Hops

[Tator2k]

Anyone have experience in growing their own hops for homebrewing? I planted 10 rizomes earlier this month and waiting to see how these turn out.

[OnAFly]

A buddy of mine did. I don't know what kind they were, but they seemed to grow well in a semi-shaded area and a direct light area...until his neighbor sprayed the fence with something and killed them.

[picksbigwagon]

I have two buddies, who do a ton of brewing, that have both planted hops and have tried using them. They were not that successful, BUT, the hops make a great fence covering. On friend has them growing over his back yard patio pergella, great shade....

[Nainoa]

I move into my new place in May... I've got my spring planting schedule picked out and I'm already in over my head. But I plan to do a nice dining arbor or open gazebo grown over with hopps in 2013.

As I understand it the big issue is that they are zone 5 plants... So a really harsh winter here in zone 4 can kill them.

[mallardnwalleye]

My neighbor has Centennial, Cascade and Simcoe. They all produce wonderfully hopped beer. He did a fresh hopping during the boil and then a fresh hop tea bag thing after 1 st ferentation or something and all I can say is what a wonderful aroma that beer had when we first tapped it.

I believe he covers them with mulch and puts snow on them so it will work up here. The best place for advice would prolly be beer geek forums like Northern Brewer.

Good luck!!

[BartmanMN]

My buddy grows his own He has strings that go up to his maple tree that look like a Teepee and they grow well. He has successfully brewed with them.

[Nainoa]

Once upon my travels I ran into a guy who said the issue with hops and harsh winters usually applies to the early years...

Just like Asparagus as they age they drive deep roots down into the ground... And so giving them cover once those roots are well established below the freeze line...

The problem I think comes in that first winter or two and if you get a long hard cold stretch in January where the ground freeze locks them in completely.

So my "Guess" would be that you'd have to mulch them in thick... And then that first winter (Or Two) just put a nice big snow pile over them. Then in the spring, shovel the snow pile down so you don't get some kind of melt water-refreeze.

[Nainoa]

I don't do a lot of home brewing... I think I've done around a dozen batches lifetime.

As I understand it the issue with fresh hops is infection... All it takes is one little hold spore hiding in ruffle introduced at the wrong time.

I wonder if there's a procedure where you can dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds before adding them into the brewing process?

[Tator2k]

As long as you're using them during the boil phase any wild bugs would be killed. It's when you get to dryhopping after primary fermenation that you could run into an issue.