2006 Hop Plantations

[Lukes]

Fellow growers,
I picked my Tettnanger hops over the weekend.
Planning to pick these cluster hops next weekend.

Looks like I'm up for a home made hop back too or a vacum sealer.
:super:

 

[crells]

I know this might of been covered, but how do you tell that they are ready to pick ?

 

[T.D.]

How long (ballpark) is it usually between the point where you get flowers and when they are ready to pick? The reason I ask is because my hop plants are up at my parents' place in the country and I haven't been up there in a few weeks, but there were some flowers on there when I saw them last. Don't know if I should make a special effort to get up there this weekend or not...

 

[mikem108]

Do you home-growers find that the hops have the requisite or expected ammount of aroma? Mine seem to be lacking some of the "spice" that comes off store bought hops. Maybe they were picked too early. Any advice on judging ripeness?

 

[crells]

I know with mine that a few weeks ago if I picked off a cone and rubbed it in my hands and smelt it, it had a grassy smell to it.

Did the same thing about a week ago, and it had the hop smell but still with that grassy smell in the background.

This morning I just pressed one of the cones with my fingers and could smell the hop smell on my fingers.

I think mine are pretty much ready to pick, but I'm still a bit unsure. Will continue to wait a see what happens.

 

[Lukes]

Growers,
I picked mine last year a little late as most of the leaves (and some flowers) had turned yellow.
as per this link in Johnno's post I'm picking them when they go sort of paper like if that makes sense.

BTW this is the 3rd year in the same spot with no shortage of nutients and first year the actual hop cones were half the size on a 1/10th size plant.

Luke

 

[floppinab]

If anyone in Sydney could supply me some Rhizome's after you cut back this year drop me a PM. Might not bother with tamata's next year

 

[big d]

Once again an awesome looking plant Johnno.So how have the beers come out that you guys have brewed using various home grown hops?

Cheers
Big D

 

[domonsura]

JEALOUS.........


buggers...wish i had a patch of dirt to put some in......

 

[Yeasty]

Ive got the dirt but no rhizomes

 

[johnno]

Once again an awesome looking plant Johnno.So how have the beers come out that you guys have brewed using various home grown hops?

Cheers
Big D

Will not be as good as last years crop bigd. Unfortunately the flowers are not going through a decent growth spurt as they did this time last year.
The cones look like they will remain quite small. Also I did not have time to prop it up properly due to shifting so it is falling down all over the place.

As long as it establishes itself this season, I think the next season will be a big one for it.

Also have a pretty well established EKG in a large pot that will get planted in the ground come spring time.

As far as using them, I have been pleasantly suprised with using POR which has had a bit of a dubious reputation in brewing circles.

I also used them for bittering with cascade in a beer last year that placed in the Vicbrew comp. so they must be ok. nah...probably just a fluke.

cheers
johnno

 

[haro]

As far as using them, I have been pleasantly suprised with using POR which has had a bit of a dubious reputation in brewing circles.

I with you johnno i dont mind POR. I use them to get the bitterness into my beer without compromising to many of the other hop flavours. I buy the Fresh POR Plus which has a Alpha acid content of 15% only put 5grams@30mins and i get the bitterness with the yummy hop flavor that i want.
cheers

HaRo

 

[Keifer]

buggers...wish i had a patch of dirt to put some in......

Nowhere to put a pot? Balcony or something?

 

[Chris]

My Mt Hood and Wuerttemberger, both of which at one point nearly died. Have responded extremely well to tough love by having their pots moved to a far corner of the garden and forgotten about.
We worked out they were getting too much wind where they were.

Also had a dozen mt hood cuttings to trade, but they all died from the hot wind.

Perrenial - there will be a next year (and they better perform or its the compost heap)

 

[Screwtop]

Left the last of my Wertemberger crop till the flowers dried and became papery, harvested them today. Had not been able to find much information on this Noble Hop, nothing re use for brewing. The aroma of the freshly picked flowers today was somewhat similar to Nelson Sauvin, very nice. Totally different to the ones picked three weeks ago, picked them before the flowers became papery. They had a slightly green hoppy aroma, if that makes sense. Should have left them longer. Anyone else noticed the aroma of the Wertemberger. Keen to use them now, put a handfull into an ale a few weeks back at 30 min, waiting for it to go on tap now to see what effect they had.

 

[johnno]

Had to harvest yesterday due to some disease that was drying up the hops on the bine before they were ready. ( I blame the air in Werribee).

The harvest this year is a shadow of the harvest last year. Small, underdeveloped cones that are a light greenish/brownish colour.

The lupulin smell is not as prominent this year either, probably due to the fact that they were not mature and picked before they were ready.

Got about 1100gms wet.

I will still brew with them and will make an Aussie ale today using the FWH method. (time permitting)

If anyone wold like to try some homegrown POR and are willing to pick up let me know.

cheers
johnno

 

[crells]

Harvested my 1st year 2 POR & 1 wurtemberger last week - 1400gm wet (mainly POR).

My question is when you store them in the freezer can you squash the crap out of the hops ?

I ask because SWMBO has a vacuum sealer which would squash the cone until its paper thin. Is thin bad or does it not matter ?

 

[Steve]

Harvested my 1st year 2 POR & 1 wurtemberger last week - 1400gm wet (mainly POR).

My question is when you store them in the freezer can you squash the crap out of the hops ?

I ask because SWMBO has a vacuum sealer which would squash the cone until its paper thin. Is thin bad or does it not matter ?

squash as much air out as possible

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

Just posting a few Pics of my 2nd crop in the 1st year of planting this chinook. The cones seem to be more compact and symmetrical than the first crop. Canabaceae suggested it may have been due to seeds forming in the first crop due to the male Mt Hood that ended up flowering next to it.

Interestingly, this plant is still putting out even more new hop buds.

1st Crop Hops (Left) Harvested Mid January. 2nd Crop Hops (Right) Not harvested yet.



Part of 2nd Crop (Left) and a new cohort of buds appearing (3rd Crop???)



ATOMT

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

My plants are still kicking along, but in small pots until they die back and then transplanting.

Not expecting any...bit late now anyway

But, what is this I'm seeing near the base of my Goldings? :huh:



I know it's not hops, but why on earth would it start shooting new branches as the weather is rapidly cooling down?!?! Plus, it doesn't look like when it shot others off...looks more like a Nectarine tree budding...wierd stuff

PZ.