Hop taste and aroma

[kramerica]

I have a cascade plant that is 4years old. I brewed a pale ale hopped entirely with the cascade hops that I grew. Is there a length of time before the plants begin to produce quality hops with the flavor and taste expected out of cascade. My pale ale tasted dank and there was no citrus or flavor associated with cascade. I picked them in the fall and vacuum sealed, and froze them. I used around 5 ounces for the pale ale.


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[DoctorFermento]

My first year Cascade hops last year were also not as potent as I was hoping. I think this is typical for first year hops, not for fourth year hops. I also know that if you pick the hops too early it doesn't give the aroma and flavor components enough time to develop. The hops should be starting to turn brown at the tips and have considerable lupulin.

 

[day_trippr]

My Cascades produced unmistakably "Cascade-y" hops their first year, Chinook were "Chinook-y" and the Centennial were "Centennial-y". Aside from one of the most cushie hop beds ever constructed and a regulated drip system the rest was all done by the sun and plant genes.

Certainly by the second year a plant should be showing its character. If not there's gotta be something wrong somewhere...

Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

You picked them at peak ripeness, dried them, then vacuum sealed them and froze them?

I wonder about the ripeness when picked, if they were over- or under- and maybe not at the right time?