growing hops in VA?

[Woodbrews]

Reviving this thread now that spring is just around the corner! We're planning to grow hops for the first time in our community garden plot in Arlington. I just ordered 2 plants each of Cascade, Centennial, and Magnum from GreatLakesHops. I think 6 plants is the most we can do given the space available. Need to get started soon on our hop trellis!

 

[AznDrgn]

I had some great looking first years rhizomes going last year in 25 gallon planters but I don't know if they survived the winter. Anyone have any advice as to whether I should dig around in there and find out or should I just wait?

 

[sweetcell]

I just ordered 2 plants each of Cascade, Centennial, and Magnum from GreatLakesHops.

welcome to the hobby!

quick suggestion: i would call up GLH and ask if you can swap out the magnums for something else.

magnums aren't very good for flavor or aroma, their main (almost exclusive) use is bittering. bittering with homegrown hops is problematic as you have no idea what their AA% will be. in my experience, the AA% on homegrown hops is lower - sometimes a lot lower - than commercial hops. so unless you're willing to brew a few test batches to figure out their relative strength (and ideally do side-by-side comparison batches with commercial hops of known AA%), using magnums risky - unless you're OK with a beer's bitterness being unknowable.

pesonally, i always use commercial for bittering and homegrown for late additions.

 

[Woodbrews]

welcome to the hobby!

quick suggestion: i would call up GLH and ask if you can swap out the magnums for something else.

magnums aren't very good for flavor or aroma, their main (almost exclusive) use is bittering. bittering with homegrown hops is problematic as you have no idea what their AA% will be. in my experience, the AA% on homegrown hops is lower - sometimes a lot lower - than commercial hops. so unless you're willing to brew a few test batches to figure out their relative strength (and ideally do side-by-side comparison batches with commercial hops of known AA%), using magnums risky - unless you're OK with a beer's bitterness being unknowable.

pesonally, i always use commercial for bittering and homegrown for late additions.

Thanks for the tip -- that is some very useful information. I'll give them a call and see if they can switch them out. Do you have a suggestion for a third hop variety? I'm focused on brewing mostly IPA's (and variations thereof) at this point, given that my wife and brewing partner is a serious hophead. Thanks!

 

[NTexBrewer]

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/l...416-981d-11e3-aa03-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm

Maybe with a little google fu you can get more information about what hop varieties they discussed at the workshop.

https://www.facebook.com/OldDominionHopsCoop

Also found this. May have some information about what has grown well in Virginia.

 

[sweetcell]

Do you have a suggestion for a third hop variety? I'm focused on brewing mostly IPA's (and variations thereof)

for IPAs you've got the two cornerstones, cascade and centennial. i'd go for columbus and/or chinook. my buddy's columbus here in MD is out of control, out-grows everything else he has.

if you want to take a flyer, you could consider "Super Alpha (NZ)." i haven't grown it nor tasted it, however its (potential) numbers look good. "high myrcene levels" is a good thing!

 

[dcHokie]

^ What sweetcell said.

Nugget also fares well in this climate, if you enjoy them as flavor/aroma hops.

 

[jskinner10]

I also have a friend who grows both Columbus and Nugget and they do very well for him. He's in the Shenandoah Valley.

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[sweetcell]

just saw that GLH has "Pacific Gem (NZ)". i'm interested...

my two biggest producers are cascade and newport. i'm only so-so on the aroma of newport, which is a shame because i get a sh*t-ton of it every year.

 

[VaBrewer]

These are my third year Chinook from last year. I consistently get large cones and the quantity has increased every year. These are grown in the Dulles corridor.


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[Stokes_]

Does anyone have any info on what types of hops grow best here in VA? Also when to plant and harvest and all else? I have some property now and would like to add hops to my gardening. Any info/advice is appreciated.

I'm out in Bridgewater and my first year hops did fantastic last year. I did Centennial, Columbus, Cascade, Nugget, Chinook, Magnum, and Zeus. Order your hops NOW!!!! I harvested last year around August, you wont get much your first year though because most of the nutrients are going towards establishing a root system. Let me know what you grow! Maybe we can trade!

Cheers,

-Shaun

 

[Stokes_]

I had some great looking first years rhizomes going last year in 25 gallon planters but I don't know if they survived the winter. Anyone have any advice as to whether I should dig around in there and find out or should I just wait?

Take them out of the planters. My hops are only a year old and their roots are thicker than a quarter and expand at least 7 feet out from the vine. They are a durable plant, and aggressive. Just fertilize and watch the watering, control the bugs and they will flourish.

 

[JClem73]

This will be my 3rd season growing hops in Suffolk VA (just west of Norfolk). I've only used containers so far but my 3rd years are going into ground this year. I started with 2 Cascade and 2 Nugget from Midwest supplies then added the same order the next year from Northwest Hops. They seemed to like the containers as long as I kept them well watered and dished out a little Miracle Grow once a week. The first year I was scared of overwatering and ended up underwatering with very little growth. I added the new rhizomes in year 2 in smaller containers and on the eastern side of my house (no other option). They almost grew as much as the ones that were a year older.

For me, cascades seemed to produce more than the nugget. Ended up with about 12 oz of cascade and 8 of nugget after drying last year. I put a ton of wet hops into an all-homegrown IPA in September but the bitterness just wasn't there. The flavor was nice but I'll use store bought for bittering from now on. Here are a couple of mid season pics from year 2.

 

[Woodbrews]

Love the trellis! Any details on the build you could share?

 

[sweetcell]

I put a ton of wet hops into an all-homegrown IPA in September but the bitterness just wasn't there. The flavor was nice but I'll use store bought for bittering from now on.

yup, you want to bitter with commercial hops for that reason (known AA%), and also because you don't want to boil fresh hops for 60 minutes. some folks might get upset that it isn't a 100% home-hopped beer - but i'd rather have a tasty 95% version

 

[JClem73]

The trellis was 'designed' by my mechanical engineer brother. He likes to have a solid base of support so we used were two 4"x4"x20's, 2"x4"s across the top and for support, & 240 pounds of quickcrete in the ground going about 4 feet down. Nothing fancy but 0% of it falling over into my house.

 

[Woodbrews]

I've only used containers so far but my 3rd years are going into ground this year. I started with 2 Cascade and 2 Nugget from Midwest supplies then added the same order the next year from Northwest Hops. They seemed to like the containers as long as I kept them well watered and dished out a little Miracle Grow once a week.

What made you decide to use containers for the first two years? Once they go into the ground, are you concerned about them becoming invasive?

And thanks for the description of the trellis - that is one substantial structure!

 

[JJennings1187]

How are everyone's bines looking?


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[MeanDeuce]

Spider mites have crushed my cascades. Probably going to cut them down soon to keep them from getting on my Chinook.

 

[Woodbrews]

My Cascades are going like gangbusters, but the leaves are yellowing toward the bottom of the bines. Could this be spider mites? MeanDeuce, can you share a picture of your infected bines? Thanks.

 

[MeanDeuce]

Here you go



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[hardrain]

Hi fellow VA-ers.

Is anyone else having Japanese beetle problems this year? I noticed some on some friend's plants last year but didn't have too much trouble of my own, however this year I'm getting a very large attack.

 

[frolfer]

Not in VA, but up in south central PA I'm having Japanese beetle problems as well. Started gathering them up in the morning and throwing into the chicken coop.

 

[JClem73]

Mine 2nd & 3rd year cascades and nuggets are enjoying being in the ground for the first time. I plan on picking the top half this weekend and the secondary growth in late August.

 

[Brewer dad]

Alright let’s work some necromancy.

I know a lot of the folks in this thread haven’t been seen in a while, but is there anyone with recent experience? There are a few varieties that are mentioned regularly throughout this thread, so I would say there is a decent baseline established.

However given passage of time I’m wondering if there are any updates, such as new/different varieties people were successful with. Or maybe some tips or techniques they have developed?

For me I would love to do some Saaz and Fuggles, but in the interest of actually getting a crop will likely go with Williamette and Cascade. I’m going to check with a couple different resources that I’ve found as well, and if I get anything will update here.

 

[bobeer]

Alright let’s work some necromancy.

I know a lot of the folks in this thread haven’t been seen in a while, but is there anyone with recent experience? There are a few varieties that are mentioned regularly throughout this thread, so I would say there is a decent baseline established.

However given passage of time I’m wondering if there are any updates, such as new/different varieties people were successful with. Or maybe some tips or techniques they have developed?

For me I would love to do some Saaz and Fuggles, but in the interest of actually getting a crop will likely go with Williamette and Cascade. I’m going to check with a couple different resources that I’ve found as well, and if I get anything will update here.

I have grown centennial and cascade with good success in NoVa. I had Nugget and Chinook but they didn't make it after moving so many times. The Chinook probably could have made it but I didn't transplant it from a pot in time for a big freeze one year and it never came back.
Not sure if saaz and fuggles would like the hot and humid summers we get in VA but it's always worth a shot.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I am in Northern Virginia. In spring of 2020 I planted 4 plants from Great Lakes Hops: Chinook, Triple Pearl, Goldings and Tahoma. The first year the Chinook did very well and I harvested around 8 oz of wet hops (enough to add just a hint of hop flavor to a Blonde). This year the Chinook did very well (I got about 2 lbs of wet hops). The Triple Pearl was about the same yield as the 1st year Chinook (but I did not get around to harvesting them before they dried out). The Goldings an Tahoma are both in various states of "still alive" but not close to being productive.

One thing I have noticed is that right around the time in the fall to harvest, it tends to rain consistently. I suspect that is one of the big reasons that Virginia is not a great place to grow hops.

An issue I had in 2021 was that my plants put out shoots very early with a mild early spring. I think they then matured too early and I had a mix of cones that were dried out, just perfect, and still a bit young. Next year I will likely cut back all the early bines from the Chinook and Triple Pearl.

 

[Brewer dad]

@CascadesBrewer those are some good points. I’m a little outside NOVA and for us we can start warming up in March and seem with frosts, then maybe get one or two right around Mother’s Day. Did that in 2020 and really hurt the orchards and wineries. Great Lakes hops looks like they have a couple varieties that emerge a little later like Williamette.

 

[Brewer dad]

Unfortunately didn’t find much that wasn’t already covered here. Went with Nugget, Williamette, and Crystal. Great Lakes Hops has an interactive map on their website and you can look up hop farms that have registered on there and what they are growing. Lots of stuff that’s been brought up here already, some locations don’t seem to be in business. I did focus on the west side though.

Wanted to keep it fairly safe so I picked two that I thought were safe bets and then did Crystal as an experiment. There are a couple of places here on the west side growing it apparently, and I like the sounds of it. Triple Perle was one I saw too so depending on how this year goes well see.

Got the email saying my stuff has shipped so will be seeing them this week!