[COHO] Harvesting Hops - question for you

[MICHELLE THOMAS]

It's my understanding that you should cut down the vines and pick all hops at one time.  Sounds to me like they're mature and ready to be harvested.  If you plan on using them later you can dry them out for a couple of days in your garage on a screen door and a two sawhorses.  Then package them with some type of sealer that squeezes out all of the O2, then freeze or refrigerate as needed.  Your other option would be to brew a fresh hop ale immediately after picking them off the vine.  A recipe like this with "wet hops" calls for 3-5 times the amount of hops you would put into a normal brew, so you could easily burn through 40+ ounces of hops in a 10 (or 5?) gallon batch.  I'd imagine about ten of us will become expert hop pickers this weekend, we could always storm your friend's place and rid him of those pesky hops on Sunday or Monday.  




Brett
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Huntkng at aol.com<mailto:Huntkng at aol.com> 
  To: coho at lists.bendtel.net<mailto:coho at lists.bendtel.net> 
  Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 4:14 PM
  Subject: [COHO] Harvesting Hops - question for you


  My friend has a 20'x10' wall covered with hops.  The leaves are just starting to die out and the flowers are still green with some of them turning yellow on the tips.  We can have them all, I think that there are 20 - 40+ ounces or more there.  I don't know what type they are.  

  I don't know anything about harvesting hops.  Do I pick a few ounces here and there as the get mature or take them all at once?  When are they ripe for the picking??  Some smell hoppy some don't.  Best way to dry them?  The flowers are about an inch long and 3/4" wide at the middle.  Do I vacuum pack them and then freeze em'. 

  Bill

  William (Bill) Herrick
  PO Box 7499
  Bend, OR 97708
  Wk: (541) 318-8862
  Fax: (541) 318-0083
  e-mail: huntkng at aol.com
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