Anyone here aver had any experience with growing hops before?

I have 6 rhysomes in my bar fridge waiting for the ground to warm up.

I’ve got some generic information but if anyone has any real world experience or thoughts that would be great

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Anyone here aver had any experience with growing hops before?

All it takes is a step and a jump.

I have this in a folder from when I was investigating what to grow on the Redoubt, too far north I think.
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/712717/hops-guide-for-new-growers.pdf

Peak Warming Man said:

I have this in a folder from when I was investigating what to grow on the Redoubt, too far north I think.
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/712717/hops-guide-for-new-growers.pdf

Yup have that one already and is a great resource indeed.

Thanks though.

I’m not expecting professional results by any means. I’ve also purchased

https://books.google.com.au/books/about/For_The_Love_of_Hops.html?id=Hs2QAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&redir_esc=y

Also a great resource was kinda after the stuff that people do on a backyard scale.

sarahs mum said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-06/tasmanian-artist-adam-taylor-colourising-old-photographs/12815122

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

sarahs mum said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-06/tasmanian-artist-adam-taylor-colourising-old-photographs/12815122

I belong to the facebook group. and I love that photo. And I thought of it when you mentioned hops.

sarahs mum said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

sarahs mum said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-06/tasmanian-artist-adam-taylor-colourising-old-photographs/12815122

I belong to the facebook group. and I love that photo. And I thought of it when you mentioned hops.

I thought of

So after investigation as to why my hops had not yet sprouted I found out that I cannot tell one end of a hop rhysome to another.

Hopefully I haven’t borked them by incorrectly planting them and then interfering with them in correcting my fubar.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

So after investigation as to why my hops had not yet sprouted I found out that I cannot tell one end of a hop rhysome to another.

Hopefully I haven’t borked them by incorrectly planting them and then interfering with them in correcting my fubar.

Nice. Didn’t bork them despite stuffing them around.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

So after investigation as to why my hops had not yet sprouted I found out that I cannot tell one end of a hop rhysome to another.

Hopefully I haven’t borked them by incorrectly planting them and then interfering with them in correcting my fubar.

Nice. Didn’t bork them despite stuffing them around.

:)

Michael V said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

So after investigation as to why my hops had not yet sprouted I found out that I cannot tell one end of a hop rhysome to another.

Hopefully I haven’t borked them by incorrectly planting them and then interfering with them in correcting my fubar.

Nice. Didn’t bork them despite stuffing them around.

:)

A quick google suggests you plant them horizontal anyway. But never the less, most of those things are pretty forgiving, rhizomes and bulbs. They will just head skywards from the underneath if you put them in upside down. You may never know you did it.

My gods! They are enormous! 20ft trellis!

https://www.growveg.com.au/plants/australia-and-nz/how-to-grow-hops/

buffy said:

My gods! They are enormous! 20ft trellis!

https://www.growveg.com.au/plants/australia-and-nz/how-to-grow-hops/

Yurp. Have the space and means. It’s going to be glorious!

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

buffy said:

My gods! They are enormous! 20ft trellis!

https://www.growveg.com.au/plants/australia-and-nz/how-to-grow-hops/

Yurp. Have the space and means. It’s going to be glorious!

Great and terrible thing.

ooops

finally reached the 3m mark.

After stuffing badly with them i decided to let em be so i think they have far to many binds.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

ooops

finally reached the 3m mark.

After stuffing badly with them i decided to let em be so i think they have far to many binds.

They do get big, don’t they!

buffy said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

ooops

finally reached the 3m mark.

After stuffing badly with them i decided to let em be so i think they have far to many binds.

They do get big, don’t they!

yeah they do. Once they die back in winter i think ill get even longer poles for next year 5 m maybe

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

buffy said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

ooops

finally reached the 3m mark.

After stuffing badly with them i decided to let em be so i think they have far to many binds.

They do get big, don’t they!

yeah they do. Once they die back in winter i think ill get even longer poles for next year 5 m maybe

need some skyhooks.

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

buffy said:

They do get big, don’t they!

yeah they do. Once they die back in winter i think ill get even longer poles for next year 5 m maybe

need some skyhooks.

Installed using a left-handed metric shifter.

Michael V said:

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

yeah they do. Once they die back in winter i think ill get even longer poles for next year 5 m maybe

need some skyhooks.

Installed using a left-handed metric shifter.

pffft metric shifter, you’re living in the 70’s, mate.

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Oops same pic twice.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Wow!

:)

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Not a bad crop. How many kilolitres of beer will that lot make?

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Looking good.

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Not a bad crop. How many kilolitres of beer will that lot make?

I have no idea I’ve never done this before.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

Not a bad crop. How many kilolitres of beer will that lot make?

I have no idea I’ve never done this before.

Loads of fun then.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

>>Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to which, in addition to bitterness, they impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas. Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine. The hops plants have separate female and male plants, and only female plants are used for commercial production. The hop plant is a vigorous, climbing, herbaceous perennial, usually trained to grow up strings in a field called a hopfield, hop garden, or hop yard when grown commercially. Many different varieties of hops are grown by farmers around the world, with different types used for particular styles of beer.
Wiki

Interesting.

PermeateFree said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

>>Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to which, in addition to bitterness, they impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas. Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine. The hops plants have separate female and male plants, and only female plants are used for commercial production. The hop plant is a vigorous, climbing, herbaceous perennial, usually trained to grow up strings in a field called a hopfield, hop garden, or hop yard when grown commercially. Many different varieties of hops are grown by farmers around the world, with different types used for particular styles of beer.
Wiki

Interesting.

Looks like all the fun of the circus.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Think they might be ready to pick in the next week or two.

>>Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to which, in addition to bitterness, they impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas. Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine. The hops plants have separate female and male plants, and only female plants are used for commercial production. The hop plant is a vigorous, climbing, herbaceous perennial, usually trained to grow up strings in a field called a hopfield, hop garden, or hop yard when grown commercially. Many different varieties of hops are grown by farmers around the world, with different types used for particular styles of beer.
Wiki

Interesting.

Looks like all the fun of the circus.

Or make some money instead.

Enigma Hops 100g. $12.00 As low as $10.30. Add to Cart. Waimea Hops 100g. $12.00 As low as $10.30. Add to Cart. Taiheke Hops 100g. $10.50 As low as $8.70.

https://www.thebrewshop.com.au/beer-making/hops2.html

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Oops same pic twice.

They look very healthy.

buffy said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Oops same pic twice.

They look very healthy.

After I made a mess of their planting I left the poor buggers alone.

Harvested my Hops today.

Got approximately 6kg

Trying a couple of different drying methods

Food dehydrator at lowest setting ,35C

Thin layer over fly screen over a cloths hanger thing with a fan blowing air up from underneath.

Had an old bookshelf in my shed that I converted into a hop dryer. I cut the back out, stapled fly screen over the back. and stuck it on some saw horses Only difference is the hops are in a thicker layer and my shed fan is blowing down on them.

What I have learned for next time.

1, Keep control of where each plant grows. These things got away from me so quickly and grew into each other so that at harvest time I was unable to differentiate between the three different hops. Now I have to use them as a combo, was looking to try each individually but oh well to late now.

2, When harvesting work over a tarp or something, even being as careful as I could when trying to pick them a lot of the hops fell onto the grass and were a pain to pick up.

3, 6kg of freshly picked hops does not sound like a lot but it is. Its bulky and more than I was prepared for to dry. The old book case was a last minute work around to at least give me a chance to dry the lot.

4 Stick my head into the hop harvesting bucket more often as I harvest, you really cant get enough of the smell. Ive wased my hands 3 times now and they still smell great.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Harvested my Hops today.

Got approximately 6kg

Trying a couple of different drying methods

Food dehydrator at lowest setting ,35C

Thin layer over fly screen over a cloths hanger thing with a fan blowing air up from underneath.

Had an old bookshelf in my shed that I converted into a hop dryer. I cut the back out, stapled fly screen over the back. and stuck it on some saw horses Only difference is the hops are in a thicker layer and my shed fan is blowing down on them.

What I have learned for next time.

1, Keep control of where each plant grows. These things got away from me so quickly and grew into each other so that at harvest time I was unable to differentiate between the three different hops. Now I have to use them as a combo, was looking to try each individually but oh well to late now.

2, When harvesting work over a tarp or something, even being as careful as I could when trying to pick them a lot of the hops fell onto the grass and were a pain to pick up.

3, 6kg of freshly picked hops does not sound like a lot but it is. Its bulky and more than I was prepared for to dry. The old book case was a last minute work around to at least give me a chance to dry the lot.

4 Stick my head into the hop harvesting bucket more often as I harvest, you really cant get enough of the smell. Ive wased my hands 3 times now and they still smell great.

Well done. All looks very artisanal.

Good that you got a nice crop. You’ll be better prepared next season. do you need a specific moisture content?

>> Now I have to use them as a combo
——-

The special blend.

Bogsnorkler said:

Good that you got a nice crop. You’ll be better prepared next season. do you need a specific moisture content?

they say about 8% but ima eyeball it and vack pack and freeze when I think its ok. I’ve given up overthinking things. It never works for me as I just confuse myself.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Good that you got a nice crop. You’ll be better prepared next season. do you need a specific moisture content?

they say about 8% but ima eyeball it and vack pack and freeze when I think its ok. I’ve given up overthinking things. It never works for me as I just confuse myself.

But, but, but, science, man!!!

should be able to go by feel. you have used bought ones so a comparison between them.

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Good that you got a nice crop. You’ll be better prepared next season. do you need a specific moisture content?

they say about 8% but ima eyeball it and vack pack and freeze when I think its ok. I’ve given up overthinking things. It never works for me as I just confuse myself.

But, but, but, science, man!!!

should be able to go by feel. you have used bought ones so a comparison between them.

maybe, all the ones I’ve ever used are like chook pellets and heavier than the lose cones. but yeah she’ll be right.

For those interested 6kg of picked hops dried down to approximately 1.2kg.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

For those interested 6kg of picked hops dried down to approximately 1.2kg.

and how much beer does that amount do?

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

For those interested 6kg of picked hops dried down to approximately 1.2kg.

and how much beer does that amount do?

If it works out to the 200g I use in my usual session beer approximately 120liters. If it don’t it will be either greater or less than approximately 120liters of beer.

Or I could have just bought a kilo for about 70 bucks or so depending on variety and quantity.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

For those interested 6kg of picked hops dried down to approximately 1.2kg.

and how much beer does that amount do?

If it works out to the 200g I use in my usual session beer approximately 120liters. If it don’t it will be either greater or less than approximately 120liters of beer.

120 litres should keep you going for a while. shouldn’t it?

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Or I could have just bought a kilo for about 70 bucks or so depending on variety and quantity.

But you know how to do it now and so next year…

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Or I could have just bought a kilo for about 70 bucks or so depending on variety and quantity.

Nah. More fun your way.

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

and how much beer does that amount do?

If it works out to the 200g I use in my usual session beer approximately 120liters. If it don’t it will be either greater or less than approximately 120liters of beer.

120 litres should keep you going for a while. shouldn’t it?

Depends if the wife is on a bender or not.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

If it works out to the 200g I use in my usual session beer approximately 120liters. If it don’t it will be either greater or less than approximately 120liters of beer.

120 litres should keep you going for a while. shouldn’t it?

Depends if the wife is on a bender or not.

shakes head, women eh?

sarahs mum said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Or I could have just bought a kilo for about 70 bucks or so depending on variety and quantity.

But you know how to do it now and so next year…

And the plants I got reduce the initial investment every year they don’t die. Might break even in my 70s >.<

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Or I could have just bought a kilo for about 70 bucks or so depending on variety and quantity.

Nah. More fun your way.

Oh yeah it’s a vibe thing.

I wonder how much barley I could grow in my back yard lol

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I wonder how much barley I could grow in my back yard lol

barely enough i would say.

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I wonder how much barley I could grow in my back yard lol

barely enough i would say.

You know there is probably a grain of truth in that.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I wonder how much barley I could grow in my back yard lol

barely enough i would say.

You know there is probably a grain of truth in that.

Dear lord.

Final product of using my home grown hops. It’s a fine beer though not as hop forward as I would have liked. Might benefit from a little longer in the keg.

As the Alpha acids are unknown in hops grown at home I followed the advice of not using them for bittering and stuck to using them for dry hopping only.

What I’ve learned. Use about 30 to50% more than you are used to with pelletised hops. Use something with weight (have since been advised marbles in the hopsock do a good job) to get them to fully submerge when dry hopping and finally they absorb more liquid than store bought, came out about 3 liters short of a full keg.

Overall growing my own hops for brewing beer has been a fun and educational experience.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Final product of using my home grown hops. It’s a fine beer though not as hop forward as I would have liked. Might benefit from a little longer in the keg.

As the Alpha acids are unknown in hops grown at home I followed the advice of not using them for bittering and stuck to using them for dry hopping only.

What I’ve learned. Use about 30 to50% more than you are used to with pelletised hops. Use something with weight (have since been advised marbles in the hopsock do a good job) to get them to fully submerge when dry hopping and finally they absorb more liquid than store bought, came out about 3 liters short of a full keg.

Overall growing my own hops for brewing beer has been a fun and educational experience.

Well I’ve found it interesting to follow. Even though I’m not in the least bit interested in consuming the product.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

Final product of using my home grown hops. It’s a fine beer though not as hop forward as I would have liked. Might benefit from a little longer in the keg.

As the Alpha acids are unknown in hops grown at home I followed the advice of not using them for bittering and stuck to using them for dry hopping only.

What I’ve learned. Use about 30 to50% more than you are used to with pelletised hops. Use something with weight (have since been advised marbles in the hopsock do a good job) to get them to fully submerge when dry hopping and finally they absorb more liquid than store bought, came out about 3 liters short of a full keg.

Overall growing my own hops for brewing beer has been a fun and educational experience.

Shame I can’t sample a gobful.