2014 Hop garden photo thread

[MrNic]

Later this year when they really start to produce I'll do some wet hop IPA's but right now my 1/2 oz just won't do much. I've never frozen wet hops, maybe I'll try that with the next batch.

I was just listening to an episode of the Jamil Show the other day, and Jamil said that he tried freezing wet hops before. I guess when he thawed them out later it was just a snotty, nasty mess.

 

[bristela]

I was just listening to an episode of the Jamil Show the other day, and Jamil said that he tried freezing wet hops before. I guess when he thawed them out later it was just a snotty, nasty mess.

When I've done it, I put them straight from the freezer into the wort. If you want you can see here:

http://hopstarter.blogspot.com/2013/09/brewing-pt2.html

Certainly didn't come out as a snotty mess. One of the best beers I've made, especially if you measure compliments from other people. Don't think there's any need to thaw them in advance. I can see that that would not give you best results though.

 

[MrNic]

When I've done it, I put them straight from the freezer into the wort. If you want you can see here:

http://hopstarter.blogspot.com/2013/09/brewing-pt2.html

Certainly didn't come out as a snotty mess. One of the best beers I've made, especially if you measure compliments from other people. Don't think there's any need to thaw them in advance. I can see that that would not give you best results though.

I didn't think about just throwing them in frozen. That's a great idea!

 

[bristela]

I didn't think about just throwing them in frozen. That's a great idea!

Means they stay as fresh as possible until you use them.

It also means that if I end up with a situation like corkybstewart's, with continual production, I can just pick the ones that are ready and pop them in a growing collection in the freezer. Also means I completely avoid all of the fuss involved with drying. You do need enough room in your freezer though. Certainly not an issue for me for some time.

 

[nextgenxx]

Holy Hops!


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[MrNic]

The first picture is centennial. The second is columbus.

 

[sablesurfer]

(Marking notes next to Wyoming as state to retire to...hops take forever to start in 'summer' there.)

 

[rmyurick]

InkedFireman--that's hot!

 

[bristela]

Only just getting the first hints of cones here in Maryland.

 

[MrNic]

(Marking notes next to Wyoming as state to retire to...hops take forever to start in 'summer' there.)

Yeah, I didn't get to plant them until the beginning of May, and then we had a snow storm a couple of weeks ago. I'm glad they survived. They're looking pretty good to me.

 

[sablesurfer]

Hops are starting, they are SOOOO FARRRRR up there. (Also funny that Cascade has hit the roof and now has to decide what to do for rest of summer.)

 

[Premnasbiaculeatus]

Only just getting the first hints of cones here in Maryland.

If you are in Montgomery or PG county I'm going to be pretty pissed. I live in Silver Spring and my vines look like they're months away from getting cones. You must have way better soil than me or a lot more light... I'm very jealous.

 

[Stevo2569]

Nice to see everyone's babies coming along. Looks like it'll be a triple harvest for most. My most mature plants topped the ropes a couple weeks ago and dozens of side arms trying to form giant masses with lots of young hops. Several are showing good lupilin production. Dog chewed one rope 5 bines of nugget half the plant total so that sucks.

 

[Mleytevidal]

How do I kill the beetles that are eating the leaves?


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[MeanDeuce]

If you are in Montgomery or PG county I'm going to be pretty pissed. I live in Silver Spring and my vines look like they're months away from getting cones. You must have way better soil than me or a lot more light... I'm very jealous.

I'm in Fairfax County. Side arms coming out now, but another few weeks before I'll see cones starting. I'm also on a deck with buckets and only 6 hrs of direct light per day.

 

[bristela]

If you are in Montgomery or PG county I'm going to be pretty pissed. I live in Silver Spring and my vines look like they're months away from getting cones. You must have way better soil than me or a lot more light... I'm very jealous.

I'm in Cheverly, in PG county. I don't think it's going to be the sunlight, they get a reasonable amount but probably not more than 6 hours. I suspect it might be the soil. I'm using the compost we generated last year, which has more than a couple of loads of spent grain (and thus everything comes full circle):

http://hopstarter.blogspot.com/2013/08/ready-for-moving.html

They're also second year growth, which has definitely been stronger than last year.

 

[gcdowd]

Year 2. Getting a lot more sprouts this year, very exciting. I have Willamette, Chinook, centennial, and cascade.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

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[gcdowd]

View attachment 201163View attachment 201164View attachment 201165


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Oh man, you had to one up me!

 

[bristela]

Oh man, you had to one up me!

Those are both some very impressive setups. I'm jealous

 

[sablesurfer]

LOL!!!

Looking back it was the 22nd when my Cascade ran into the soffit. Today, two days later....ESCAPE!!! It is headed for the sky and FREEEEEEEDOMMMMM!

 

[1fast636]

All four in the back are about 4-5 inches, willament I'm stringing tomorrow cause she is starting to twirl

 

[MathiasMicrobrew]

2nd Willamette just showing some small spurs. Pretty pumped for this years harvest! I hopefully will have enough for a wet hopped/dry hopped SMaSH with some Maris Otter

 

[Zuljin]

All four in the back are about 4-5 inches, willament I'm stringing tomorrow cause she is starting to twirl
View attachment 201531

What kind of beer glass is that? I don't have one of those.

 

[sablesurfer]

Looks like the new dogfish/sierra nevada IPA glass from Spiegelau

 

[CHQ28]

So I thought I would share a few pictures of my small hop garden. I decided to grow Columbus, Centennial, Cascade, and Sterling. This is the first year and so far they have all popped up. I made a hop pole for them to climb and a few signs out of some extra cedar to remember which is which.

 

[kymalt]

Here are my 1st year Cascades, been in the ground 3 weeks. The one in the middle was the best plant until I smashed it with a sledge hammer while attempting to drive a stake.

My trellis

 

[cram]

Here are some pictures of some hops in southern CA. The first picture is of Nugget hops, which were my early runners this year. They hit the top of a 16' pole a few days ago. You can see two reasons that the hops are elevated and behind small fences--the chicken yard is even more fortified.

The second picture is of some Chinook plants that are just starting to get going.

Finally, the third picture of of Centennial. These are all on different timelines. Of the seven plants, one isn't even on the lines yet and one is 15' or more--the rest are somewhere in between. All of these are first-year plantings from rhizomes that I cut off some older plants. For perspective, the top of those poles is over 21'.

I'll add pictures of the Tettnang and Cascades when they are a little more impressive.

 

[McRoth]

Here's a couple pics of my 2nd year hops. I'll not sure what they are though, forgot to put labels on them! Hoping to tell the difference when they mature. Starting to get side arms, those are the flowers, right? I didn't get anything last year.

 

[jayway]

Found a major pest in one of my hop boxes. Any ideas how to get rid of it?