Hop Growing 2014

[YeastWhisperer]

Are you sure that your plant is Cascade? The cones are the wrong shape. Cascade is one of the most frequently mispropagated American cultivars. There are at least four different cultivars named Cascade in the United States, only which of which is true Cascade.

Well it came from a reputable company and that's what it was described as.

After this growing season, I have learned to take the "trust, but verify" approach to hop growing. Sadly, I am discovering that rootstook management in the U.S. leaves much to be desired. One's rootstock/germplasm source is only as reliable as one's source's source. One of my germplasm sources currently has four different cultivars in his collection that were received as Cascade, only one of which is actually Cascade. The other three cultivars are anyone's guess.

[hophit]

I remember reading somewhere recently (can't remember where) that the version of cascade you get in the UK is a sub-strain or something of the US one, that is better suited to our climate but produces slightly less aromatic cones. Maybe complete b*llocks though like so much on t'internet.

[scuppeteer]

I remember reading somewhere recently (can't remember where) that the version of cascade you get in the UK is a sub-strain or something of the US one, that is better suited to our climate but produces slightly less aromatic cones. Maybe complete b*llocks though like so much on t'internet.

Not sure about a sub-strain, but the UK grown ones are certainly more subtle and on average 2% lower AA than its American cousin. Just makes it a much nicer hop to bitter with and use generally IMO.

[hophit]

Dave, have you used the UK cascade wet? What kinda quantities do you use them in?

[scuppeteer]

Not Cascade but many other varieties; Fuggle, Challenger, Bramling X etc.

Usually 4 or 5 times the amount. But have also used in the mash which adds a little bit extra.

[kebabman]

I have reweighed the Yeoman hops and they are now down to 1/3rd of the original weight but the aroma has gone. They are pretty brown but still feel a bit sticky but I don't think that I will brew with them as I have finally picked my Cascades.
My drying technique is not efficient and probably too slow. I can afford to chuck these out and put it down to experience. I will do another brew soonish with my Cascades using 5 times the dry hop. Now to decide what AA to guess, probably assume that it's on the low side, no time to do a small test batch unfortunately.

[andybiochem]

Woo! Harvested all my hops the other week, and they had all dried out well today.

Here they are before harvesting:

Wild hops growing over my canopy frame


Progress and WGV hops


Styrian goldings and Perle


Just before harvesting


Cascade, not great, but it did grow late in the season


Wild hops before harvest




Harvest!!!


Drying!!


Disposal!!



PAH! They all smelt like crap! Pretty sure I caught them at the right time, all the signs were there, slight browning, papery, falling off easily. For whatever reason they were all pretty much unusable. APART from, a small collection of Perle hops, and one of the wild hops I had growing.

Here's a run down -

Progress: musty, old-socks aroma. Good cones, but aroma never developed past socks.
WGV: same as progress
Perle: not too bad, a bit dull and uninteresting. Usable perhaps.
Styrian goldings: these were just bad. Not like any onther styrians I've smelt. Yuk.
Cascade: smelt ok to begin with, but seemed to have rotted whilst drying. Full of black mold.
Wild hop 1: very small cones, ok smell. Started late in season, hopefully better next year. Didn't bother harvesting.
Wild hop 2: huge cones, nice citrus aroma, still drying.

Quite a disappointment really, but I've brewed some cracking beer recently with cheap bought hops so I'm not too fussed.

Not sure what to do next year? Do I keep these plants or move on?

This was the first year for all the plants (bar the Cascade which is 2nd year). Will they improve next year?

Definitely going to plant out the Wild hop 2 plant permanently. Maybe the wild hop 1 too.

Live and learn!

[seymour]

Ah, man, that sucks. Sorry for your loss.

Did you treat them with any chemicals throughout the season? What about soil quality? Was there any dampness or dew when you picked them? Was there good air-flow in that drying room? Perhaps they were piled too deep, not enough surface area? Did you occasionally fluff them or "rake" them throughout the drying process?

Whatever the case, I'm sure you're disappointed.

Yes, the second-year growth is always much stronger, but I'd still try to identify the cause(s) of off aromas and mold before next year's harvest.

Better luck next time!

[scuppeteer]

Was your shed heated?

It appears from your pics it was not. They need a constant warm environment to dry properly. We have had a few quite cold nights since you picked and although they have been kept dry they would have absorbed any moisture in the air even in your shed hence the mold and cheesy smell. They look very healthy on the bine so I don't think any sort of disease is the issue.

I know it is disappointing but don't get rid of them, just next year dry them indoors such as the kitchen or airing cupboard.

[jmc]

Unfortunately I also have a batch I'll probably have to bin.
The Progress grew really well and I did one green hop brew from them, but I was a bit overwelmed by volume I got, and I can't store them indoors so they went really brown during extended drying process.


Its hard to tell from my poor picture, but some are mud-brown on outside and green on the spine. Still very sticky and smell OK, but worried they would add funny taste to a brew.

Disappointing, but my own fault. I need to put more thought into drying next year.

On the plus side Cascade has been good and I've picked rest of my Challenger and First Gold, with a small patch of Progress to pick before weather changes tomorrow.

[andybiochem]

Did you treat them with any chemicals throughout the season?

No, nothing other than tomato fertiliser towards the end of the season.

What about soil quality?

Soil was bog-standard compost from B&Q (uk hardware store). Felt it was a bit too cloggy though. Next year I will mix with sand & hydroleca to get better drainage.

Was there any dampness or dew when you picked them?

Not on the day I picked them, but the days before were a bit muggy. This was the first day I felt that they were dry enough to pick.

Was there good air-flow in that drying room? Perhaps they were piled too deep, not enough surface area? Did you occasionally fluff them or "rake" them throughout the drying process?

I felt that they dried really very well, similar to last year where I dried indoors. I wouldn't say there was anything different really.

Yes, the second-year growth is always much stronger, but I'd still try to identify the cause(s) of off aromas and mold before next year's harvest.
Better luck next time!

I think that the mould was probably due to a spell of damp/wet weather we had at the end of August. It just seemed to get worse after drying.

I'm not convinced that letting them grow again next year will result in anything different. Either I just too far north for these strains to develop properly - I'm at 53 degrees latitude, which is right on the border for most hops I believe - or there is something 'wrong' with the plants that I sourced.

I think the only plant I'm particularly dissappointed with is the styrian goldings. They did actually smell nice at one point, but the aroma went right off a few weeks before they were ready to harvest.

... and cheesy smell.

There wasn't a cheesy smell at all, just an unpleasant 'dank-ness' to them. When I say 'old socks' I meant the sort of smell you get if you leave a towel wet for too long. Maybe there was just a fungal/drying issue going on, but they smelled this way as I was picking them. I had hoped that the drying would change the aroma somewhat....it didn't.


I'll definitely keep hold of the plants - I'm going to try my hand at growing a compact hop plant in a tub, with the aim to do away with the tall climbing rope. I'll post pictures next year!

The nice citrussy wild hop I'm thinking of growing all along the house wall, and see if I can get one big bush of hops going from multiple root stocks.

Whilst I've not ended up with a huge hop harvest for 2014, I do feel that I've learned a lot, so I'm happy enough!

[YeastWhisperer]

I have reweighed the Yeoman hops and they are now down to 1/3rd of the original weight but the aroma has gone.

Did you manage to take any photographs of your Yeoman hops? I plan to field test that cultivar next growing season from a fall planting this year. It would be nice to know what to expect as far as leaf dentation, cone shape, and bine color. To say that I am little apprehensive about growing what is considered to be an exotic British hop cultivar after the Wye Challenger incident is an understatement.

[kebabman]

@ YeastWhisperer, PM sent