Who has found wild hops?

[suhornet84]

If so where? How common is it to find something like that? Is there any hope for me in the MD/VA/WV area?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I wouldn't waste your time looking for them. You'll never be able to figure out what kind of hop it is, and who knows if it'll work out in your brewing.

 

[Grimtas]

I found some up in Phantom Canyon, CO. No where near your area. I picked around 4-8 oz and just used them as arouma hops in my "Wild" ESB. The batch came out surpurb, too bad I only have 1 bottle left out of a 10Gal batch.

 

[BrokenBrew]

I found a motherlode along a running trail I frequent. I brewed a Wet 'n Wild SMaSh'd Blonde. Trying the first one tonight. We'll see how it turns out.

I will say, though, that the hassle of picking enough for a batch wasn't worth it. I can buy an ounce from Hops Direct for about a buck, and I know what they are, the AA's, etc. I probably spent more on the gas to get to where these wild hops were.

But - it was fun once.

 

[the_bird]

There's a fair amount that grow around here. One of my wife's friends lives on a dairy farm in upstate NY, they have a lot that grow wild around there but I've never picked them because it's still a couple hours away (and we haven't tended to visit during harvesting season). I do want to pick some at some point, though, since I suspect these may be decendant from some of the earliest hops that were planted by German immigrants oh, 150 years ago or so.

Another (local) friend and colleague has hops that grow on her farm and around her neighbor's place. Haven't been able to get there to pick them in time before they were all brown and oxidized, though.

 

[david_42]

Oregon has been a hop growing region almost since it was settled, so there are feral hops all over. Most of the time mixed in with blackberry bramble. Given the choice, I pick the blackberries.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

I found some wild hops here on the side of the road near an old farmhouse.

 

[BrokenBrew]

So I'm sitting here drinking my first taste of my Wet 'n Wild SMaSH'd Blonde. I have to say I'm thrilled. It turned out much better than I expected. Definite hop presence, decent body, really just plain good. I just love it when a beer exceeds my expectations!

Here's the recipe:

8 lbs American Two-Row

5 oz Wet Wild hops - 60 min.
5 oz Wet Wild hops - 30 min.
5 oz Wet Wild hops - 5 min.

WLP001 - Calif Ale Yeast.

Mash at 149 for 30 minutes.
Drain out 1 gallon after 30 minutes, boil for 5 min and put back in MLT. Remaining mash at 154 for 30 minutes. Batch sparge.

Ferment three weeks at 65 degrees.

IBU: Who the hell knows! Maybe 24?
SRM: 3
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.008
Yeast: WLP001 cake from previous batch

 

[suhornet84]

Thats awesome! Any comments on what hop variety it reminds you of?

 

[BrokenBrew]

Don't know that my palate is quite sophisticated yet to be able to tell what hop it is close to. I just know that it's not overpowering like a magnum or Chinook. I guess it's a little citrusy like a cascade, but I honestly can't tell.

I was thinking of taking a bottle over to the LHBS and see what they say.

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

There's a cascade plant growing near the birds at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

 

[menschmaschine]

To the OP...

I'm on Delmarva (specifically, southern coastal Delaware) and I haven't ever seen any... and I've been keeping my eye out, although not on an all-out search. When I lived in southeastern PA, I saw some at a county park, but that was before I brewed.

If I ever stumble across some here, as long as they smelled like good hops, I would brew with them.

 

[Bob]

I've got a ton growing wild all around my house. I had thought about planting rhizomes, but screw it! They came to me. All I have to to is get them up off the ground and figure out an organic anti-mold treatment. Next year, I'm building me a trellis.

No, I haven't used them; since they're basically on the ground, the flowers are tiny if they're there at all. I'm going to tame them and see what I can get.

Bob

Edited to add: I'm about an hour's drive north of Philadelphia and can see the Delaware River right now from my home office.

 

[Grinder12000]

We have a lot of wild hops IN Madison WI and the area - normally around train tracks and bridges.

 

[suhornet84]

To the OP...

If I ever stumble across some here, as long as they smelled like good hops, I would brew with them.

Me too.

I've got a ton growing wild all around my house. I had thought about planting rhizomes, but screw it! They came to me. All I have to to is get them up off the ground and figure out an organic anti-mold treatment. Next year, I'm building me a trellis.

Lucky.