I am not yet growing hops, but here in queensland we always have very intense sun (apart from this summer). Up here no-one can grow anything without shadecloth over summer (plants in general just die). 25% shadecloth is most common, 50% may be more suited to down south (only used on these 40+ days). I would put it up if you expect intense sunlight and take it down when the sunspots die down.
I relation to bringing plants back to life - years ago, I grew a relative of the hops family (hydroponically), and was able to manipulate the growth - by adding specific fertilisers and 'superthrive' (plant hormone), and changing the light, and adjusting the length that the light was on for.
After the initial crop, I cut back the plant to almost bare, (basically what a lot of you guys have after the heat wave), then I would give it high nitrogen fertilisers (hydroponic grow) mixed with superthrive, and it would spring back into life like crazy. When enough growth had grown, I would replace the fertilisers with hydroponic bloom mixed with superthrive (admitedly in conjunction with changing the light to a bloom light (more red) and reducing the length of the time the light was on for) and it grew flowers like crazy!
Using this method I grew chillies that burnt my ears! no joke!
I would reccommend to anyone that wants to try to revive a seemingly dead hops plant to go to a hydroponic store and get a small bottle of 'superthrive' (about $12 for 100ml), mix it as per the label with a high nitrogen liquid or crystal fertiliser (hydroponic fertilisers do work great in soil (thats what the chillies were grown in)). Water twice daily, and even spray the leaves with the solution, and in 1 to 2 weeks, I can almost guarantee they will come back to life. That superthrive is mad!
The secret ingredient is "superthrive". (It is a foul smelling brown liquid that is very expensive).
