Planted - Amos early bird and First Gold :)

[hazelbrew]

Just planted my first hops this weekend. Wish me luck!

First gold - against the front of the house, west facing, on a brick wall.

Amos Early Bird - against the garden fence, on a south facing aspect.

Amos Early bird is not common any more - it is a kent golding variety, and is used in the shepherd neame "early bird" single hop ale. It is now known just as Early Bird. It used to be used in the Sainsbury's "Kentish Ale" taste the difference beer - though that now says just Goldings.

there is a family connection here - Amos Early Bird was originally picked by my wife's (nee Amos) Great Great Grandad in Spring Grove Farm near Wye in Kent. he picked it as an early bine out of the ones on the farm - all since are direct clonal descendents of that one pick. I believe it has been important in hop breeding since.

So I have in my garden a hop picked by my wifes family in 1887... to hopefully brew my own pale ale with it in 2017, some 130 years after it was selected...

[Brewedout]

That's a great story I planted first gold last year and managed to get 100g dry weight of hops. Have some insecticide to hand, so you can nip an early attack in the bud! Good luck.

[hazelbrew]

That's a great story I planted first gold last year and managed to get 100g dry weight of hops. Have some insecticide to hand, so you can nip an early attack in the bud! Good luck.

thanks. yes it is a good story isn't it the family home still has various awards for hop growing on the wall, maps of Wye from the 19th century, a few trophies.

What were the first gold hops like for smell and brewing? I picked them on a whim as a genuine dwarf hop and English beer style.

not much to show yet. just holes in the ground with a few twigs poking out. The real action should happen in a month or so. I have the special rope for them to climb up. Just need to figure out the "trellis" design.

[Brewedout]

I had to pick mine a little earlier than what I wanted due to lots of rain being forecast. However when rubbed give a nice holdings aroma. Used them in a pale ale recently which at this stage tastes good. But as it is a mix of 3 hops cannot single out the first gold.

I grew mine up some canes then sideways along twine. It grows to the published height ( or at least mine did).

You'll be alright though as it'll be in the blood

[Beau]

I would also like to grow my own hops but where did you get your plants from?

Beau.

[hazelbrew]

I would also like to grow my own hops but where did you get your plants from?

Beau.

I got the hops from "essentially hops" down in Kent. Search and you will find them. They do lots of hops for weddings , pubs etc... But also sell the hop rhizomes.

actually the same place my sister in law used for dried.hops at her wedding.