Hop plants/rhizomes - growing report

[Little Rock Brewing]

This is my Chinook. I see the goodies, but is it ready?

 

[Sandimas]

This is my Chinook. I see the goodies, but is it ready?

Rub it between your fingers and smell it, you should get a strong aroma. TBH it looks a little wet still, they open up and start to dry a little just at the point they're ready, not far off but maybe a week or two to be at their best?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Little Rock Brewing
Did you split it open or cut it open?

Should just peel open from top to bottom when optimum.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

@Little Rock Brewing
Did you split it open or cut it open?

Should just peel open from top to bottom when optimum.

I cut it open.
I'll try peeling open next time, good tip thanks.

 

[Polcho]

Looking great, has a bit to go yet.
I have Chinook in its first year, not looking great though.

 

[ecirpian]

This is my Chinook. I see the goodies, but is it ready?

I see why they call them chinook now, they are massive! Mine are starting to come good but still a couple of weeks to go unfortunately, just as the crap weather heads my way

Second pic is cascade, also living up to its name, there are thousands on the bine. I’d say the cascade are 4 weeks out, but they have amazed me how fast the cones have developed in the last two weeks.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

First pick of the Cascade hops. The rest on the plant, which are more sheltered, are a little under so can wait.

 

[Sandimas]

All the hop cones look massive this year, last year they were particularly small. Still waiting, any day now.....

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Only my Chinook are really big. Not sure if it matters though. I like cherry tomatoes the best!

 

[SMP Brewery]

So they are less than a week in their temporary home and have grown at least 6 inches, I suppose I just let them grow until they stop and then cut them right back?

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Hi SMP.
I'm no expert on hops but I'd say, yes, just let it do it's thing as a bit of a practice for next year!
It will probably do more harm cutting it back.
Mine are only one year old but I've read that I should just let them die back after harvesting for the first winter. After that cutting back is recommended.

 

[Sandimas]

Just got a Facebook reminder that I harvested the hops 2 years ago today, Sept 5th. I'm hoping I can eek it out until the weekend when it's a bit drier, to get them in.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Well I now know why hops are so expensive!
I dried and vac packed all those in that green tray in my post above.
Total weight 85g!
Still very satisfying though.

 

[Cwrw666]

Well I now know why hops are so expensive!
I dried and vac packed all those in that green tray in my post above.
Total weight 85g!
Still very satisfying though.

Yes, they go down to nothing, especially if you get them crispy dry. My first picking are all dried, packaged and in the freezer but I left a lot on the bines as they weren't quite ready yet.
So far I've got 4 oz of prima donna (about 100g) and 21 oz of cascade (about 600g), all packaged in 28g bags - which is plenty for a flame-out addition. So it looks like I'll be drinking a lot of citrussy pales this year.
Hopefully there'll be a break in the weather so I can get the rest in before too long.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Yeah I can't complain as it's year 1 for me, so wasn't expecting much at all.
We've got a few days of rain on and off here now, so the rest will have to wait.
They're not quite ready though, so should be fine.

 

[Sandimas]

I got about 400g each off my Styrians and Cascade last year, I used up all the Cascade but still have loads of Styrian left. Looks like I'll get even more this year, plus I have a very-laden Challenger that's gone mad this 2nd year and threatens to out-produce both the others.

 

[531Man]

My experimental Scottish hop was only planted this year, and there aren't any cones at all, or anything that looks like them. It's still in good leaf but I'm hoping for better next year. I’ll run the strings up in a narrower fan as well I think.
View attachment 74117

We were in Oslo last week visiting their historic Folk village (NORSK FOLKEMUSEUM, Bygdøy, Oslo, Norway), and they had hops being cultivated in their produce garden area no more developed than yours look. What variety are they?
I didn't get to speak to anyone about what was expected of them so can't really comment, but they looked like something was hoped for, what with the care that was being lavished on them.
I like your rock wall garden storage heater idea.
Down here that would be for growing figs.
This one I gleaned whilst on my cycle ride a couple of weeks ago. Fully ripe and Juicy! A first for me in England.

 

[531Man]

My first tranche picking today.
More are coming close behind.
I'm a dyed in the wool forager, thankfully the local landowner is friendly and generous.
360g wet.

 

[aolcot]

Does anyone grow Glacier hops here? 1st year growing hops and have both a Cascade and Glacier planted out.. The cascade was amazing, not the biggest of yields, but nice big cones, fantastic citrusy aromas.. can't wait to get them in a brew later in the year.

But my main question is around the glacier cones.. I just don't get any aroma from them at all!.. i've harvested half the plant, and will do the rest later in the week.. Research is showing me that this isn't the most pungent of hops, but I still expected to get some aroma from a ripe cone when I cut them open.

Any experience of this hop variety and does it get better as it matures over the years? Somewhat underwhelmed with Glacier at the moment.. even to the point of considering replacing it next year which I won't do lightly mind..

 

[Loonytoone]

I have three hop plants, Northdown, Yeoman and East Kent Goldings; all planted in 2018.
This year the harvest was down slightly on years before coming in at 1.750 Kgs total.
I used all in two brews!