Hops.

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Hops.

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gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 14 4:33 pm Post subject: Hops.
Has anyone tried growing them? Would you need to grow masses of them for brewing? We had some amazing green hop beer at the weekend,just thinking you know

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42118
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 14 4:36 pm Post subject:
Treac's grown them in the past. I used some that he gave me to make beer successfully. You don't need loads, a few ounces in forty pints.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34416
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 14 4:47 pm Post subject:
They're a weed here. No idea of the variety, but I could probably pick some if you wanted.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25705
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 8:36 am Post subject:

A single plant, grown in full sun in good soil, will produce enough hops for several gallons of beer. The plants are easy to cultivate so you can get extra plants year after year; you're likely to have more trouble controlling the beast as it will send out underground runners.

I would choose a variety you know you like, so if your favorite beer lists the hops used pick one of them. Wild hops are likely to be very variable and not worth using considering the cost of the malt and time to make the beer.

There's plenty of info online about them, but to get good results they will need good supports and you need to think about harvesting. They'll happily grow well over 6m and weight quite heavy. They'll scrabble over trees, fencing etc but then picking the flowers (the best will be near the top) will be a struggle!

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13515

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 9:23 am Post subject:

Nick wrote:

They're a weed here. No idea of the variety, but I could probably pick some if you wanted.

Yup, there's a lane near here that's full of them. I'm not sure if they're wild hops or if they'd do the job.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 39258
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 10:03 am Post subject:
plenty of wild/garden skps round here,for brewing specific types for specific brews seems to be best and you might need several types of hops for some beers.

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 12:57 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the info people. We drank a truly wonderful beer at the weekend,made from green hops.The variety used was Goldings. We have some space at the plot and thought we could have a go at growing hops for home brewing.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 2:03 pm Post subject:
Hops are good for helping sleep. either by drinking beer or in pillows.

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 14 9:16 pm Post subject:
I quite fancy adding them to my unruly plant collection. Everything else in the garden is mad and intent on world domination

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 12606

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 14 5:45 am Post subject:
They used to grow them in the fields north of here. I remember seeing the poles; about 10' tall still there. The technique then was to put in poles and have wires between them for the hops to run along. Think the whole thing was pulled down for picking. The older method was to put just the poles in and let the hops climb up them.

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 14 5:22 pm Post subject:
Nick any more details of the wild hops round your way? Are any growing on your place or somewhere where a root could be got without to much trouble. It needs to be female as they're the ones with flowers.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34416
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 14 5:34 pm Post subject:
They have the feathery bits that people dry for beer. You want a root? I'm sure I can find one, or twelve. I'm only in Hereford so can drop them to you, or something. No idea the right time to do this, except that now, I can see them. Out of leave or flower I wouldn't know what to look for.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25705
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 14 5:51 pm Post subject:
You can move whole plants. I tend to propagate plants in spring by pulling off a new low shoot and popping it into some water or soil to root. If you're not growing them for the hops it's worth knowing the shoots can be eaten, a bit like asparagus (vaguely IMHO, but ok, and at least not from Peru or a supermarket).

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 14 11:12 am Post subject:

Cheers Nick, I wouldn't know where to start looking without the foliage.

Are you passing through Worcester a lot , we are not far from St George's square.

I'd like a couple of roots if it isn't going to be too much of a myther.

We have loads of vines if you want to help yourself to cuttings, they take a while to get going and then go for it big style. They are wine varieties I think given by Italian friends and possibly the originals might have come from Italy ages ago.

The birds eat most of them but isn't that always the way.

Back to hops I'm thinking hop pillows and vine garlands. They're apparently related to Cannabis.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34416
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sun Sep 21, 14 2:11 pm Post subject:
Any suggestions of a good time of year to pull shoots for propagation? The leaves and flowers are just hinting at brown here.

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