2016 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Mardoo]

Personally, next week will be very busy and I dont want to miss them, I'll be slow drying and I'd say 50/50 were ready now and the rest will be fine over the drying period.. I'd rather pick a little early than a little late

Agreed. You don't want to pick late. I have and you won't like the results.

 

[Hpal]

This is a fresh one just for a dissection photo. I have been waiting till they no longer feel wet before picking when they just start to have a bit of crunch when squeezed and feel a bit drier and papery.

 

[kunfaced]

looks like it was still too early on that one

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Tested out our picking/work platform yesterday and very happy with it. It sill needs a floor and hand rail all around. I'll run center wires down each row next year and string the hops into a V shape and we'll cut the platform width in half once the wire works are complete.

 

[Hpal]

looks like it was still too early on that one

"This is a fresh one just for a dissection photo"

 

[Phoney]

Kinda hard to tell but this is the top of a hessian bag. With Cascade and Chinook. I have two plants of each, and the vines grew and inter-mingled such that it is now almost impossible to tell them apart. Oh well, it's not a bad combo to use in an APA.

Just finished drying, 300g.

 

[WayneCP86]

Im getting excited and I dont even have a crop growing... I think all Im seeing is the potential rhizomes!!

 

[MFleck]

I believe these are Chinook, but if anyone is in the West of Melbourne and wants them - welcome to them as I don't brew anymore. They've gone crazy! Not sure if ready

 

[BottloBill]

I believe these are Chinook, but if anyone is in the West of Melbourne and wants them - welcome to them as I don't brew anymore. They've gone crazy! Not sure if ready

Someone who is looking to grow should jump on this offer and return when the rhizomes are dormant and have a dig fest

 

[LiquidGold]

I believe these are Chinook, but if anyone is in the West of Melbourne and wants them - welcome to them as I don't brew anymore. They've gone crazy! Not sure if ready

Looking pretty wild there! Is that Mugwort in the middle by any chance? I've got a small plant in a pot which needs potting up and was told if I put it in the ground I'd never get rid of it.

Back on topic - Is it possible for plants that didn't get enough water to simply not bother flowering? My drip system wasn't quite delivering what I thought it was and I fear I may have ruined this season although I got a small early crop from one of my cascades.

 

[Yob]

Yes indeed.. They need the water man, I also had irrigation issues and my Victoria and Cascade didn't flower..

 

[MFleck]

Looking pretty wild there! Is that Mugwort in the middle by any chance? I've got a small plant in a pot which needs potting up and was told if I put it in the ground I'd never get rid of it.

Yes, its a Artemisia of some description - Read that they were awesome for companion planting/natural pest control. Has indeed grown large. Whole garden is supposed to be herby/edible. Seems the hops like it too.

Also no pesticides/ herbicides etc were used. Chook, horse & sheep poo were tho.

 

[LiquidGold]

Yes indeed.. They need the water man, I also had irrigation issues and my Victoria and Cascade didn't flower..

Ah nasty. Thanks for the heads up, I've found that gravity fed can lead to inconsistencies pretty easily although I might still uprade my water storage barrel to an IBC to get more pressure and longer lasting volume. Since I've expanded the dirt vege patch there are way too many drippers on the one circuit also doing the hops and I simply wasn't checking the drippers and barrel often enough.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Yes indeed.. They need the water man, I also had irrigation issues and my Victoria and Cascade didn't flower..

I will have some extra dried YOB once harvest is complete. If you want wet, once my commitment of 40kgs is done, you're welcome to pick.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Brew day yesterday at Kooinda Boutique Brewery with my hops. Hops were dried and packaged the day before. We'll be stuffing 40kgs of wet hops into the secondary once fermentation is complete.

Going into kegs and will be available at Oscar's Alehouse, Kooinda Boutique Brewing, Carwyn Cellars, Bad Shepherd Brewing, and many other fine establishments.

 

[cspencer]

Did a brew Tuesday Night and used some of my first year chinook (wet) late in the boil. 23grams in total in a 23lt batch, so who know if i'll even know they are in there by the end. but hey it was fun having to climb on the roof before the storm rolled in to cut down some hops.

There is a fair amount of Chinook left on the bines so looking forward to using them also

 

[cspencer]

Going into kegs and will be available at Oscar's Alehouse

Keep us updated when it's ready, very keen to try this one.

 

[DU99]

any going out to the western suburbs (the park/hophead/valley cellars)

 

[Mardoo]

Awesome BB! Sweet victory, eh? Congratulations.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Keep us updated when it's ready, very keen to try this one.

Will do!

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

any going out to the western suburbs (the park/hophead/valley cellars)

Not sure...I'll try and get the word out when I have a bit of free time. If you want it at a specific place, ask the venue to contact Kooinda to order a keg.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Awesome BB! Sweet victory, eh? Congratulations.

Cheers Mardoo Article coming out in Crafty soon as well. My fingernails are lupulin stained and the picking has only begun.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Brewers Gold! Harvest week begins.

 

[Mardoo]

Now THAT'S lupulin! Nice.

 

[BottloBill]

Brewers Gold! Harvest week begins.

Damn you smellophone

 

[sponge]

Been hugging this girl?

 

[beercus]

Harvested 300g chinook yesterday, drying as I write. Thinking about making a chinook ( single hop) pale ale and was wondering if I go with the 13%alpha and leaf as stated by brew smith or should I adjust...

First time brewing with my own hops, also first time brewing with chinook.....
Thanks
Beercus

 

[Rocker1986]

That's the problem with home grown hops, you don't really know what the AA% is. I have seen it advised before that they are better used as late/flameout/dry hop additions for this reason, rather than bittering additions.

 

[beercus]

That's the problem with home grown hops, you don't really know what the AA% is. I have seen it advised before that they are better used as late/flameout/dry hop additions for this reason, rather than bittering additions.

So maybe use mosaic up to 25IBU from 60 mins, then do chinook at no chill (20min) and dry hop.

Thanks
Beercus

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Have you used Mosaic? its a pretty wild beast. It stands out no matter how you use it I have found. Not to say it doesn't make excellent beer it has a dominating flavour.
So I'm thinking I'd use some kind of neutral bittering hop like magna for at least half of the estimated bitterness. Then use and average calculation of your own grown hops. I've spent tediouse time working out averages of wet and dry hops. Gotta love it. :chug:
The idea to load up the flavour with your own hops. Big doses late boil with wet or dry hops and in a sock in the keg with wet or dry flowers.
Sorry just rambling. If you grow something yourself its important to get that fresh flavour out front for your efforts.
I'm very close to harvest time (rubbing hands together).