Home grown hops 2022

[Eric]

Just picked the last for this year. Those now left are either too small or, and mostly, partially decayed after recent rain and change in the weather. A good thing about hops is how quickly and well they wilt and decompose.

[Meatymc]

My Cascade were picked on Sunday afternoon. Not an especially warm day, but at least dry.

Picked 2.5kg (wet) late afternoon Thursday. Onto the multi drying racks with 20" fan beneath expecting the usual 2 full days drying but then the weather went downhill with rain and cooler temperatures. Had only managed to get the weight down to around 55% by lunchtime Saturday with no forecast weather improvement but had the brain wave of firing up the kitchen log burner (SWMBO very happy at that) and laid each rack on bricks no nearer than 10ft away (not quite as impressed with that one) and left them overnight. Eye-opener! Packed this lunchtime at just under 30% of original weight so 750g dried as hoped for. Will certainly consider doing this in future.

The Green Hop beer has conditioned for a little over a week and is smelling nicely with mint dominating, vastly superior to the Southwold Bitter, although it is quite reasonable. Thinking that using Ringwood yeast for the Bitter might have been a poor choice.

Pleasantly surprised at result of my first wet hop brew so as there's still a similar amount of Cascade left on the uncut bines (very late this year) going to do another wet-hop brew when grains arrive on Tuesday rather than have them go to waste - haven't any room left in the freezer to store any more this year.

[Eric]

Pleasantly surprised at result of my first wet hop brew so as there's still a similar amount of Cascade left on the uncut bines (very late this year) going to do another wet-hop brew when grains arrive on Tuesday rather than have them go to waste - haven't any room left in the freezer to store any more this year.

How do you find your cascade compare with those from USA? I've had conflicting views, but have always used those grown in America.

[Eric]

Pleasantly surprised at result of my first wet hop brew so as there's still a similar amount of Cascade left on the uncut bines (very late this year) going to do another wet-hop brew when grains arrive on Tuesday rather than have them go to waste - haven't any room left in the freezer to store any more this year.

How do you find your cascade compare with those from USA? I've had conflicting views, but have always used those grown in America.

Something seems to be causing double postings.

[Meatymc]

How do you find your cascade compare with those from USA? I've had conflicting views, but have always used those grown in America.

No idea to be honest - been that long since I've bought anything I use for bittering or at flames out and only ever use my cascade in the latter. This next wet hop will be the very first where I'm using cascade throughout the process so should be interesting but sadly a one-off this year if successful.

As you've said before, been a strange year as regards growing hops up here - hope it's a sign for the future as we (well me actually) work around the 'harvest' as regards getting away after the granddaughter is safely back in school.

[Eric]

Thanks for the update, I do use Cascade in one of my standard brews, a replication of a nearby breweries flagship beers, as well as an occasional late addition. Can't remember using it for bittering but sure it will do that very well.

Cut down the majority of the bines today. There were lots of unpicked hops, but most that were decent sized were also beyond their best. Don't dare to think next year can be as good as this. The roots have spead a lot this year.

Bittered my green hop using bought hops with quoted AA%. I think those picked wouldn't have much bittering property, always a gamble with unknown hops.

This article on green hop brews with some numbers is possibly worth a read.

[Meatymc]

Bittered my green hop using bought hops with quoted AA%. I think those picked wouldn't have much bittering property, always a gamble with unknown hops.

For bittering, I work on the basis of the lowest potential AA% for each variety based on published data and my experience from the previous year. It's still a shot in the dark really and usually takes 2 or 3 brews to get the quantities right but that then sets me up for the rest of the year.

The best way I've found to test for bittering potential is to chew a ripe cone. On this basis the Cascade is massively more bitter than either the Fuggles or Northdown already in the freezer when in fact it should be roughly similar - does make we wonder if I picked the others too early. Still going full-on on this brew however so we'll see how it turns out.

Thanks for the link by the way - you can understand why commercial brewers don't try this unless they're adjacent to the fields!

[floydmeddler]

I'm currently drinking my first ever homegrown hopped beer. Prima Donna. Had them growing up the front of the house on a trellis. Looked the part. Ended up with around 300g wet and added them all as a steeping addition @ 70c for 30 mins. Had to do a small batch to do them any justice so did an 11L BIAB. Fermented straight in corny, then cleared with gelatine. Lovely lovely drop and surprisingly clear. Prima Donna / FIrst Gold just taste like straight up orange juice to me. Defs will be a yearly brew from here on in.

[clarets7]

A bit disappointing, but you have a green hop beer.

Well, a fortnight on and it's turned out fine. I'd tried a couple of bottles a week ago and they had a definite lager taste which I thought was strange, but that has gone now, ended up a nice pale ale. Still some work to do on the Adnams bitter though

[Eric]

For bittering, I work on the basis of the lowest potential AA% for each variety based on published data and my experience from the previous year. It's still a shot in the dark really and usually takes 2 or 3 brews to get the quantities right but that then sets me up for the rest of the year.

The best way I've found to test for bittering potential is to chew a ripe cone. On this basis the Cascade is massively more bitter than either the Fuggles or Northdown already in the freezer when in fact it should be roughly similar - does make we wonder if I picked the others too early. Still going full-on on this brew however so we'll see how it turns out.

It's a while since I chewed a hop cone, having a strong memory of my first attempt and getting a huge shock from the bitterness on that occasion. Another reason for my use of commercial bittering hops was excess stock in need of purpose. How did the brew turn out?

I'm currently drinking my first ever homegrown hopped beer. Prima Donna. Had them growing up the front of the house on a trellis. Looked the part. Ended up with around 300g wet and added them all as a steeping addition @ 70c for 30 mins. Had to do a small batch to do them any justice so did an 11L BIAB. Fermented straight in corny, then cleared with gelatine. Lovely lovely drop and surprisingly clear. Prima Donna / FIrst Gold just taste like straight up orange juice to me. Defs will be a yearly brew from here on in.

First Gold is a favourite of mine too that is rarely, if ever, out of stock. It's also more suitable for a garden, being a hedgerow type. All mine reach for the sky and attempts to bend them back eventually end with a break but mustn't complain as all mine were gifts from other brewers.

A bit disappointing, but you have a green hop beer.

Well, a fortnight on and it's turned out fine. I'd tried a couple of bottles a week ago and they had a definite lager taste which I thought was strange, but that has gone now, ended up a nice pale ale. Still some work to do on the Adnams bitter though

Good to hear, glad it turned out well. Should have bottled some of mine as was intended, but .... The first barrel is more than half consumed, a little more than month from when it was first tried, and the hops are in decline. So tried the second barrel a couple of days ago and it probably was better that the first had ever been, which I didn't expect. Now hoping the dried ones turn out as good.

[Meatymc]

How did the brew turn out?

It's no earth-shaker but I am pleasantly surprised bearing in mind I've never been happy with any bitter I've brewed - for my sins, I'm mainly a hoppy IPA guy. If I'd thought to dry hop - treating this as if it were my usual IPA, I think it would have been very, very good.

And on that note, I was able to pick yet another 350g Cascade - no chill and pitched on Saturday. Dry hopping with Idaho 7 and Mosaic so we'll see.

And finally, looking out from my office (bedroom!) window onto the hop garden, I bet I could pick another 350g if I wanted - but everything tied up for now. Someone tell me 'global warming' is a myth

[WalesAles]

Meaty,

Global warming IS a Myth!

Global warming my arse.

WA

You sound like David Attenborough

Nobody mentioned GW in the Ice Age

[Eric]

Thanks for the update and pleased to hear it turned out well. I don't yearn deeply for heavily hopped beers, happy to drink and make balanced beers of any shade and modest strength. The IPA I grew up with was made by Newcastle Breweries, the ordinary beer when Exhibition was best and before McEwan's Scotch, "the one you had to come back for", was introduced to the Blue Star estate. It was very pale and had little in the way of hop.

Like your hops, mine had more that might have been collected. Previously the cones were collected after cutting off bines, but more vigorous growth enabled direct picking, and doubt if any more could be used. My next brew will be a dark one for Christmas which will be balanced sufficiently with some older hops still on hand, so hope my drying has been up to standard to make best use of those collected.

From what I've heard, the crop from Kent this year is small due to the unusual weather.

[Meatymc]

Global warming my arse.

What an image that conjures up

[Meatymc]

happy to drink and make balanced beers of any shade and modest strength.

Likewise - just seem to be more successful at brewing more hoppy beers although I suspect the hops mask some imperfections that would be noticeable in a mild or simple bitter - the latter of which I have until now been less than successful with. Having said that, porters and stouts haven't been a problem.

As for the Kent crop, I presume that will be down to record temperatures and lack of rain for extended periods - think they've had it worse than up here.