First year Hops dont smell Hoppy.

[Wingnutt73]

So I have 5 different plants all at different stages of growth (which i'm not to worried about). What I do have a question on is my best plant which is the "Zeus" Varity have a bunch of cones but they do not give off a hoppy smell. I figured with this type of hop and it being so high on the ABU it would even it being a first year give off a wonderful hop aroma.

So Do I just harvest and toss my first crop ? This would make me sad but If they are not up to par I dont want to use them just to say I used my own home grown.

SO I guess is the first year more or less just getting the plants established and set up for a good harvest next year?

 

[GVH_Dan]

If you define "hoppy" as the smell of cascade, then those won't smell hoppy, ever. You're right, Zeus and other high alpha tend to smell a bit different. Pick them, try them in a tea and see what you think.

 

[B-Hoppy]

I would pick a few of them and let them dry out. Once dried, give them a good rub and smell your hands. A lot of times when you smell them right off the vine, you pick up a good bit of that 'green' aroma blended into that of the oils and resins. Also, if your hops had a rough time of it during their establishment year, they may not have had enough energy/time to put into the lupulin for it to develop fully. That has happened to me from time to time over the years so you have to be a little more watchful during the first year.

 

[Bobby_M]

Lack of hop aroma usually means they are not quite ready to harvest, though the aroma does intensify after drying.

 

[funnycreature]

This might sound stupid but have you actually cut open a cone? I noticed no smell from my 1st year Magnum until I cut it open and saw these wonderful, golden lupulin glands.

 

[Wingnutt73]

i can See the Lupulin all over the inside of the cones. I took one off and rolled it in my hands to break those lupulin glands and it smelled "green" as B-Hoppy stated. So maybe I'm just jumping the gun and grabbed one to early.

I guess my main thing is will I be able to use first year hops in a Brew?
thanks for all the feed back guys!

 

[funnycreature]

i can See the Lupulin all over the inside of the cones. I took one off and rolled it in my hands to break those lupulin glands and it smelled "green" as B-Hoppy stated. So maybe I'm just jumping the gun and grabbed one to early.

I guess my main thing is will I be able to use first year hops in a Brew?
thanks for all the feed back guys!

I had a nice but not as strong as I expected hop smell when I tried it. So my uneducated guess is that you might have to wait. I would also not use it if you don't get the hop aroma. But again, I am a noob myself!

 

[B-Hoppy]

Wingnutt,

One of the best ways to learn how to tell that they're ripe is to do what you just did with a new cone every couple days. Each time, you'll feel the difference in the pliability of the cone and sometimes be able to notice the lupulin change color. It takes a while but in the end, you can begin to smell/sense when they're beginning to go down hill (becoming over ripe). It's all a learning experience that's better done in person rather than over the internet. Keep at it.

Also, it's important to take the cones from the same general area along the vine as they'll ripen a little differently at different points. Usually the upper ones first and then the lower ones. The hard part in your case is that first year plants can and sometimes do act very differently than mature plants in how they grow and produce. Again, it takes time and after a few harvests you'll have it down.

 

[bionut]

If you define "hoppy" as the smell of cascade, then those won't smell hoppy, ever. You're right, Zeus and other high alpha tend to smell a bit different. Pick them, try them in a tea and see what you think.

So you say that high alpha acids won't smell as intense as a Cascade or other aroma hop?
I am in the first year also but only the Cascade has produced cones.
Question from a newbie

 

[GVH_Dan]

Heck, all hops smell and taste different. Just like different varieties of apples or oranges. They are similar but not the same. In my experience, the high alpha ones, especially in the first year, don't give off as much of a smell as others. Use the color and feel as your guide like B-hoppy said.

 

[Wingnutt73]

So I picked another one last night and Much improved on the smell. I was almost blown away by the difference a week made. The yellow Lupulin was exploding. The leaves felt almost plastic so not sure if I left them to long or they still need to stay on the vine for awhile yet. But again over all big improvement, just me not being able to wait >.>

 

[bionut]

I am in the same position, not knowing if it ripe or not...

 

[GVH_Dan]

But again over all big improvement, just me not being able to wait >.>

"Patience young grasshopper..." The key mistake most first time growers is picking them too early. They look so big and ripe and green and wonderful but just wait a bit. Alpha really develops in the last few days before harvest.

By the time you pick them, they often have a little brown discoloration on the tips and look "old".

 

[Wingnutt73]

"Patience young grasshopper..." The key mistake most first time growers is picking them too early. They look so big and ripe and green and wonderful but just wait a bit. Alpha really develops in the last few days before harvest.

By the time you pick them, they often have a little brown discoloration on the tips and look "old".

Yup seems to be the general rule of thumb when it comes to most things brew related. The one I did pick had a brown tip and man did it smell so yummy.

 

[Wingnutt73]

So heres an update on my hops. They stink!! (It's a good stink though) lol picked what was ready not much but again its a first year plant. Hope to use them in my next brew.

 

[natefrog255]

Is it common to smell the citrus aroma when picked but after dried that smell is faint/gone?