Growing hops for the first time

[RyPA]

I live in NJ and am considering buying some rhizomes to try growing fresh hops. I plan to use these hops for WC IPA’s and was thinking Cascade or Centennial. Would 3 rhizomes give me enough for a 5g batch? Or should I consider a different hop?

Or maybe get cashmere for a neipa.

https://yakimavalleyhops.com/produc...0fibvw04kZmcH_rQevv36H2hrVVluskLfYH1E0.VQEefX

Thanks

 

[wootz001]

I recommend getting some field grade plugs instead of rhizomes, especially if you are wanting a yield this year.

Cascade grows consistently for me in Southern California. I planted plugs 4 years ago, and now I have more than I can keep up with. I had planted Centennial at the same time as well, but it was struggling, so I pulled it out. I read later somewhere that Centennial can be a slow starter. Kinda wished I had kept it now. Definitely worth the effort and patience to experiment and see what works.

 

[RyPA]

Thanks for responding but i already ordered the rhizomes from Yakima valley. I’m not expecting to get hops this year, hopefully next year.

 

[Lampy]

I also ordered YVH Cascade rhizomes. All three sprouted by about day 10 and then I transferred each to it's own pot (planting in ground isn't currently feasible).

 

[RyPA]

I ended up going with centennial, they are growing like a weed

 

[T Murph]

I just got my little raised bed pruned, fertilized, strung and mulched. I was surprised that my Saaz sprouted this year. Last year I thought it died but apparently it survived. 1st is Saaz, 2nd is Nugget (an incredible producer that gives me over a pound each year) and last is Cascade.

And I'm enjoying a HB Czech Pilsner while taking photos.

 

[T Murph]

@wootz001 thanks for sharing about your centennials. I have 11 different varieties planted out on my families farm. Centennial, Williamette, and Tettnanger are staying alive but haven't produced cones yet. Thanks to your post I think I will keep trying with them.

 

[wootz001]

@wootz001 thanks for sharing about your centennials. I have 11 different varieties planted out on my families farm. Centennial, Williamette, and Tettnanger are staying alive but haven't produced cones yet. Thanks to your post I think I will keep trying with them.

Glad to be of some service!

Here is my Cascade in its current state. I cut it down to the ground April 13th. I will string them up this weekend.

 

[redrocker652002]

My wife had read about growing hops somewhere and her contribution to my hobby is that. I have Cascade, Columbus and Chinook. All of which do pretty well in the San Francisco area. I am sure if she planted them in the ground and not in pots they would be all over now. I used them, but I read you have to use substantially more than you would if using pellets or whole cones. My goal this year is to pick them and use them right away, so we shall see.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

My goal this year is to pick them and use them right away, so we shall see.

If you're doing wet/green hops like that, then you really have to use them right away - I know some people who think they're only good for compost 12 hours after picking, I also know commercial brewers who will put the boil on and then go to the hop farm to get the hops. Time really is of the essence, they don't keep if they're not dried.

And that's the other thing - they're not dried, so they have a lot of water in them. In the UK, people reckon on using about 7x the green hops compared to a normal recipe using dried hops, in the US they seem to go for 5-6x.

The big advantage is that they retain the volatile flavour molecules that are normally lost when hops are dried, so if you only have a limited supply, start them as dry hops and then work backwards through the recipe - dry hop, whirlpool, then if you still have some put them at flameout, they're a bit wasted as bittering hops.

 

[RyPA]

The growth slowed down when I moved it from a pot into the ground, and now it's back to growing like a weed

 

[RyPA]

Really cool to finally see hop cones

 

[Dgallo]

The growth slowed down when I moved it from a pot into the ground, and now it's back to growing like a weed

View attachment 877957

That’s because when you transplanted them the plant went back to putting its energy in the roots. Once the roots got out of the root ball and into the soil, it split its energy back to veg growth. They look healthy though. Hopefully the overhang from the roof doesn’t block to much sun.

Really cool to finally see hop cones
View attachment 881435View attachment 881436

Congrats on seeing cones. Feels good!

As a reminder with picking cones. Don’t pick them until they are slightly browning at the bracs and when you touch them they feel papery. When you rub them they should smell like good hops. If they smell green and leafy, it’s too early, if it smells a bit like onion, you waited a touch too long. You want the lupulin to look golden, not yellow.

When you use them, just remember 5 oz of fresh/wet hops are equivalent to 1 oz of pellets. Last year I harvested 42 oz of wet hops off my plants and it was only enough for a pale ale lol

 

[RyPA]

Thanks, yes I figured moving the plant put it into recovery mode, and once it got past that it began growing like a weed again.

Yeah I started researching on when to pick and found some info that aligns with what you said. I will basically let the quantity of hops decide which beer I brew with them.

 

[Dgallo]

Thanks, yes I figured moving the plant put it into recovery mode, and once it got past that it began growing like a weed again.

Yeah I started researching on when to pick and found some info that aligns with what you said. I will basically let the quantity of hops decide which beer I brew with them.

My first year of hops I only got like 14 ozs wet from 6 plants. This year will most likely be a wash for actually getting to use them with a lot of character coming through. Year two was about double that. And now they are pretty well established

 

[RyPA]

My first year of hops I only got like 14 ozs wet from 6 plants. This year will most likely be a wash for actually getting to use them with a lot of character coming through. Year two was about double that. And now they are pretty well established

Ah, I only have 2 rhizomes. Maybe in the next 2-3 seasons Ill have enough for just a bittering addition!

 

[redrocker652002]

That’s because when you transplanted them the plant went back to putting its energy in the roots. Once the roots got out of the root ball and into the soil, it split its energy back to veg growth. They look healthy though. Hopefully the overhang from the roof doesn’t block to much sun.


Congrats on seeing cones. Feels good!

As a reminder with picking cones. Don’t pick them until they are slightly browning at the bracs and when you touch them they feel papery. When you rub them they should smell like good hops. If they smell green and leafy, it’s too early, if it smells a bit like onion, you waited a touch too long. You want the lupulin to look golden, not yellow.

When you use them, just remember 5 oz of fresh/wet hops are equivalent to 1 oz of pellets. Last year I harvested 42 oz of wet hops off my plants and it was only enough for a pale ale lol

I have noticed this with my hops. I have waited until I see brown at the tips of the "leaves" but I guess I am still waiting too long? They match up to all the other things you have said though, papery and dry feeling. The lupulin you are talking about, is that what is between the leaves? I have not really looked at that before. I only get a few ounces at best, so really I am trying to nicely tell my wife at this time, it is just now worth it and she can use the pots for something else.

 

[Dgallo]

I have noticed this with my hops. I have waited until I see brown at the tips of the "leaves" but I guess I am still waiting too long? They match up to all the other things you have said though, papery and dry feeling. The lupulin you are talking about, is that what is between the leaves? I have not really looked at that before. I only get a few ounces at best, so really I am trying to nicely tell my wife at this time, it is just now worth it and she can use the pots for something

The bract are the individual “leaves” that make up the hop cone. So if you’re waiting for them to brown a little at the edges, you’re doing what you typically should.

What size pots are they in? If your past the first year mark, they really need to be in a minimum of a 25-30 gallon pot of soil, if not more. Also do you fertilize them and give them enough water? They need to be feed 1-2 times a grow season and need plenty of water