Drying hops - how long?

[Sandimas]

How long should hops be dried for?

I put a batch of Styrian Goldings in the bottom of the airing cupboard early Sept expecting them to be ready mid-Oct. Last night I picked my Cascade, when I put them into the airing cupboard and checked the Golding they felt very dry already, almost paper-thin in 3 weeks.

Can they be too dry?

 

[raymondo]

Darrellim
Same method as me. Mine are usually dry enough after a week. Take all the petals off a couple of cones - if the stem breaks cleanly and does not just bend they are ready.
In spite of all the advice to freeze hops for flavour retention, I have some small cotton bags that I compress the hops into. They are then stored in a cool place. Works for me.

Raymondo

 

[NIGHTSKY BREWING]

I used a metal screen with a old bottom bed cover from my little one and a small £10 air heater on low and set upright ......set up in the shed ....

They when from 2lb 4oz to 220 grams.....in around 20 hours .

 

[NIGHTSKY BREWING]

I also turned them when the heater was on once a hour or so... but need to find a vacuum bag thingy.

 

[AlanHarper]

I was donated some hops through a friend (who is sharing the spoils) from someone who gleaned the hop plant from one found in a hedgerow. This could be a wild Sussex strain but we have no way of finding out therefore don't know the Alpha value - but they do smell good.
After plucking the flowers from the bine (admittedly I took as much as I could off it so there will be some juveniles in the mix) I got just over 2 kg.
I built a wooden frame and stretched some small gauge plastic netting over it and set it up in the green house with a cheap Argos fan heater set below the frame.
I have turned the florets over a few times during the day but I'm sure it will be quite a few days before they are dry enough to bag up. The heater is not on all the time - just a few hours during the day just to get the air temperature up - but the fan will be on during the time I am able to monitor it during the day.