New 100 Rhizome hop farm

[basementbrewbrad]

They look really healthy. Are first year hops really good enough to brew with?

Yes they are great to brew with!

 

[Sheldon]

so when is the picking party? We are just up the road in Woodbridge.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

We have been picking them a little bit at a time. I will be there brewing and picking Sunday if you are interested message me and I'll send you the address.

 

[Sheldon]

I am interested in seeing what you are doing. I do not know what life holds for me by Sunday, but if you can send me you addess, I will keep it confident. If I am able to make it, I will be sure to bring a couple samples of my brews. What time would be good?

Sheldon

 

[captainkirk83]

How did the first year's harvest turn out. What are the plans for 2014?

 

[basementbrewbrad]

We had about 25 pounds dried. I sold a bit and have been keeping a lot to use this year. Plan on trying to distribute to local breweries this year. I have high hopes for this years harvest. Hoping for 150 pounds dried

 

[GVH_Dan]

So roughly 1/4 lb per plant? Maybe a bit more if all 100 didn't pop? To be honest, that's not bad at all. We push our growers to get between 1/6 and 1/4 lb per plant their first year. Some don't even make the 1/6th lb. Congrats.

 

[drumuglyknuckles]

Anyone know where I can get rhizozomes in Europe? And which are best for cold climate? Living in Finland

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[basementbrewbrad]

Dan I was very happy with the results for first year plants. There were 90 plants that popped out of the 96 planted... 4 were given away out of the original 100 due to redesign of the trellis. The hops are planted in an area that had 30 year old compost pile and prior to that was a hog pen. Plenty of gorgeous black soil. I'll replant in the spots where plants didn't make it, add peat moss to the soil, and trim around the roots come march.

 

[Helly]

Awesome job. Thanks for sharing. I hope you'll share some pics this summer. I bet things will really take off second year.


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[basementbrewbrad]

Thank you. I hope they turn out well. I am going to add builders sand(coarse sand) among other things to improve drainage. A local brewery has the rights to the harvest for next year. Will possibly be looking at expansion in the next couple of years.


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[hardrain]

Great thread, looking forward to seeing year 2!

How did the brewery contract go? Did you get a lot of interest from smaller brew pubs? I'm curious what kind of prices VA growers are paying for local hops, and if they plan to use them wet or dry.

Cheers!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

I sold them all this year at 13$ a pound dried. Next year the price for the higher alpha hops will be more. I have had quite a bit of interest from heritage brewing in Manassas, bad wolf (also in Manassas), forge brew works, kettles and grains in leesburg. Sold to a brewery that is yet to open near stafford. I will be going to the brewery once a year when they make a limited release batch solely with my hops to help them come up with the recipe as well as brew the beer. They also want to have a meet the grower night with my dad and I.

With all the interest from the other breweries it is tempting to expand the operation in the next couple years.


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[LowNotes]

I sold them all this year at 13$ a pound dried. Next year the price for the higher alpha hops will be more. I have had quite a bit of interest from heritage brewing in Manassas, bad wolf (also in Manassas), forge brew works, kettles and grains in leesburg. Sold to a brewery that is yet to open near stafford. I will be going to the brewery once a year when they make a limited release batch solely with my hops to help them come up with the recipe as well as brew the beer. They also want to have a meet the grower night with my dad and I.

With all the interest from the other breweries it is tempting to expand the operation in the next couple years.


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This is great, congratulations! Good luck on the 2nd year haul, it is nice to see all the hard work you put in early start to payoff, and I am sure it will only get better from here. Looking forward to some Stafford Co. brew, once it is open and you are providing I'll definitely have to check it out and enjoy the local flavor.

 

[Shane5151]

That's great!


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[HALIFAXHOPS]

Congrats, takes a while to get it done!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Coming up strong. Need to add some builders sand in a few spots for drainage as well as bring in some cow manure. Hoping for big things this year


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[basementbrewbrad]

Took a few pix of them popping up the other day while installing an extra rope on each plant so we can have twice as many bines this year


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[Snowden]

Very cool! Loved looking at all the pictures from 2013, and very jealous of your nice sunny weather and vigorously growing plants...we just got another 2" of snow up here in Ohio.

Really cool that local breweries are jumping to secure your product!

I am looking forward to seeing how the plants do this year.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Thank you!

The weather is not very good today with freezing rain and sleet. Hopefully they make it through tonight without any problems


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[Snowden]

Poor weather take a toll on any of the plants? Seems like the temperature has finally broken for good here.


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[dmunkey]

Great thread and congrats on your first year success. Having all your harvest pre-promised to a brewery must feel extremely rewarding.

I know you guys dont have the worse of weather down there, but it was a pretty rough winter this year. From what you can tell so far, have you experienced any loss from the winter?

My family is putting in nearly 1 acre, 900 plants, this year in Western NY, we're gluttons for punishment!

 

[Snowden]

What varieties are you planting, dmunkey?


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[basementbrewbrad]

900 is a lot of work, we will grow our operation soon. The only thing we will need to look into is harvesting. Much over he's we have is entirely too much hand work


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[dmunkey]

What varieties are you planting, dmunkey?


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We'll be doing 4 varieties, Centennial, Chinook, Magnum, Mt. Hood.

 

[Snowden]

How are the plants looking? Weather all these storms ok?


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[ubnserved]

I saw that you got 1/4 lb from your plants last year (first). Does anyone know what expect harvest would be from 2nd, 3rd etc and what year harvest would plateau with the same 96 plants? I understand that you would eventually dig up rhizomes ad replant them and expand hop farm. Just curious as to how much production you can get out of mature plants. Basically a return on investment.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

From everything I gather it should be between 1 and 2 lbs by the 3rd year depending on variety.


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[VegasJ]

Awesome 1st year. Good luck this year!

Since we're (hopefully) closing on a house this month that sits on 1/4 acre I just ordered up some Rhizomes to get going... Might be a little late to the planting party once we're moved & I get some sort of growing setup in... but I will be looking forward to next year. Nothing quite this large but enough for me.

Hell of a setup!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Today


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