tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post229884549997031161..comments2024-02-23T15:34:32.816-05:00Comments on The Mad Fermentationist - Homebrewing Blog: Drying Hops at HomeThe Mad Fermentationist (Mike)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-24288987138274038772017-08-27T17:48:04.466-04:002017-08-27T17:48:04.466-04:00Chris I would love to have your elderberry beer re...Chris I would love to have your elderberry beer recipe if you feel like sharing!Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-89965201201432410292014-08-29T18:26:27.509-04:002014-08-29T18:26:27.509-04:00Sounds like a good plan. Make sure they are comple...Sounds like a good plan. Make sure they are completely dry. I use a vacuum-bagger, but a ziploc and a drinking straw would be passable for short-term storage.The Mad Fermentationist (Mike)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-380288284172761422014-08-27T13:53:31.387-04:002014-08-27T13:53:31.387-04:00I grow cascade and centennial on my roof. The othe...I grow cascade and centennial on my roof. The other day I broke a bine and this morning finally got to collecting the hops that were surprisingly dry already. Since Im a few weeks from brewing Im assuming I should take these dried on the bine hops and stick them in the freezer in a bag with as little air as possible? Any insight would be appreciated. I usually brew with these hops as I harvest them, so this is the first time Ive had to figure out how to store hops for a short period. <br />ThanxAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442634421765408658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-17907228228993236562013-06-15T12:41:03.484-04:002013-06-15T12:41:03.484-04:00Here is the beer I ended up brewing with these hop...<a href="http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2011/09/wet-hopped-peach-amber-tasting.html" rel="nofollow">Here is the beer</a> I ended up brewing with these hops, with additions for bittering and flameout. I dry hopped with wet hops too, and still it didn't have much hop aroma. I actually dumped the last of the bottles a few weeks ago, easier than scrubbing off a case of labels, and after two years, it wasn't getting any better.The Mad Fermentationist (Mike)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-58821635033811758062013-06-14T11:32:10.022-04:002013-06-14T11:32:10.022-04:00So, what was the verdict on drying hops this way?So, what was the verdict on drying hops this way?karreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15741545459323832017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-50207457452541789892011-09-21T00:54:21.960-04:002011-09-21T00:54:21.960-04:00I grow my hops in a v-shape, from a central point ...I grow my hops in a v-shape, from a central point up two supports made of jute twine. They connect to each end of a horizontal 1x1 about 8 feet long and supported horizontally about 18 inches from my deck rails.<br /><br />They grow up the twine and cascade over the trellis. Access is easy when it's picking time (last night) and when you're ready to take the bines down, you simply cut the jute and roll it all up for the compost pile.<br /><br />I plant them inside of a 12" round cement pipe or a bottomless plastic nursery pot to contain the spread.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-79021958641476262432011-07-26T10:58:32.518-04:002011-07-26T10:58:32.518-04:00Cool - thanks. I guess, though, before I worry abo...Cool - thanks. I guess, though, before I worry about picking and drying, I need to come up with a trellis arrangement that works... I'm on "Version 3" and it was a massive FAIL. I now have Cascade, Willamette, Chinook and Nugget hops growing in the weeds with no trellises. :-(<br /><br />There are also a crapload of wild hops around here - Central NY used to be one of the main hop growing regions of the US.Middle Class Middle Aged White Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13781991895469133830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-29516906685903482082011-07-21T15:01:33.212-04:002011-07-21T15:01:33.212-04:00You should use a fish emalsion and kelp as a folia...You should use a fish emalsion and kelp as a foliar feed twice a week till a couple weeks before harvest. The fish will add trace minerals and the kelp will give rapid growth. The flavors of your hops will be much better and stronger with the better health. Once a month you can do your Rapid Grow feeding. I also add wood ash for flowering.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12905362327313044045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-59981973396304183622011-07-21T14:54:34.326-04:002011-07-21T14:54:34.326-04:00I grow hops from some wild collected vines I found...I grow hops from some wild collected vines I found in a field near my house. They have the best flavor and very unique. This year I will do some wild collecting of hops and my garden. I also wild collect mulberry and elderberry for a great beer. I love my winter elderberry Christmas beer. I drink it when I start to get sick. It works great.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12905362327313044045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-21889236679491916972011-07-20T12:50:13.288-04:002011-07-20T12:50:13.288-04:00I did that a couple years ago, but there's no ...I did that a couple years ago, but there's no way I could do that anymore. Maybe using larger filters or building them from fabric and wood. The volume was just too high in the third and fourth year and beyond. <br /><br />Even the window screen method failed with so much material to dry. I'm moving into a new place, so I have three years to contemplate the next drying rig. And I have pounds of dry hops to use until then.Ben Fogthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05373522212349323783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-21845755951917208742011-07-19T10:31:22.736-04:002011-07-19T10:31:22.736-04:00I tried freezing my first harvest of wet hops last...I tried freezing my first harvest of wet hops last year, but when I defrosted them they looked like wilted spinach (I couldn't bring myself to use them out of a concern for imparting a grassy flavors from the ruptured cells). Interesting to hear that Moonlight and Russian River do it with good results, I might have to try it again so I can dry hop a wet hopped beer.The Mad Fermentationist (Mike)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-13253386141570850452011-07-19T09:58:31.961-04:002011-07-19T09:58:31.961-04:00You might consider freezing the hops wet instead o...You might consider freezing the hops wet instead of drying them first: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/hop-dryer-plans-121504/index2.html#post1353853Eriknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-3190496362432098162011-07-19T08:52:01.477-04:002011-07-19T08:52:01.477-04:00I've got two second year hop plants growing up...I've got two second year hop plants growing up twine to a poll that was their when I bought the house. One is Cascade, the other is probably Willamette (I got the rhizomes from another local homebrewer). I also have two ~6 year old plants at my parents’ house in Massachusetts, but they don’t get enough sun or water to produce much.<br /><br />There is no way to know the percent of alpha acids when you pick the hops without getting them lab tested. This is cost prohibitive for homebrewers, but you have a couple options. You could guess, brew a style that has some range of bitterness you'd be happy with, learn from that first experiment and adjust for future batches (if your harvest is big enough). I usually just use commercial hops for bittering and save my homegrown for late boil aroma additions to avoid the issue all together.<br /><br />Glad you guys enjoyed the post/rig, if anyone else tries it let me know if it works for you.The Mad Fermentationist (Mike)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-37954142405920045802011-07-19T08:41:04.512-04:002011-07-19T08:41:04.512-04:00I used the same rig to dry my home grown hops. Li...I used the same rig to dry my home grown hops. Like you, I haven't brewed with them yet. I vacuum-bagged them and threw the bags in the freezer, to be used pretty soon.<br /><br />MCMAWG, you know to pick them when (1) the cones start to feel slightly dry and papery, as opposed to dense and leafy, (2) some of the tips of the brachts start to yellow or brown, (3) the lupulin turns from bright yellow to a golden color and becomes quite sticky and very aromatic, and (4) when you squeeze a cone, it springs right back to form. An immature cone stays compressed for a short while when you squeeze it; a mature cone bounces right back.<br /><br />As for alpha acid, you can only know for sure if you send your hops to a lab for testing. But your rhizome provider will tell you the average range for the variety, and you can assume your hops are in the middle of that range. For this reason, it's not wise to use homegrown hops for bittering. When used for flavoring and aroma, the alpha content isn't as important.Jackhttp://www.whenyeastattack.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-82842071197564699392011-07-19T06:18:02.062-04:002011-07-19T06:18:02.062-04:00...but the overriding questions are "How do y......but the overriding questions are "How do you know when to pick them and what alpha you're getting"?Middle Class Middle Aged White Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13781991895469133830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-48375695336785037722011-07-19T01:37:30.442-04:002011-07-19T01:37:30.442-04:00Awesome! All my plants are 2nd year. I was wonderi...Awesome! All my plants are 2nd year. I was wondering what I was going to do in the fall...Brandonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-4486153265907762002011-07-18T22:49:11.636-04:002011-07-18T22:49:11.636-04:00Great looking hops! And nice drying apparatus as ...Great looking hops! And nice drying apparatus as well. Do you grow those hops in your yard? What varieties do you grow?HolzBrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08551917356646521925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-26366383130132800552011-07-18T21:29:01.668-04:002011-07-18T21:29:01.668-04:00I just stumbled on your blog, awesome stuff! I am...I just stumbled on your blog, awesome stuff! I am a newbie and seeing your dedication with the hops growing is inspiring. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing! I look forward to catching up with your older posts.jmcleodhttp://www.ssdisability-lawyer.comnoreply@blogger.com