Found some hops

[Twostage]

No, not at the back of the freezer, actually growing in someone's garden. I was at someone's house who lives local and went through their back garden carrying stuff to the car when my nose picked up the what I thought was the smell of hops. I asked 'You don't have hops do you ?" and she said "Yes, over here" - great big vine. So the plan is to make a brew (obviously).

Going to have to go back and do a proper reccy although the garden is a bit overgrown with no clear path to the hops. I know there are male and female hops and you need the female for the cones but that's about it. As there was the smell of hops I assume this will be a female ? Loads of questions, is there a resource I can use to find out what to do ?

I assume that unless I pay for analysis there is no way to tell the alpha level of them and it will be pot luck ?

 

[Sandimas]

As you have no idea what they are nor the AA, the best thing to do is make a beer using a neutral bittering hop like Magnum then use these as a late hop.

Lots grow wild around here, particularly down by the banks of the River Severn.

 

[Sandimas]

As you have no idea what they are nor the AA, the best thing to do is make a beer using a neutral bittering hop like Magnum then use these as a late hop.

Lots grow wild around here, particularly down by the banks of the River Severn.

 

[Twostage]

Went and had a look at them. Looks like they are male with very few flowers. So that's the end of that.

 

[Clarence]

Went and had a look at them. Looks like they are male with very few flowers. So that's the end of that.

If it has proper cones, then it's a female. The male doesn't produce anything that looks like a hop cone. Maybe someone got there before you.

 

[Twostage]

If it has proper cones, then it's a female. The male doesn't produce anything that looks like a hop cone. Maybe someone got there before you.

The 'flowers' were like really tiny elderflowers and looked dried up but did shed what looked like pollen when touched. I don't think anyone would have got there before me, it's buried deep in a garden.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Went and had a look at them. Looks like they are male with very few flowers. So that's the end of that.

I posted photos of male and female flowers here :
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/help-sexing-hop.103029/#post-1235241

 

[Twostage]

I posted photos of male and female flowers here :
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/help-sexing-hop.103029/#post-1235241

Thanks for that. Yep, male.