinforce the idea that putting them directly in the freezer is fine.

I'm not sure where this idea of them turning to mush comes from. That certainly can't happen below freezing point. Not sure why you'd thaw them first before brewing either.

I have actually done this before, last year. If you'd like to see documented proof please start here: http://hopstarter.blogspot.com/2013/09/brewing-pt1.html. No mush was observed at any point in the proceedings and this was quite easily the best beer I've made to date, particularly if measured by compliments from other people.

As far as I can tell the reason commercial growers don't freeze their product is because it's just not even close to being feasible. The quantities they deal with mean they need to have a product that is stable at ambient temperature, same is true for commercial brewers.

If you are neither a commercial hop grower nor brewer and have space in your freezer then I would highly recommend freezing over drying. Drying means they can be kept for longer at room temperature, but you will lose a whole host of V.O.C.s (Volatile Organic Compounds aka flavour and aroma) that would otherwise go into your beer.

If your cones go straight into the freezer after picking and then straight into your beer during the boil you will get to appreciate all this extra flavour that is lost during drying.

Also, just as a small tip, I prefer to put them in ziploc freezer bags and then roll them as flat as possible, a bit like a sleeping bag. This expels as much air as possible and means they take up less space.

You can see all of this and more on my blog.

Hope this helps.

 

[day_trippr]

Because you can buy wet-frozen hops from.....nobody. Hmmm.

Considering all the energy and effort it takes to properly prepare hops for storage, you'd think if the pro's could just freeze the wet harvest they'd be all over that like white on rice.

The forum is riddled with the results of people having frozen wet hops and what they found when they went to use them. It isn't a pretty sight, and surely the quality of the hops used for anything can't be anywhere remotely close to ideal.

But...do what you like...

Cheers!

 

[bristela]

Because you can buy wet-frozen hops from.....nobody. Hmmm.

Considering all the energy and effort it takes to properly prepare hops for storage, you'd think if the pro's could just freeze the wet harvest they'd be all over that like white on rice.

The forum is riddled with the results of people having frozen wet hops and what they found when they went to use them. It isn't a pretty sight, and surely the quality of the hops used for anything can't be anywhere remotely close to ideal.

But...do what you like...

Cheers!

Did you miss the part where I talked about commercial operations versus home operations? Also, did you even look at my blog post documenting a successful use of frozen hops?

Ultimately there's more than one way of doing things and people should do what ever works for them.

 

[sablesurfer]

No horse in this race, but the freeze vs the pros....if they froze the hops then they would have to keep them frozen all the way to your home fridge. The costs of that would be prohibative to the price of a dried hop leaf or pellet. So just the bald, "Because you can buy wet-frozen hops from.....nobody. Hmmm." really doesn't mean it isn't a good way.

More likely it just isn't a profitable way..... <shrug> That being said I have only just picked my first ever real harvest (2nd yr plants) so maybe when I get more next year I'll compare some dried/vacuum sealed vs some frozen.

 

[Bamsdealer]

Nothing in this either, but you're dealing with two different animals. A wet hopped beer tastes completely different from a beer brewed with the same dry hops.

Also, when calculating recipes expect to use about 5x as many wet hops to get the same bitterness as hops you're used to purchasing.

Freezing wet hops is fine. As always, try to reduce the amount of air or oxygen when packaging. As with anything, thawing and re-freezing isn't a great idea. Also, I wouldn't expect wet hops to last as long as dried hops at room temp, in the fridge or in the freezer.

 

[Bamsdealer]

Hop Harvest 1

2nd year plants with plenty left on the vines. Cascades from two plants on the screen and Centennials on the cookie sheets. Got 5.5 gallons of Cascades. Any idea what weight this will amount to when dried? I'm guessing at least a half pound.

Notice the giant Cascade hop with leaves growing out of it. I got several like this.

Packaged my hops for the freeze this morning with a vac sealer. I'm pretty happy with the 10oz of cascade and 2oz Centennial I ended up with. As a rule of thumb I've found I get about 2 oz dried hops from each gallon of hops picked. I filled my fermenting bucket with Cascades to the 5.5 gal mark and ended up with exactly 10 oz.

The scary thing is I brew many IPAs topping the 10 oz mark... a fermenter full of hops to brew a fermenter full of beer!

 

[nextgenxx]

2014 Getting closer....


I have some 2013 fresh/wet hops vacuumed sealed froze in my freezer still, seem to be hard as a rock still, maybe I should open them and see what the status is on fresh frozen hops?

 

[bristela]

View attachment 215300
2014 Getting closer....


I have some 2013 fresh/wet hops vacuumed sealed froze in my freezer still, seem to be hard as a rock still, maybe I should open them and see what the status is on fresh frozen hops?

Nice plants

If your hops are vacuum sealed in the freezer, I would leave them be until you need them. Best to keep them as fresh as possible for as long as possible.

Cheers

 

[mattmmille]

Thanks to everyone for the advice on freezing vs. drying. Since I already have this reasonably small amount vacuum sealed and frozen, I'm going to hope for the best and will not take them out of the freezer until ready to drop into the boil. I usually set up to brew about 20 feet from my freezer, so that's no problem. Maybe I'll use the dried ones for dry hopping. Any way, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

 

[MrNic]

My Centennial and Columbus plants are doing pretty good for the first year.


My Columbus has stopped growing up, and is starting to Bush out.


Centennial is still growing up, almost to the roof now. It also has a bunch of cones starting to grow.

 

[tseverance]

2 on left cascades 2 on right are willanette my first attempt at growing hops

 

[EdMerican]

Got what I'm estimating at about 1/4 oz from one of my Columbus bines today. In a week or so I should have a little better than a pound. Perle has done nothing. Cascade is fairly sad. First year Centennial and first year Willamette are both doing a little better than those two. Maybe an ounce or two from everything each, aside from beast mode Columbus. Any ideas to boost flower production on the rest? It may be a bit late in the year to try to combat it now... but something may be worth a shot.

 

[bristela]

Got what I'm estimating at about 1/4 oz from one of my Columbus bines today. In a week or so I should have a little better than a pound. Perle has done nothing. Cascade is fairly sad. First year Centennial and first year Willamette are both doing a little better than those two. Maybe an ounce or two from everything each, aside from beast mode Columbus. Any ideas to boost flower production on the rest? It may be a bit late in the year to try to combat it now... but something may be worth a shot.

If they're first year plants I'd be happy to get any at all. My Willamette gave me three whole cones last year (it's first). This year there's dozens. As long as they're producing a good root system then you should get much improved yield next year.

I wouldn't be surprised if some varieties prioritise root growth over flower production so there may not be much you can do.

It's also possible that they're slightly under nourished some how. I think flower production in some plants (in general) is something they only do if all their other needs are being met. Having said that I think there are others still for whom flower production is a last ditch attempt at survival. I'm not a botanist though (clearly). I don't think hops fall into this latter category.

Have you seen any yellowing of the leaves? Or other signs of malnutrition?

 

[EdMerican]

The Columbus, Perle, and Cascade are 3rd year. The Willamette and Centennial are first years. I have good soil, tilled up a bunch manure into the soil when I transplanted crowns from barrel pots to the ground. I got about a half pound from each variety last year. I admit I was a little lazy in the beginning of the year and let them vine out all over the ground. It was a tangled mess. I had to whack most of it back to the ground.

 

[Strecker25]

First year Cascades from field ready plants ( so I guess technically second yr) they've had cones for two weeks but they're steadily increasing in size.


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[bristela]

The Columbus, Perle, and Cascade are 3rd year. The Willamette and Centennial are first years. I have good soil, tilled up a bunch manure into the soil when I transplanted crowns from barrel pots to the ground. I got about a half pound from each variety last year. I admit I was a little lazy in the beginning of the year and let them vine out all over the ground. It was a tangled mess. I had to whack most of it back to the ground.

When did you transplant them?

I know from bitter experience that they don't enjoy being transplanted. I had about a 90-95% die off when I did it last year just after harvesting (we were moving house, fortunately not very far). They survived though.

If you transplanted them before they started growing again in the spring then they should still have been dormant and presumably not minded as much. On the other hand, you wouldn't have had any outward signs if they had.

Weirdly, I'm having exactly the same problem with my Cascade. It has completely given up on making new cones. There is some new growth lower down on the plant. I've also seen a fair number of dead and withered shoots (see pic). We did have a bit of dry spell and I wasn't that great with making sure they were watered. It's just possible my Cascade is more sensitive to this.

In the same way, it's also possible that the conditions in your garden favour some strains over others.

Hope this helps some.

 

[EdMerican]

They were just out of dormancy. As soon as I saw the first little shoots come up I k ew I had to get them moved. . I tilled the area and plunked the whole root ball with the soil from the pot into big holes I trenched out in the fresh tilled soil. Used a long thin stick to work soil I to any air pockets in the dirt around it and watered them in very well. They did exceedingly well until I tried to untangle them and failed miserably... at which point I gave up and lopped them off at the ground and restarted with new shoots. Between the transplant AND the lopping they may have been a bit stressed... theres always next year.

 

[bristela]

They were just out of dormancy. As soon as I saw the first little shoots come up I k ew I had to get them moved. . I tilled the area and plunked the whole root ball with the soil from the pot into big holes I trenched out in the fresh tilled soil. Used a long thin stick to work soil I to any air pockets in the dirt around it and watered them in very well. They did exceedingly well until I tried to untangle them and failed miserably... at which point I gave up and lopped them off at the ground and restarted with new shoots. Between the transplant AND the lopping they may have been a bit stressed... theres always next year.

As you say, they may have been a bit stressed If they're still alive and growing then they should give you a nice harvest next year. They may still even surprise you later this year. They are very resilient plants.

 

[scutiger]

Man, this thread makes me jealous...

My third year hop plant that I've been taking care of has just one shoot about 4 ft off the ground and looks terrible.

 

[bristela]

Man, this thread makes me jealous...

My third year hop plant that I've been taking care of has just one shoot about 4 ft off the ground and looks terrible.

Do you want to post a photo? You never know, we might be able to help diagnose any problems. I previously grew hops in Houston, so you ought to be able to in South Carolina.

 

[hungry4hops]

3.5 wet pounds of second harvest 3rd year cascades they smell awesome!

 

[drewsk]

Harvest is finally on the horizon! A few more weeks, perhaps.

 

[atimmerman88]

Does anyone recommend a good resource for determining when it's time to harvest?

I'm a first time grower and have 3 plants full of hops. They are starting to feel more paper like than vegetable like and want to be sure I let them mature before picking


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[drewsk]

When the tips start to brown and they crunch like paper when squeezed.

There is this calculator, that I haven't used yet:
http://www.uvm.edu/extension/agriculture/engineering/?Page=hopscalc.html