another hop shortage article

[johnnyboy1965]

Well while I was browsing for hops I came across a seller who was selling a handfull of English hop seed for 99p, so I gave it a try. If nothing comes of it then I may have lost 99p. They have been soaking and are in their warm period before going into the fridge for 4 weeks, then they get planted.
My plan is to get them going in plugs and then disappear up to the railway line which is disused and now a path, but it has very nice south facing steep banks - ideal for a hop to grow along and up, and plant them out there. They are wild hops after all.
Hopefully in a few years time myself - or other brewers can harvest their own. They may not be as good as some of the specialist varieties but they should offer something. They grow the grain in the fields after all.

The problem with growing hop plants, from seed, is that you dont know the variety of the hop, or that it has been cross pollinated, or that it might be a male plant.
Why go to the risk of brewing a beer and then throwing in hops that you have no idea of what they taste like

 

[Richie_asg1]

I agree that there are no guarantees here, and there will be male plants there, but I will get fresh hops for free, with every chance they will taste like an old English variety.

If I do get the chance to buy a named variety - or even seed from a farmed hop, then I will. But at the moment I am doing what I can.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

I agree that there are no guarantees here, and there will be male plants there, but I will get fresh hops for free, with every chance they will taste like an old English variety.

If I do get the chance to buy a named variety - or even seed from a farmed hop, then I will. But at the moment I am doing what I can.

Believe me on this...You cannot grow named varieties of hops from seed. The only way to guarrentee (sp) of a named hop is from a rhizome or a cutting from a named variety. Why would you want to wait 4 years to collect some hops that you dont even know what they are like. Buy yourself a few named varieties and take cuttings. 5/6 years ago I bought Challenger Target and Progress rhizomes and have taken at least 30 cuttings from each, the strike rate of hop cuttings is probably about 95%, they are so easy to do.
Just seen your location....Aberdeen...I doubt if you will get any crop that far north, you might, but unlikely.

 

[chuffer]

5/6 years ago I bought Challenger Target and Progress rhizomes and have taken at least 30 cuttings from each, the strike rate of hop cuttings is probably about 95%, they are so easy to do.
.

Are there limitations on what hops you can grow in the Midlands. For instance, I'm a fan of the more fruity hops rather than the earthy ones more traditionally associated with English hops....but due to our climate would only the traditionally english ones (like those you mention above) grow in the garden?

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hops will grow anywhere in the UK. the limitation is how far north. Think Kent, Worcester. 52 Degrees North is about their limitation. They will grow further North, but the yield is quite poor, unless south facing. Hops need 6-8 hours sunlight per day along with rich soil

 

[Sandimas]

Are there limitations on what hops you can grow in the Midlands. For instance, I'm a fan of the more fruity hops rather than the earthy ones more traditionally associated with English hops....but due to our climate would only the traditionally english ones (like those you mention above) grow in the garden?

Believe it or not, the West Midlands is one of the biggest hop growing areas of the UK (suprised me too): loads of hop farms around Bromyard, which has it's own hop festival, and Charles Faram up near Malvern supplies a lot of commercial breweries.

 

[chuffer]

Believe it or not, the West Midlands is one of the biggest hop growing areas of the UK (suprised me too): loads of hop farms around Bromyard, which has it's own hop festival, and Charles Faram up near Malvern supplies a lot of commercial breweries.

Sounds good, is there a particular style that is associated with this area/climate or could any style/flavour/aroma be produced here?....tbh I'm actually east mids but id imagine our climate's pretty similar!

 

[Sandimas]

I think the British hops would do best. I'm over by Malvern and have a couple of hop plants in, the East Kent Goldings is going mad but the Cascade is a lot slower.

 

[TartanSpecial]

My cascade is currently about a foot high, beating the First golds which are only about 4-6inches out the ground. Have covered them tonight in view possible frost. Major problem I have had recently is birds (I think magpies and jays) attacking the natural fibre hop string supports, I assume to get nesting material, and cutting the string so I needed to re-tie extra lengths on and re-tie them up to the support. Have put netting over them today. I'm in Epsom.

 

[chuffer]

So the cascade flourishes in Epsom but not so much in the mids...not exactly a statistically significant test but kind of lends more weight to my suspicion that id need to plant bittering hops but perhaps still have to buy the more exotic aroma hops

 

[Hoppy]

Hi All,

Cascade does flourish in the Midlands, certainly Hereford and Worcestershire, but it comes to maturity late, so don't pick them until late September, they will be behind Golding at this time of year.

DarrellM is on the mark. There are more hops grown in, what Growers call the West Midlands (Hereford and Worcs) than Kent.

As to hop seeds, around 30% will be male, and as Johnny Boy says they could have been pollinated by any male hop plant, so results are variable to say the least. This is why breeding programs are expensive and time consuming. That is why it is important to research hops' genetic markers for disease resistance etc. Therefore if an immature plant grown from seed doesn't have these markers for resistance to disease, (when they are pollinated with a known male to have this trait) are immediately rejected. Hops do need 14 hours of daylight though through their peak growth period.

Tartan, just use wire or washing line and train 2 or 4 bines up and chop the rest for best yield. Germans use wire to grow hops, with no ill effects (other than off cuts of wire giving you punctures in the Hallertau region during harvest!)

WBR
Hoppy