2012 Hop Plantations

[Yob]

I am not sure if there are different species of chlorophyll; I just thought it made plants green and drying was to remove water and stuff.

Im no botainst and you are right about it making plants green, it does however have a 'taste' I used to grow some somewhat related cultivars years ago and Fresh produce always tasted like lawn clippings, 3 days in a box and it was sweet nectar.. It was my understanding that it's chlorophyll's job is to turn sunlight into energy for the plant, in the absence of sunlight it quickly disperses. Hay I might be wrong.. they were pretty hazy days and it's going back a ways

It seems to fit that wet hop brews are done extremely fresh as that chlorophyll hasnt started to break down yet.. Theory only and unsubstantiated by any facts what-so-ever.

 

[Yob]

Tea leaves contain no lupulin but do release all sort of flavours due to steeping in hot water.

I agree. However do they freeze them wet or dry them?

 

[kalbarluke]

My hop plants were smashed by the wind. It was like they were "burnt". Only got about two dozen flowers from the hallertaur and nothing from the cascade. The goldings grew the tallest but every time a flower grew, it shrivelled up and died before it could mature.
Spewin'.

 

[hoppy2B]

I agree. However do they freeze them wet or dry them?

Shirley you know the answer to that. :lol:

 

[Malted]

Shirley you know the answer to that. :lol:

Your previous post almost made some sense and almost made me think, maybe I am on the wrong thought train. Yob gave you the opportunity to expand upon your statement by pointing out an aspect that you had not mentioned. I am ashamed that I almost took something you said seriously. I shall endevour to take what you say with a grain of salt.

 

[hoppy2B]

I am ashamed

:lol:

 

[jlm]

I picked up a pretty sad rhizome from the brew shop in Hobart late last year, supposedly Columbus (of which I'm very dubious, I can't remember seeing any aus grown Columbus here, and really, if they're going to be shown off anywhere, it would be here. My initial guess is Cascade). Took a long time to fire and didn't grow much past 2 metres but for its first season and the state it was in I'm happy:

And 200g wetish......actually seem quite dry.....in the bowl.

Smells a little citrus-y with some melon but australian in a stella sort of way. Will be interested to see what it tastes like.

 

[cpsmusic]

Hi Guys,

I'm a first-time hop grower. I'm a bit unsure about whether my Goldings flowers are ready to pick. I've picked a few and they seem ok although they're not as aromatic as I thought they'd be. Here are a few pictures. Are these ready or should I leave them a bit longer? I've also included a picture of the plant.

 

[hoppy2B]

They don't look too bad cps. I repacked some of last year's Golding into a jar recently and it had a lot more aroma than I thought it had previously. It was quite nice and sweet.

 

[cpsmusic]

Hi Guys,

Here's a picture of my 2012 Goldings crop in the dryer that I put together.

Thanks for the help in getting to this stage.

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

Hi guys, i was in Qeensland and the hops dried out on the bine, when i rub them they still smell cracking, any issues anyone has experienced with hops this browned?

Cheers

BDB

 

[Yob]

if they staill have the lupulin in them, they should still give off something, you just may need to use a bit more than you otherwise would have.

I dont believe the browning = nasty ****, just they open and drop the good stuff.

I would think that if they still smell good then they are still OK to use.

Thoughts only, backed by no experience other than letting a few go all the way last year and observing the change in them.

Cheers

 

[Florian]

Was meant to post this last week, Beerdrinkingbob reminded me.

I harvested some Hersbrucker a few weeks back when i thought they were ready. They smelled alright.

I left a whole heap on the bine as they were to high and i couldn't be bothered getting out the ladder.

Anyway, they turned completely brown and dry, much more than in Bob's picture. I picked them and they fell apart while picking, always had to have a container right underneath to catch all the bits that fell off.

Now the catch, though:

Those hops smelled absolutely freakin fantastic, absolutely no comparison with the once i picked previously.
I froze them 'wet' (well, sort of dried already) and will use them in my next pilsner at flameout.

This has now encouraged me to leave all hops on the bine until they look like that. I've got 7 varieties on the go, but not much yield on either of them, so not much to loose.

I reckon I might be onto a winner here, will soon find out.

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

Was meant to post this last week, Beerdrinkingbob reminded me.

I harvested some Hersbrucker a few weeks back when i thought they were ready. They smelled alright.

I left a whole heap on the bine as they were to high and i couldn't be bothered getting out the ladder.

Anyway, they turned completely brown and dry, much more than in Bob's picture. I picked them and they fell apart while picking, always had to have a container right underneath to catch all the bits that fell off.

Now the catch, though:

Those hops smelled absolutely freakin fantastic, absolutely no comparison with the once i picked previously.
I froze them 'wet' (well, sort of dried already) and will use them in my next pilsner at flameout.

This has now encouraged me to leave all hops on the bine until they look like that. I've got 7 varieties on the go, but not much yield on either of them, so not much to loose.

I reckon I might be onto a winner here, will soon find out.

Funny you say that, i had about 40 grams like that to, I wasn't sure what to do so i put a handful in a glass and poored an IPA :icon_drool2: and another etc etc the rest i chucked but most were saved..

 

[Florian]

Yep, I reckon for the fruitier hops I'll just use then dry as dry hops, doesn't usually work as well with a pils but I might as well try it tonight in a glass. Can't see much grassiness coming from that brown stuff.

 

[Logman]

After reading the thread I was letting my hops die off before pruning, but they've started growing again :huh: . One plant is all dead vines with a completely new shoot rising from the soil - the other plant has a heap of new shoots coming off the vines near the base - what's my play here?

 

[sp0rk]

Just chucked my 2 Chinook rhizomes (thanks Dr Smurto) into 25cm temporary pots for winter, I'll transfer them into some "pots" i've made out of a 200 litre plastic drum cut in half around july/august
I know this wait is going to kill me...

 

[hoppy2B]

Just chucked my 2 Chinook rhizomes (thanks Dr Smurto) into 25cm temporary pots for winter, I'll transfer them into some "pots" i've made out of a 200 litre plastic drum cut in half around july/august
I know this wait is going to kill me...

Before you know it will be time to put up a trellis.

 

[Darkman]

I picked up a pretty sad rhizome from the brew shop in Hobart late last year, supposedly Columbus (of which I'm very dubious, I can't remember seeing any aus grown Columbus here, and really, if they're going to be shown off anywhere, it would be here. My initial guess is Cascade). Took a long time to fire and didn't grow much past 2 metres but for its first season and the state it was in I'm happy:

Hop Bine.jpg
And 200g wetish......actually seem quite dry.....in the bowl.

Hop Bowl.jpg
Smells a little citrus-y with some melon but australian in a stella sort of way. Will be interested to see what it tastes like.

I have Columbus and Cascade growing here in Victoria and I would say your hops look similar to the a columbus cone structure. Columbus cone are tightly packed and look like a pine cone. The Cascade cones are longer and not as dense. Columbus also has a strong pungent smell simillar to it's related herb.

 

[TNT650R]

Hey Guys!
I have a question for you(it could looks stupid..but I come from the other part of the world ;-) )when will the harvest season begin here?and when is the right moment for the rhizomes?
In Italy I've 3 hops: styrian, fuggle and perle this is the 4th year,unfortunatlyI can't use my hops :'( this time
but last year the result was good expecially for the fuggle it had an amazing flavour!
we cut rhizomes in March/April and the harvest season is from july/august depends from the weather...