Hey everyone, and thanks for taking a look at this thread, I've been home brewing for quite a few years now and 3 years ago started growing my own hops to help offset the cost of some of my favorite beers. Tettnanger, Cascade, Mt Hood and Nugget so far, and they are all doing great so far, if not completely taking over the boxes they are in. Last year was the first year I actually used the cascade I grew, and it really turned out great. I gave away the Tettnanger to a brewer friend of mine, and the Mt. Hood didn't produce enough yet, it got attacked by aphids really bad and never fully recovered. The Nugget was victim to my son's imagination that it was a bad dragon and he saved us all by beating it within an inch of it's life with a stick. My question is, what hops do you like to grow and how do you take care of them, harvest them and dry them? How do you store them and use them? I am new, so please forgive me if this topic has been beaten like a bad dragon. Thanks for reading.
I've been growing Cascade, Columbus, and Nugget for a few years. For the most part, I'll use the Nugget anywhere I need IBUs, and typically the Cascade and Columbus go in for flavor/aroma. I give them a light fertilizing a couple times a summer, and hand pick the weeds, thats about it.. Oh, and give them lines to climb. When they're ready, I usually harvest one variety at a time, cutting the bines down low and allow it a couple days on the bine to start to dry out. Then I will hand pick all the cones off, and dry them with the food dehydrator (boy does the house smell good!), finally packing them into ~1oz vac bags and then store in the freezer.
I pick mine as they are ready - I leave the bine up - and dry on screens in the garage. Some get used wet for one beer. Vacuum pack and in the freezer for storage.
Curently I have Cascade, Centennial, and Prima donna (First Gold). I give mine plenty of water in the morning and I mulch with my spent grains. The Cascade produces like crazy! The Prima Donna grows on a net, not a cord, so it's a little more time consuming when harvesting because the net has to come down. I use a dehydrator and vacuum packs for packaging.
