Hop plants/rhizomes - growing report

[Jim Brewster]

Well, I snoozed on this one but would like to grow a hop plant, just for fun at the moment but in the future I will probably take it more seriously.

Is it too late to get one for this year? I know the ideal time has long passed, so I have lost a good 2 months growing, but is it still worth getting one now... in Cambridgeshire, so the growing season is very good

I see Prima Donna being mentioned a lot, which I've never heard of actually.. is that a good one to grow at home?

 

[Ahdinko]

2nd year on my Cascade, chinook, and hallertauer. They've all gone wild, particularly the Cascade which has reached to the top of the garage roof, and then half way back down! They are all now in burr

 

[531Man]

Well, I snoozed on this one but would like to grow a hop plant, just for fun at the moment but in the future I will probably take it more seriously.

Is it too late to get one for this year? I know the ideal time has long passed, so I have lost a good 2 months growing, but is it still worth getting one now... in Cambridgeshire, so the growing season is very good

I see Prima Donna being mentioned a lot, which I've never heard of actually.. is that a good one to grow at home?

Hi Jim,
I'm no horticultural expert, but thus is taken from the British Hop Association website,
"By the middle to end of July, the hops should have reached their full height and the laterals begin to grow out. Hops come into ‘burr’ first and then the flower or cone develops. It is the shortening of the day length/daylight hours that triggers the plant to produce burr and flower. Broadly speaking, the plant is 3 weeks in burr and 3 weeks in hop before reaching maturity."

So I would think that it is too late for planting for this season's crop, as the height growing season is now finished, and in addition any plant would have to establish itself before 'getting away'.
They reference the shortening of the day instigating flowering, and that commenced almost a month ago.
Regards,
531Man.

 

[531Man]

Well, I snoozed on this one but would like to grow a hop plant, just for fun at the moment but in the future I will probably take it more seriously.

Is it too late to get one for this year? I know the ideal time has long passed, so I have lost a good 2 months growing, but is it still worth getting one now... in Cambridgeshire, so the growing season is very good

I see Prima Donna being mentioned a lot, which I've never heard of actually.. is that a good one to grow at home

And regarding 'Prima Donna' hops;
Just seen the RHS have a guide to growing this exact variety 'Prima Donna' on their website.
And according to EssentiallyHops.co.uk
Prima Donna hop plant (otherwise known as First Gold) is a dwarf variety, designed to grow to a height of around 2-3 metres in a hedgerow system.
So sounds perfect for the home grower.

And this from Charles Faram Hops,

First Gold

Use in brewing​

Dual purpose hop.
The variety is very suitable both as a general kettle hop and also for late and dry hopping in all types of beer. First Gold has good aroma and bittering qualities, much of the flavour of WGV seems to have been retained but with an added extra citrus quality, produces a well-balanced bitterness and a fruity, slightly spicy note in ales. An orangey quality has been observed in many beers brewed using this variety.

Substitutions​

Willamette, East Kent Goldings, Styrian Goldings, Crystal

Origin/History​

A dwarf hop bred at Wye College, on extensive farm trials in 1995. First Gold is from a cross-pollination of WGV with a dwarf male. It has a very attractive aroma which some liken to Goldings but with a higher Alpha content than traditional aroma hops.

Agronomics​

First Gold crops with a larger number of medium-sized cones and yields well on the trial sites. Reasonable tolerance to Verticillium Wilt which seems to be been inherited from its WGV parent. Susceptible to Downy mildew, resistant to Powdery mildew.

Organic Status​

Also available in Organic

Storage​

Excellent

Characteristics	Tangerine, orange, cinnamon aroma, marmalade flavors
Purpose	Bittering & Aroma
Alpha Acid Composition	5.6%-9.3%
Beta Acid Composition	2.3%-4.1%
Co-Humulone Composition	31%-36%
Country	UK

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

It's my first time growing hops this year. This is my Cascade plant. Are all these little furry things going to be hops?

 

[prog99]

View attachment 72617
It's my first time growing hops this year. This is my Cascade plant. Are all these little furry things going to be hops?

Yup.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Holy cow, that's amazing!
The Chinook is just as good too. Centennial is a bit behind though.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Any advice on feeding the hop plants with Miracle Gro, or anything else?

 

[prog99]

I’ve always used bone meal. Slow release.

 

[Sadfield]

Horse ****. Post season has helped mine.

 

[531Man]

Those furry hop buds (#885) have burst open as smallish but perfect hop flowers already.
Question to experienced harvesters,
With this weather how long is it likely to be when they will be ready to pick?
Seems it's going to be an incredibly early season to me, even living in Kent where things are often early, nationally speaking.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

The traditional start of the harvest in East Kent is the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday. You might push that forward 7 or 10 days, but that's really quite unusual.

The drought will probably hold things back a bit and will be bad for yield, but all this bright sun in August is perfect for developing spice/lemon/orange flavours with less "earthiness" - so eg Fuggles will be more Styrian/Willamette-y. If it's anything like 2018 though you may find that the heat fries the fruit out of Bramling Cross and she goes more like her Golding mother.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Potentially another bumper harvest this year!

 

[Sandimas]

I'm thinking the same too, bumper harvest. This Challenger plant only went in last years and is already right over the top of a garden arch, complements my Styrian Goldngs and Cascade elsewhere in the garden.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Wow! Amazing crops both of you.
I'm only on year one of my Cascade, Centennial and Chinook plants but I'll get enough for a few brews I think.
Fascinating plants to grow. I like the way they just seem to know when to stop climbing and end the bine with a hop.
I thought I'd have to pinch out the growing tip!

 

[oldchap]

Good set of burrs appearing on my cascade now. Looking forward to a decent second year's crop! Last year's led to a very nice beer indeed.

Last time I just ran the oven on low for a day to dry out the cones but I'm thinking about getting a food dehydrator for this year's crop. Any recommendations?

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Last time I just ran the oven on low for a day to dry out the cones but I'm thinking about getting a food dehydrator for this year's crop. Any recommendations?

Last year I put all mine in a BIAB and hung them from the light fitting on the landing with the AC on “dry” setting. Would have probably worked just as well with a fan on them.

 

[SMP Brewery]

You’ve all inspired me to have a go at this. Essentially Hops have a few plants going for just over a fiver so taken a punt at that price and hopefully they’ll be ok over the winter.
Would I be better off leaving them in pots until next spring before planting out?

 

[Sandimas]

Would I be better off leaving them in pots until next spring before planting out?

No, get them in now, just ensure they're watered in this dry spell.

BTW, if anyone's near Malvern / M50 and wants a hop plant, I've got a spare Styrian Golding in the pot. Will probably have others later in the year when I clear the garden.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Came across this which is a nice guide to when to harvest hops. But generally - when the first few start to have a few brown scales is about right :
https://yakimavalleyhops.com/blogs/news/how-to-harvest-hops