Hop Burrs Hop Cones

August 1st hops update.  The Cascade hops are mostly hop cones with a lesser amount of hop burrs.  The Magnum are smaller cones and more hop burrs than the Cascade right now.   Hop harvest will be in about a month I think.

Last year the Cascade and Magnum hops were ready to harvest at the same time.   At this point, the Magnum are trailing the Cascade.  I would rather harvest them separately anyway – it’s a lot of work.

The Nugget hops are barely hop burrs at this point.  They trailed the other hops by 2 weeks last year so no surprise there.  I am anxious to see how much more my hop harvest will be this year.  I am hoping for double last year’s. 

Pictured below is my 1st year container Fuggle hops and my second year hops.  Left to right they are Fuggle, Nugget, Magnum and Cascade.  Maybe one more update before harvest if I have time.  So far, so good!

Fuggle Bines

Hop Burrs Hop Cones

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Hop Burrs Hop Cones

Technorati Tags: cascade hops, container hops, fuggle hops, hop bines, hop burrs, hop cones, magnum hops, nugget hops

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Fuggle container hops reached almost 15 feet tall.  

Fuggle Hops

This is my first Fuggle variety and my first container hop.  (I lost a Mt. Hood container hop plant to 50 MPH winds)  I have it in a 20 inch diameter, 16 inch deep pot.  It appears to support vertical growth, we will see if it has enough volume to fill out and support abundant hop cones aka strobiles.  I wanted to connect the pulley to the underside on my roof (18 feet) but my ladder was only 14 feet and I am afraid of heights.  I was on the third rung of the ladder from the top and hanging on for dear life.  So the best I could do was 15 feet into the corner trim.

Maybe next year I will get a taller ladder and go to the roof.  I really want to see what the best height is for hops production.  I am guessing it is at least 18 feet tall as that is what many commercial growers use.  I have also read that some varieties produce more hop cones or strobiles if you keep the bines under 15 feet.  Unfortunately, they didn’t mention which varieties.

I used a mixture of top soil, compost and composted manure.  I am hoping this will supply the nutrition needed for one years growth.  I mulched the top of the soil with grass clippings to retain moisture and keep the soil from baking.  The soil may get some additional nutrition as the grass clippings break down.  These are first year hops and are doing well.   The wooden trellis next to the hops is my cucumbers.  They are not doing nearly as good as the hops.

Living in Minnesota, I will have to protect the crown / root stock from our down to 30 below temps in the winter.  I do not have an insulated garage or root cellar so I will have to insulate the container with leaves or bags of leaves.  I will have to do some more research and see if I will be able to keep this plant in the same container or have to move it to a larger container or put it in the ground.  I would think that because hop root stocks can grow to fifteen feet, that it would become root bound.  I have heard of others that had their container hops roots come out the bottom of the container and into the ground.

Hop Burrs On the Bines

Not certain if the spiney hop burrs will show in this pic on the post.  They are pretty small and I will post a close up of the burrs when they are more abundant.  I also wanted to show the lateral growth since the last post.  These 3 are second year hops and should produce quite nicely.  What I have read is they peak during the 3rd year so I am looking forward to next year to see how much better they will do.

The Cascades actually wrapped across the 2 ropes between them (used for lowering and raising the bines) and the Magnum hops and are intermingling a little.  I will have to be sure to separate them during harvest.  They are filling out quite nicely and I am expecting a lot more hop cones than last years 4 pounds.

That’s where things stand today – June 26, 2010.  Hop on!

.

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Fuggle Container Hops

Technorati Tags: container hops, fuggle hops, hop burrs, hop cones

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Hop Bines Top Out

May 29th the Magnum hops reached the top of their rope (15 feet tall).  The cascade and Nugget hop bines reached the top of their ropes May 21st (13 feet tall).  I predicted by June 1st this would happen and apparently nailed that guess.

This is the second year for these hops.  The first year is fun to watch how fast the hop bines grow, but that’s nothing compared to the second year.  The first year a lot of the hop plants energy goes into establishing the root stock also known as the crown.   By the second year, the crown is established and the sprouts come up earlier than if you planted hop rhizomes.

My hop sprouts survived a few frosts where tomatoes would have surely died.  Hops are hardy once established.  I lost a Mt. Hood hop plant I had planted in a container this spring.  We had some 50 mph winds and it snapped them right off – the rhizome apparently couldn’t handle it – no more hop shoots / sprouts replaced them.  They probably would have survived if I had them trained on a rope.  They were about a foot long and I had not yet decided where to trellis them.

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Hop Bines Top Out

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Magnum Hop Bines

Hop Bines May 1st

May 1st, just 2 weeks since the last post.  The hop bines were 10 inches tall on April 17, now they are over 5 feet tall!  I thought first year hops were fun to watch grow, this is insane!  They grew over 4 feet in 2 weeks and this is not even planting time for my zone (zone 4A).  Last year it was about June 7th before the hops reached this height (first year hops).

I was going to double the ropes per hop plant this year but had no time to do it.  Oh well, they will be thick this year.  I expect the laterals to go crazy and at least double the harvest of last year of 4.1lbs wet.

I have not fertilized or amended the soil at all this year.  I must have done a good job when I prepped the soil the fall before I planted the hop rhizomes.  The hop mounds were heavily mulched with grass and leaves over the winter and perhaps the decomposing grass and leaves were seeping a compost tea into the soil.

What the hell is going to happen when summer comes?  At this rate, I may lose my garage to the hop bines.  I expect the bines to reach the top of their ropes(15 feet) by June.  I’ll keep you posted.

I also started 2 container hop plants this year – a Fuggle and a Mt. Hood.  We’ll see how these do – only about 9 inches tall so far.  I am more interested or concerned about how long I can keep them in the containers as hop crowns and roots grow massively.  I also need to think about how to over-winter the containers as it can get to minus 30 during the winter here.

Expect future posts of massive bines!

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Hop Bine Update

Technorati Tags: cascade hops, container hops, fuggle, hop bines, hops, magnum hops, mt. hood, nugget hops, Second Year Hops

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Second year hops – hop sprout update.  My last post was April 8, 2010 and I had uncovered my hop sprouts because they were pushing up from under the leaf mulch.  I was waiting as long as I could because I am in zone 4 and frost free nights are over a month away.  That night:

Hop Sprouts Survive Freezing

The bottom right hand corner of the above pic shows the outside temperature of 27.9 degrees fahrenheit,  far enough below freezing to kill many plants.  They survived, no problem!  Hops are very hardy and established hop plants will survive.  I have friends that have lost newly planted hop rhizomes to freezing so I was a bit concerned – not to worry.  They went from albino buried hop sprouts to healthy hop bines.  Here are my Magnum hop sprouts (now hop bines), about 10 inches tall April 17, 2010.

Magnum Hop Sprouts Survive Freezing Temps

Newly planted hop rhizome sprouts may be susceptible  to freezing temps, not established second year hops.  At this rate, I am going to have an awesome harvest.  Barring a hard freeze, these hop bines will thrive!  I love growing hops!

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2010 Hop Sprouts Update

Technorati Tags: established hop plants, Growing Hops, hop sprouts, Second Year Hops

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Here in Minnesota the general date for frost safe planting is May 15th.  I kept my hop plants buried under leaves to try and keep the ground cold and the hop crowns dormant as long as possible.  I checked on them today (April 8th) and the hop sprouts were pushing up the leaves so I had to un-bury them.  Hopefully they won’t freeze (down to 32 degrees last night).

Cascade Sprouts

These are second year hops so I am expecting a much better yield than last year (about 3 pounds between the 3 hop plants – a good first year harvest).  I guess we’ll see if they freeze or not.  Even if they do, there will be new shoots to replace them.  Second year hops with an established crown / root stock and stored energy from last year.

Early Sprouts

I am still contemplating a new hop trellis rigging.  If nothing else, I will go with 2 ropes per plant instead of the one rope per hop hill used last year.  That in itself should at least double my harvest.  The established hop plants will have plenty of energy to support 6 bines per plant (3 per rope).

Magnum Hops

The sprouts look albino and growing sideways from being weighed down and have not been exposed to sunlight yet.  I will also have to trim the rhizomes to keep the plants from spreading in all directions.  I will cut a circle with a shovel about 8 inch radius from the center of the plant and pull out the hop rhizomes on the outside of the circle.

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2nd Year Hops Sprouts

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What varieties of beer hops are there?

Beer Hop Cones

Hop Rhizomes

Before you can decide what variety of hops to plant, you need to know the characteristics of different varieties of hops.  The variety you choose depends mainly on the styles of beers and ales you like to drink.

Two main characteristics of hop cones:

1. Bittering – measured in IBUs (International Bitterness Units – according to the IBU scale).  The bittering attribute of hops is used to counteract the sweetness of the malt in the beer or ale.  Alpha acids and beta acids of the hop contribute to the bittering effect.
2. Aroma – there is no scale to measure aroma, it is used to impart a pleasurable aroma or “nose” to beers and ales, also referred to as a finishing hop.  Essential oils of the hop cone are the source of aroma.

There are other characteristics that hops contribute to brews:

• Natural preservative
• Flavoring – various attributes such as – spicy, piney, citrus, woody, floral…
• Calming effect

All hops have both qualities of bitterness and aroma, it is the proportion of each that determines if it is called a bittering hop, an aroma hop or some hops are in the middle and considered both bittering and aroma hop.  The main component of the hop cone is lupulin, a yellow powdery component of the female hop cone.  It contains the resins of the hop cone.

Here is a comprehensive list of the varieties of hops

From  http://www.beersmith.com/hops_table.htm

So depending upon the beer styles you like to drink and or brew, determines which hop varieties to grow (assuming they will grow in your climate and soil).  The above list provides the name of the hop, country of origin and alpha acid percentage (bitterness).  There are many hop description pages out there, this one is the most comprehensive list of hop varieties I have found.  You will only be able to buy a few varieties of hop rhizomes depending upon your country and some on this list are proprietary (not commercially available).

Beers and Ales – the difference between beers and ales is the type of yeast used and temperature of the wort (mash/sugars) during the fermentation process.

• Beers/Lagers/Pilsners – bottom fermenting yeasts – lower temp fermentation – 40 -50 degrees fahrenheit
• Ales – top fermenting yeasts – higher temp fermentation – 60 to 75degrees fahrenheit.

The above are generalities that cover the majority of styles, there are exceptions to every rule.

Beer/Ale style and hops used – http://brewery.org/library/Hopprofs0497.html

This post would go on forever if I listed every beer style and hops used so I won’t attempt that.  Checkout the above referenced link to get your hop rhizome list together (you can sometimes find hop plants for sale).  Depending upon where you live, you may be able to plant right now (ground is still frozen here in Minnesota) but warmer regions can plant now.

One more resource I stumbled across http://www.hopunion.com/hopunion-variety-databook.pdf

One of my most popular posts will list a variety of online sources to:

buy hop rhizomes <== Click Here

Get your hop garden started!

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Beer Hops – What Variety Hop Rhizomes to Plant?

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Overwinter Protection for Nugget Hops

Overwinter Magnum Hop Plants

In cold climates it is important to overwinter hop plants / protect them from sub-zero temperatures.  Hops do fairly well on their own but can be killed off if the ground is unprotected and hard freezes the ground.  Snow will insulate the ground but occasionally the snow will be blown clear or animals may dig the snow away from the underground hop crowns (started as hop rhizomes).

Protect Cascade Hop Crowns

No sense taking any chances of losing your hop plants to the weather.  All it takes is a layer of mulch – I used 6 inches of leaves and grass I bagged while mowing.  This also helps in the Minnesota climate to keep the ground cold enough in the spring to prevent hop sprouts from sprouting too soon and then freeze.  Generally they will send up new shoots if the first hop shoots freeze and die off but why waste the root stock energy.

When sub-freezing temperatures have past in the spring, You just clear the mulch and and the hop crown will send up shoots as the ground warms.

Unless you want the hops to spread in all directions, you will want to trim the hop rhizomes by digging down and cutting the lateral running rhizomes and pull them up.  You can plant these in other areas if you wish or give or sell them to friends and fellow hop growers and homebrewers.  I will be cutting the rhizomes about a one foot radius from the center of the crown (two foot diameter to contain the hop plants).  They are self propagating and will travel in all directions from the crown.

One problem with not containing the spread of hops is they will soon mix with other nearby varieties and can be hard to distinguish variety and/or you will have 2 or more variety of hop bines growing together and makes harvesting and separating the different varieties of hop cones difficult if not impossible.  My varieties are 5 to 6 feet apart so with a little effort, I can keep them separate.  You need to know which hops are which for accurate beer and ale recipes.  You especially do not want to mix bittering hops with aroma hops.

That’s it, just a layer of mulch – leaves, grass, hay, straw or compost to protect the hop crowns and the organic material will also leach into the ground as an organic fertilizer.  Next years hop yield will be even better!

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Overwinter Hop Plants

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Nugget Hop Bine

Nugget Hops Harvest

The Nugget hops were ready to harvest 15 days after the Cascade and Magnum hops.  A hop yield of 1.3 pounds.  Thirty percent more than the Magnum hop harvest, less than the 1.8 pounds of Cascade hops.  I harvested the Nugget hops September 10th, the other hops August 25th.

Not a bad harvest for first year hop plants.  Next year should yield significantly more hop cones as the hop rhizomes planted have become sizable crowns / root stocks from the photosynthesis and organic nutrients from this year.

An essential ingredient for beers and ales, these hop cones will make an excellent IPA (India Pale Ale).  Nugget hops are for bittering with a high IBU (International Bittering Unit) measurement.  I will use my Cascade hops for aroma to complete the IPA experience.

Nugget Hop Cone Lupulin

Shown here is the yellow lupulin of the Nugget hop cone – the active ingredient of the hop.  Although known for their bittering effect and not as an aroma hop, the Nugget hop aroma is exquisite.

If you are a homebrewer and live where you can grow hops (between 30th and 50 parallels), you have to do this.  Hops are an amazing fast growing plant and fun to watch grow.  Hops have been scarce in recent times so be self sufficient and grow your own hops!  Growing hops will complete the beer making experience and camaraderie of home brewing.

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Nugget Hops Harvest

Technorati Tags: hops, nugget hop cones, nugget hops, nugget hops harvest

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Finally, Hop harvest time!  My Cascade hops and Magnum hops were ready to harvest at the same time.  My Nugget hops are still on the bine.  Here is 1.8 pounds of wet harvested  Cascade hops drying on a screen in my living room under a ceiling fan (air conditioned – low humidity).  My wife was so happy to have the hops in our living room – ok, I made that part up, but I have priorities (won that battle!).  They are out of the living room now, donated to friend who has far surpassed my homebrewing abilities (I get some excellent ales in return!)

Cascade Hops Drying

The Magnum hops I dried in a couple of paper bags (single layer under the ceiling fan also).  The Magnum hops were exactly 1 pound wet.  When I say wet, they have actually dried quite a bit on the bine.

Magnum Hops oozing Lupulin!

Not sure if you can see the yellow lupulin in this picture but it is plentiful.  For a bittering hop, they are more aromatic than the Cascade – at least freshly picked off the bine.  I am sure the aromatic quality of the Cascade will come out in a late boil and dry hopping.  Here is a cross section of a Magnum hop cone (left) and a Cascade hop cone (right).  The yellow lupulin does not show in this web compressed picture as well as I wished.  I may set up a separate picture site to do it justice.  The yellow lupulin follows the strig (stem) down the center of the hop cone.

Hop Cones Showing Off Lupulin!

The harvesting went well.  I had to use a ladder to cut the lateral shoots that wrapped around the rope used to let down the bines (pulley setup) but my ladder time was minimal.  I let the bines down on to a tarp and picked the hop cones off the bines while standing up – much easier on my back.  When I was done harvesting, I raised the bines up again and will let them go till they freeze, allowing them to store energy for the root stock for next years growth (these are first year hops).

Easy Magnum Hop Cone Picking

The tarp worked great, I did not lose a single hop cone.  I will definitely use a similar hop trellis system next year with a few improvements.  Next years hop harvest will be much greater with established hop plants.  I anticipate double the beer hop cone harvest with an earlier start and more robust hop root stocks rather than just planted hop rhizomes.  The re-hoisted bines are loading up the hop crowns with energy for next years beer hops.

Pretty simple huh?  Why aren’t you growing your own hops?  Try it you’ll like it.

Start planning now for next years hops.  Select your spot, sunny southern exposure is best but an eastern or western unobstructed (no trees blocking sunshine) will work.  Make sure you have vertical space, more the better.  Start thinking about how you will rig the bines – trellis, ropes secured to a pole or tall structure…  You have until spring to figure it out.  If nothing else Google it – a great source of ideas.

Prepare the soil now.  Dig down at least a foot and at least 2 foot diameter.  Make the soil well drained and mix organic materials with the soil – leaves, grass, compost, composted manure, green sand…  HOP ON!

Cascade Bines Before Harvest

Cascade Bines Post Harvest

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Beer Hops Harvest

Technorati Tags: beer hop cone harvest, Beer Hops, beer hops harvest, hop cones, hop harvest

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