Re: Harvesting hops

Hi John and everyone, Clip the hop cones off with a scissors onto a plate or tray. Dry them at room temperature, in the dark. Don't pile them on top of each other, spread them in a single layer. They will take a couple days to dry, unless it is very humid in your home, then it will take longer. They are ready to harvest when they are still green, not brown, but lighter in color than during the summer months, and when torn apart, there is lots of bright yellow hop resin sacs in the interior part of the hop cone. And best of all, when sniffed, it is very fresh and wonderful smelling. Use the hops right away for the best aroma. Use them as finishing hops, or if you are really brave, estimate the alpha acid content of the hops based on the industry average for that variety and do a real "Homegrown" beer. I've done this with mixed results....a great tasting, fresh hop aroma pale ale, but a too-bitter Scotch ale have been produced by yours truly using only my homegrown hops. I have Mt. Hood and Cascade hop vines. The Mt. Hood cones are awesome and very good for brewing. The Cascade vine always gets hammered on by insects (I don't spray them at all) and the yield is poor, but the cones are really great....for about a week or two then they get all brown and oxidized (Steve Piatz Lambic hops...) Well, that is my nickle's worth on the subject of picking and drying hops. Want some Mt. Hood cones, anyone?? They are ready now!! Cheers, Steve One of my hop rhyzomes went nuts in this, its first year, and I've been looking at the cones, wondering when I know that it's time to harvest them. After I do, should I dry them in the oven slowly--say, 100 degrees F for 2-3 hours? ------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------