When Do I Pick My Hops?
- Thread starter Tony
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jyo
No Chillin' Like a Villain.
Looks awesome, Tony.
They should feel papery and stay a bit squashed when you give them a squeeze. Also, when you open them up a bit, the lupilin will be everywhere, it'll stick to your fingers!
Two seasons ago, I had to pick on three separate times as they ripened at differerent stages.
Cheers, John.
They should feel papery and stay a bit squashed when you give them a squeeze. Also, when you open them up a bit, the lupilin will be everywhere, it'll stick to your fingers!
Two seasons ago, I had to pick on three separate times as they ripened at differerent stages.
Cheers, John.
wobblythongs
Well-Known Member
Don't cones lose the bulk of their AA in days so it's a shame or a waste to freeze them.
You may have to plan a big brew weekend soon
.
You may have to plan a big brew weekend soon
.
Tony
Quality over Quantity
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well im planning on a nice coopers pale ale clone with them...... not sure on them losing all their bitterness in a couple days?????
I will get a few early but the bulk of them will hit at once i think.
Thanks for the description jyo, if anyone has any pics of how they should look when they are ready that would be cool
how big does a POR cone grow?
I will get a few early but the bulk of them will hit at once i think.
Thanks for the description jyo, if anyone has any pics of how they should look when they are ready that would be cool
how big does a POR cone grow?
jyo
No Chillin' Like a Villain.
Tony, I just re-read my description, and it should've read- they have a papery feel and bounce back more than usual when you squeeze them. They hold their shape a little more than when they are still 'green'.
After a crap season last year, I'm hoping to get enough for a brew from my Hersbrucker this year. Can't wait!
Cheers, John.
geoff_tewierik
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From a link on hops via Google:
When your hop cones are developed, it's time to harvest. The hop flowers look like small green cones. Wait until the cones are ripe - you'll know they are ready when leave a slightly sticky, oily residue on your hands. If it is too green, it will feel soft, moist, and it will remain compressed when squeezed. The ripe hop will feel more dry and lightweight than the hop that's not quite ready yet. Pluck the ripe hops from the vine, and keep them in a sealed container. Note that you might have several harvest cycles if your cones at the top of the vine ripen quicker.
When your hop cones are developed, it's time to harvest. The hop flowers look like small green cones. Wait until the cones are ripe - you'll know they are ready when leave a slightly sticky, oily residue on your hands. If it is too green, it will feel soft, moist, and it will remain compressed when squeezed. The ripe hop will feel more dry and lightweight than the hop that's not quite ready yet. Pluck the ripe hops from the vine, and keep them in a sealed container. Note that you might have several harvest cycles if your cones at the top of the vine ripen quicker.
1/ http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=91
eg.
HARVESTING
"...Harvest window is about two weeks around early march, but cultivars ripen differently and climate may also affect ripening.
Cilurzo's methods on determining hop ripeness:
Pull off a bract (leafy 'petal'), hold it up to the light and it should be a darker green rather than a light translucent green.
The hop should be sticky with lupulin (yellow pollen) and have a pungent positive musty hop aroma.
Tear a flower in half lengthways and lupulin should be starting to bind together and lupulin balls should be around the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen.
This is his preferred method: Take a hop cone by the pointy end and brush the bracts against their natural direction:
If one or none bracts come off, the hops are not ripe.
If you do it a few times and a few bracts fall off, this is perfect for using in a wet hop beer.
If all bracts fall off the first time, this is considered to be ripe for commercial purpose.
I questioned Mr Cilurzo's reason for chosing earlier harvested hops wet and recieved this (logical) response:
"I just like the flavor of the under ripe hops in a wet hop beer, it tends to leave a greener note in the beer."
When picking, wear a long sleeved shirt (even though it is summer) and gloves. Hops are extremely scratchy and have tiny hooks that can break off and irritate your skin, you have been warned. Hop bine scratches are reasonably painful and leave long lasting red marks.
Cop cones mature from the top of the bine first. Ripe cones feel papery, have accentuated pungency, they are lighter and may have browning on the tops of the cone.
To pick, simply pull cones from bine with hands.
I am unsure of typical yields, especially from established plants, but I harvested around 1kg wet from each of my first year hop plants..."
2/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grow-Hops/
eg.
HARVESTING
"...Harvest window is about two weeks around early march, but cultivars ripen differently and climate may also affect ripening.
Cilurzo's methods on determining hop ripeness:
Pull off a bract (leafy 'petal'), hold it up to the light and it should be a darker green rather than a light translucent green.
The hop should be sticky with lupulin (yellow pollen) and have a pungent positive musty hop aroma.
Tear a flower in half lengthways and lupulin should be starting to bind together and lupulin balls should be around the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen.
This is his preferred method: Take a hop cone by the pointy end and brush the bracts against their natural direction:
If one or none bracts come off, the hops are not ripe.
If you do it a few times and a few bracts fall off, this is perfect for using in a wet hop beer.
If all bracts fall off the first time, this is considered to be ripe for commercial purpose.
I questioned Mr Cilurzo's reason for chosing earlier harvested hops wet and recieved this (logical) response:
"I just like the flavor of the under ripe hops in a wet hop beer, it tends to leave a greener note in the beer."
When picking, wear a long sleeved shirt (even though it is summer) and gloves. Hops are extremely scratchy and have tiny hooks that can break off and irritate your skin, you have been warned. Hop bine scratches are reasonably painful and leave long lasting red marks.
Cop cones mature from the top of the bine first. Ripe cones feel papery, have accentuated pungency, they are lighter and may have browning on the tops of the cone.
To pick, simply pull cones from bine with hands.
I am unsure of typical yields, especially from established plants, but I harvested around 1kg wet from each of my first year hop plants..."
2/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grow-Hops/
