2010 Hop Plantations

[grimpanda]

Just did a quick harvest to play around with drying.

Picked 200g wet from my first year Hallertau - was rather choosy and only went for the driest cones, so there would be at least 3 times this amount left still to ripen - some were also starting to brown (though I suspect this might be sun/wind burn - it's been windy as hell in Melbourne lately).

Does anyone have experience using a food dehydrator to dry hops? I a few guys in the US seem to use them - i've got access to one that can be adjusted down as low as 35C.

Gabe

 

[jimi]

400g of Mt Hood dried down to 75g and 300g of chinook dried down to 59g. Vacc sealed and the shrink down again to something about the size of a fist. But man they smelled promising

 

[goatus]

Ive just been overseas for 2 weeks and left some hop cones drying in a dry dark place.. they are as dry as dry can be. Will they be alright, or will they be staled? How long is everyone drying for if just air drying?

 

[Malted]

Ive just been overseas for 2 weeks and left some hop cones drying in a dry dark place.. they are as dry as dry can be. Will they be alright, or will they be staled? How long is everyone drying for if just air drying?

I'd reckon they will be fine, just a little too dry perhaps but still usable. Not stale, just over dry.
Hops are given a Hop Stability Index, which has been pointed out to me is the amount of Alpha Acids they will lose over six months if left uncovered at room temperature. Depending upon variety it could be as low as 12% or higher than 50% lost in six months. A couple of weeks isn't going to make them loose much alpha acids.

If you're still not sure, bag them up and send them to me for 'disposal'

 

[geoffi]

My hops is getting close to harvest time. This year I have four varieties planted: POR, Goldings, Columbus and Tettnanger. They are producing in that order, with the POR loaded with cones; the Goldings might have enough for a brew or two; Columbus has just a handful, but they look great; Tettnanger only a couple of scrawny cones.

One interesting thing I find is the difference in size and shape of the cones between the varieties. Compared to the Goldings and Columbus, POR is much more slender.

Example 1: POR and Columbus

Example 2: POR and Goldings

 

[Sydneybrewer]

dam i am so jealous my 1st yr chinook only ever grew to 1m high and produced no flowers, have to look at a location change next season and hope i get some results :unsure:

 

[geoffi]

dam i am so jealous my 1st yr chinook only ever grew to 1m high and produced no flowers, have to look at a location change next season and hope i get some results :unsure:

I've heard the first year is usually not too productive. I had a bumper crop of POR first year, and have had moderate to almost nil with the other varieties. I did pay my POR a lot of attention last year, with plenty of food and water. This year I was overseas all of January, so everything had to fend for itself pretty much. Maybe that made some difference.

 

[Golani51]

dam i am so jealous my 1st yr chinook only ever grew to 1m high and produced no flowers, have to look at a location change next season and hope i get some results :unsure:

My Chinook is in the ground, whilst the others (columbus, POR) are potted. The POR started off well but seems to have stopped and died somewhat (same with the Columbus). The chinook started off slow, however since New Years has grown around 5m. Still only tiny, what I think are, hops but nothing real yet. It has sprouted out several small shoots in the last couple days. I don't know if Ill get anything out of it (They were planted late) but it has been interesting nevertheless.

R

 

[Leigh]

Just completed my first harvest. Wet weights are 24g por, 7g chinook and 46g cluster.

 

[thylacine]

..."Just completed my first harvest. Wet weights are 24g por, 7g chinook and 46g cluster."...

My second year harvest finished two weeks ago. Twenty-one bags in the freezer. 75g per bag. Dried first. POR, Chinook, Tettnang and Elsasser. Latter didn't flower.
Hops all in ground, year round. Face north and on drip system. Healthy rhizomes obtained from "Gilbrew" 2009. (Elsasser not from Gilbrew)

 

[geoffi]

I've just harvested my Goldings (about 100g wet), Columbus (a few handfuls), and about 1/3 of my POR (good crop, maybe 1.5kg wet.)

The POR and Goldings smell nice and hoppy, as expected.

But the Columbus...wow. It really hits you. I'm looking forward to next year when this one hopefully starts producing a decent crop.

 

[waggastew]

First year harvest was 485g wet (~100g dry) of Chinook/Cascade/Goldings/Mt Hood/Saaz in an unknown ratio (don't plant hop rhizomes too close together!). Used most of the hops in a Harvest Ale

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry748998

I have my hops on a 'flag pole' system so I could lower them to harvest and then raise them again. I plan to leave the bines for another month or two and then will give them the chop and move the rhizomes to more distant mounds!

 

[proudscum]

First year harvest was 485g wet (~100g dry) of Chinook/Cascade/Goldings/Mt Hood/Saaz in an unknown ratio (don't plant hop rhizomes too close together!). Used most of the hops in a Harvest Ale

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry748998

I have my hops on a 'flag pole' system so I could lower them to harvest and then raise them again. I plan to leave the bines for another month or two and then will give them the chop and move the rhizomes to more distant mounds!

I would be tempted to just let them die off naturally so they can spend the next few months storing up energy for the winter months.Over winter i would prepare your new hop garden with a lot of organic matter and mulch and then move then next spring when they start to appear so you dont run the risk of killing them off ...but that is my thoughts and how i am going to move the plants that i have in the ground at the moment.

 

[waggastew]

Yeah, that probably sounds like a better plan. That way they are either happily dormant in the current spot or actively growing in the new spot. Will go with that.

 

[Blue Dawg]

I had a sample of my harvest brew tonight, pale, vienna and carapils with 100grms POR early and 200grms Cascade late, Deelux, with a hop punch.

My first year growing hops, I have harvested dry 900grms cascade from 2 plants and 500grms POR from 1 plant, happy camper/brewer.

Golden Ale Homie next up..

 

[fergi]

i wonder if anyone in south australia has any rhizomes for sale,i would like to try growing some hop plants, i live 30 klm,s north of gawler, can pick them up and pay whatever the going price is.
cheers fergi

 

[adryargument]

Check at the end of winter, bit early at the moment.

i wonder if anyone in south australia has any rhizomes for sale,i would like to try growing some hop plants, i live 30 klm,s north of gawler, can pick them up and pay whatever the going price is.
cheers fergi

 

[jonocarroll]

cascade, still got about that much left on the plant too

Oh yeah? Check this out... First year Cluster grown in a pot


All of 16.5g wet. Dried on some old chicken wire in the shed.



Got it down to 3.5g dry.



Packed and frozen.



Ha! Top that! ... Beat you by miles.... And I've got even less on the PoR yet to harvest... wait, the point IS to get the smallest possible weight, right? Golf style? .... ah ****.

I was seriously considering doing a 1L 10-min IPA on the stove if I got the 10g I would need.... WTF am I meant to do with this now?

 

[jyo]

I kick your arse by about 10 gms, mate. :icon_cheers:

 

[NickB]

Finally got to the old house last Friday and harvested my crop.

No pics, but ended up with 8g POR dried, and 47g Chinook Dried (first harvest netted 12g dried). Have just about enough for a late addition in an APA now

Oh well, next year they will really get going I reckon

Cheers