Another little help for a Hop Virgin - HomeBrewChatter.com Home Brew Forum

Dreamer · 07-17-2009, 06:24 AM

My folks have a variety of Hop growing in their back yard. Mom bought the plant at a nursery in town a couple years ago, and didnt think to remember the variety. She said she planted it and it died, then a couple years later it reemerged.

If you can Id it, is it a variety I could use in brews and to what extent.

This pic shows some small cones maybe 1/4" by 1/2" long.
I picked one and tried to smell it but nothing.

I guess if all else fails, I could call the nursery and ask them if they only sold one variety that year, and if so what was it.

Thanks
Dreamer

ben the brewman · 07-17-2009, 02:30 PM

those cones are not close to even being ready to be picked. they will devolpe more and will start to produce luplin soon and then they will start to smell. keep a eye on them and pick one every once in a while and pinch it to see if it smells and to see if it stays compressed or springs back. if they spring back when pinched and sound kinda like tissue paper they are ready to be picked.

Dreamer · 07-18-2009, 04:02 AM

Okay, but is it possible to tell by the pics what variety they are?

ben the brewman · 07-19-2009, 02:16 PM

by the pics im gonna say there hops. i have no idea if you can tell what they are by just looking at them.

Ronthered · 07-19-2009, 07:10 PM

Hard to tell. maybe you could take some time to do a google image search of all the different more common hops and see if anything looks like those leaves. although I am willing to bet more than a few look like that. resembles some cascade and nugget I have growing.

zoebisch01 · 07-23-2009, 04:42 PM

From the best I have gleaned, the predominant identification factors are going to be:

(loosely in this order)
Mature Cone shape
Mature Aroma
Leaf shape
emerging shoot appearance

There are probably very subtle differences between varieties making it really tough to differentiate. First guess would be Cascades because they are a vigorous grower, well adapted to many climates and therefore are a good choice for nurseries as ornamentals.

snails · 07-31-2009, 04:28 AM

i'm going to guess they are cascades/willamettes because those are most common in nursuries

07-17-2009, 06:24 AM	#1
Dreamer Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 79	Another little help for a Hop Virgin My folks have a variety of Hop growing in their back yard. Mom bought the plant at a nursery in town a couple years ago, and didnt think to remember the variety. She said she planted it and it died, then a couple years later it reemerged. If you can Id it, is it a variety I could use in brews and to what extent. This pic shows some small cones maybe 1/4" by 1/2" long. I picked one and tried to smell it but nothing. I guess if all else fails, I could call the nursery and ask them if they only sold one variety that year, and if so what was it. Thanks Dreamer

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07-17-2009, 02:30 PM	#2
ben the brewman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: memphis, TN Posts: 1,016	those cones are not close to even being ready to be picked. they will devolpe more and will start to produce luplin soon and then they will start to smell. keep a eye on them and pick one every once in a while and pinch it to see if it smells and to see if it stays compressed or springs back. if they spring back when pinched and sound kinda like tissue paper they are ready to be picked.

07-18-2009, 04:02 AM	#3
Dreamer Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 79	Okay, but is it possible to tell by the pics what variety they are?

07-19-2009, 02:16 PM	#4
ben the brewman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: memphis, TN Posts: 1,016	by the pics im gonna say there hops. i have no idea if you can tell what they are by just looking at them.

07-19-2009, 07:10 PM	#5
Ronthered Supreme Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago transplant in Bloomington, Indiana Posts: 3,990	Hard to tell. maybe you could take some time to do a google image search of all the different more common hops and see if anything looks like those leaves. although I am willing to bet more than a few look like that. resembles some cascade and nugget I have growing.

07-23-2009, 04:42 PM	#6
zoebisch01 3 point plan Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: House of Representin' Posts: 3,312	From the best I have gleaned, the predominant identification factors are going to be: (loosely in this order) Mature Cone shape Mature Aroma Leaf shape emerging shoot appearance There are probably very subtle differences between varieties making it really tough to differentiate. First guess would be Cascades because they are a vigorous grower, well adapted to many climates and therefore are a good choice for nurseries as ornamentals.

07-31-2009, 04:28 AM	#7
snails Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: california Posts: 173	i'm going to guess they are cascades/willamettes because those are most common in nursuries