Hops Yard, 2013

[brew]

So have you harvested yet? I've been wondering about mine they look good but I'm just not sure...

[JohnQ]

Not yet,
They are still a little damp, Might need to break up the order of harvestl
Last year they were all harvested together, but they were only ounces each.
This year they are all producing really well, so I might need to do a few different harvests.

JQ

[fakr]

Senior, can you give us a rundown of how to know when to harvest?

[JohnQ]

They should feel papery dry on the outside, but still bounce back when you squeeze them. Another good test is a clockwise twist of a cone should have them fall apart pretty easily. Shouldn't be brown yet, so if you see the tips starting to turn it's not too late, but it might be a day later.

Another tip I heard on a podcast this year is to leave the bottom 4 feet of the bines attached to the ground, give them a couple of weeks and bury them again in a circle around the mound and in the spring, they will have turned into rhizomes, with a node at each leaf node.  In 4 feet you should get about a dozen new rhizomes.

My Fuggle came in today and is in a drying box we're trying out this year.
It was 1.4 Kg Wet, so should end up being about 12-14 ounces dried.

My 2nd Galena came in yesterday, I'll be weighing them dry when I get home tonight, I'm guessing it'll be about 6 ounces or so dry.

I think we're going to pull down the Willamette tomorrow, I'm guessing given the Fuggle success it'll be at least half again over the Fuggle.

JQ

[fakr]

Thanks for the tips.  Very useful. 
Some of the cones are starting to feel dry so I'll have to monitor them closely.

[DandyMason]

Sounds like a good harvest so far JQ!

I just picked 13 oz wet hops from my second year cascade, there will be another small harvest in a week or two im guessing. I really didnt tend to it much this year so im pretty happy with this. I plan to toss it all in the end of a boil next friday.

[JohnQ]

Here's our second year Centennial.
2.75 Kg Wet, so about 700g, dried.
I've built a couple of drier boxes that are on top of fans.
So far the 1.4 Kg of Fuggle is down to about 800 grams.
Going to take half of each variety and freeze at 50% wet weight, and then try and dry the other half to freeze at 25% wet wait, then compare the handling of them after freezing.
The way these feel, I think the difference will be minimal, I'll just use twice as much of the wetter ones.

Was planning on just freezing them all wet, but after seeing how much we're getting, it's tough to use them in partial amounts after they're wet frozen, no problem if you're putting them all in one batch.

The Box is 18x18x9

JQ

[chrismccull]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlsT-x19III" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlsT-x19III</a>

[fakr]

Very good video...definitely set me straight on when to pick mine...thanks for sharing Chris!

[JohnQ]

Good video, though...he had many overdone hops on those bines, so most growers look for an average, just turning brown tips, don't wait... they spoil very quickly.

If you can pick the tops without picking the bottom you might get more "better" hops, but on average you'll do best if you don't let any of them get to where he lets some of them get to.

JQ

[JohnQ]

And 4 bines of Willamette came in at 2.9 Kg wet.

Just cut down the Chinook, will weigh in the am.

JQ

[JohnQ]

Here are the final results...
Variety / # of Bines / Wet Weight
Cascade / 2 / 2.5 kg
Centennial / 3 / 2.75 kg
Chinook / 2 / 1.8 kg
Fuggle / 4 / 1.45 kg
Galena / 2 / 1.9 kg
Magnum / 2 / .85 kg
Nugget / 4 / 1.85 kg
Willamette / 4 / 2.9 kg

Total 17 kg  Wet weight, dried down to about half weight for most of them and frozen.

JQ

[fakr]

Very impressive Senior!