CT Wild Hops

[Cainmos]

So I found some bines growing up a tree across from my girlfriends house on the edge of a salt marsh. I have just started growing my own from rhizomes and was like "woah! those look like hops!" since it was hard to tell them apart from all the grape vine. I was also really surprised they would even be growing there. They have since started to flower. I wasn't sure if they were male or female at first but I think they are burrs not male flowers. Can I get a second opinion on this?

 

[alane1]

Those are female, no doubt.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Those are female. Would you be interested in digging a rhizome and sending one my way?


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[oneandahalfshepherds]

No wild hops up here in granby ct...you lucky dog


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[B-Hoppy]

. . . since it was hard to tell them apart from all the grape vine.


. . . and the poison ivy! (2nd pic)

Nice find!

 

[Cainmos]

Haha good eye. There is a ton of poison ivy in there too.

I'll see how developed the root system is when I get a chance for those that want a rhizome.


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[Cainmos]

No wild hops up here in granby ct...you lucky dog

I hope they turn out brew worthy. I was very surprised to find them. I am now on the look out for them all over the place. Have you been to any trails along the CT river to look for them?

 

[Cainmos]

Update: They kind of look like they may be Cluster or at least related. What are your thoughts?

 

[Cainmos]

Wild hop update: So I tried to dig around and find the crown to get rhizomes but just got poison ivy in the process. If I can I will take cuttings to propagate for those that wanted rhizomes. Not sure if they will take this late in the season though.

In other news the cones smell fantastic kind of a piney floral citrus. I think they are almost ready to harvest. Maybe a week or so more I will check the moisture content once I can get some more.

 

[WWJPD]

I found these hops plants earlier this year on my running trail in Southington. I've been patiently watching them grow every morning as I run by. Here are some pics. I just wished I could identify them.

I dug up 2 rhizomes back in the spring and transplanted in my back yard away from my other commercial rhizomes. They are doing OK, but not fantastic. I'm betting next year they will take off.

 

[alane1]

Update: They kind of look like they may be Cluster or at least related. What are your thoughts?

You could brew a couple side by side split 1 gal batches with store bought Cluster. Aside from sending them out to a taxonomist, this should get you close to an id.

 

[Newsman]

If you ever manage to find some with seeds, please harvest and PM me for my address.

 

[Cainmos]

I found these hops plants earlier this year on my running trail in Southington. I've been patiently watching them grow every morning as I run by. Here are some pics. I just wished I could identify them.

I dug up 2 rhizomes back in the spring and transplanted in my back yard away from my other commercial rhizomes. They are doing OK, but not fantastic. I'm betting next year they will take off.
View attachment 219350View attachment 219353View attachment 219354

That is awesome. I never thought I would find them wild. I had known that CT had at one time a large hop industry along the Connecticut River but figured it would be a long shot to find them.

What is the aroma from those wild ones?

 

[Cainmos]

You could brew a couple side by side split 1 gal batches with store bought Cluster. Aside from sending them out to a taxonomist, this should get you close to an id.

That's a really good. I had planned on doing a single hop batch with them to see how their brewing properties are. I think I will order some Cluster and maybe a few other types that are potential candidates for what they are.

 

[WWJPD]

I don't remember where I heard it, but I remember someone saying that they were common along railroad lines, which is what the trail in Southington used to be. Hops used to be quite common in the Northeast around the turn of the century. Just in names around CT, hops are all over... Devils Hopyard, Hop River, Hop Meadow, Hop Brook. If you think about it, it makes sense that people would bring hops in to grow locally as brewing used to be a very local thing before prohibition. I found a Clinton NY newspaper article about my great grandfather breaking his wrist and it said "Charles won't be doing any hop picking next month."

I'd love to brew a 1gal batch with some of these hops, but since I don't have any idea what type they are, I'm not sure what the alpha is which makes it hard. I found a great 15min boil IPA recipe on here that I used last week with my homegrown Cascade. I might just wing it or put in some Centennial pellets I have to bitter and use some of the wild hops.

 

[PapaBearJay]

I found these hops plants earlier this year on my running trail in Southington. I've been patiently watching them grow every morning as I run by. Here are some pics. I just wished I could identify them.

I dug up 2 rhizomes back in the spring and transplanted in my back yard away from my other commercial rhizomes. They are doing OK, but not fantastic. I'm betting next year they will take off.
View attachment 219350View attachment 219353View attachment 219354

Would you be willing to send rhizomes?


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[Beerisgud]

Resurrecting this one in hopes any other folks in CT are on the look out this year for wild hops. The locations of the found hops in the thread were never disclosed for reasons I understand. Private msg or put it out there if you have information on where to look. I’m sure those of us looking are interested in simply harvesting rhizomes or seeds and not cones or “obviously” trespassing. I wear my green work shirt to stand out whenever foraging.