ISTR that there’s a whole lot of info on the various homebrewing boards (I’ve always been partial to homebrewtalk.com)
What variety did you grow? How did they do?
ISTR that there’s a whole lot of info on the various homebrewing boards (I’ve always been partial to homebrewtalk.com)
What variety did you grow? How did they do?
Hi bump! I got a second-year bine of Cashmere hops which are a Cascade/Northern Brewer cross and although I put it in the ground kind of late it grew quite well for ten feet or so and set quite a lot of cones for a second-year bine and a hop-growing homebrewing colleague came over to give me some tips about picking and drying in exchange for some of the cones and maybe a bottle of IPA later and now they are definitely getting a lot drier and papery-er after just about 48 hours but I think they still have a ways to go because I read you’re supposed to be able to snap the cone in half and they’re still bendy?
Still very excited about this, if you didn’t notice! AFAICT they’re drying fine although slowly (no heat, moderate fan), and should be done in the next 24 hours or so. I am trying to figure out what kind of deals I should make with my homebrewing friends for local organically-grown air-dried Cashmere hops, as I’m in this for the beer and not just the fun of drying stuff!
I tried growing some Cascade and Willamette hops about a dozen years ago, and they didn’t do well- I think it’s too hot here for them to really thrive without ridiculous amounts of water, plus the day length is wrong. Glad yours worked well! I suppose you’re going to use them for flavor and aroma since you don’t have a real good idea of the alpha acid levels?
I don’t brew myself, so I don’t really know what the eventual recipients of the dried hops will use them for. Hoping I get a few bottles of whatever it is!