Hops Harvest day:
Its time for the hops harvest again. Once again, I have way too many hops (Slightly more than last year) and I don't wish to see them go to waste. I don't have time to pick dry and sell them.
If your interested in picking some free fresh hops for your next brew, I have lots of Fuggles and Cascade and some Kent Goldings.
I was thinking of having a bit of a get-together at my place - "Hopsover Fest" in next couple of weeks, where we could -
1) pick hops for your next brew,
2) discuss brews, growing/processing hops, and any other shite.
3) sample a home brew or three
How does the afternoon of Sat 20th September suit?
Wish I was in Limerick now. Would love to try an IPA with some fresh cascades.
Hoping to be in Limerick that weekend, would love to drop out for a few hours on the Saturday afternoon. As far as I remember your in Birdhill? Let us know if you decide to change the date.
Shanna
Brett , I can make that day . I will let Colin - the guy you met at the Scarriff seedsavers brewing demo - know it is on.
Eoin
QuoteI will let Colin - the guy you met at the Scarriff seedsavers brewing demo - know it is on.
Thanks Eoink. Can you give him my email address and tell him to email me.
Same as last year, please PM me your email address if you are interested in coming to this event in Birdhill, Co. Tipperary.
I'd rather not post all details on the forum.
Quote from: brettdundee on September 08, 2014, 09:57:48 AM
Same as last year, please PM me your email address if you are interested in coming to this event in Birdhill, Co. Tipperary.
I'd rather not post all details on the forum.
Hi Brett
Will PM you closer to the date to get your details. Any hints on how to dry the hops?
Shanna
QuoteAny hints on how to dry the hops?
I always dried them in a sort of three tiered mesh cage thing that's designed for sun-drying tomatoes in Australia. It wouldn't dry tomatoes here, but it great for drying a largish amount of hops. It takes about two weeks hanging up in the kitchen. They need to be turned regularly as the hops near the center don't dry.
Your question prompted me to do a little experiment I should have done before. Over the weekend I harvested a peck of hops and
1) put some in my usual mesh drier
2) put some in the electric fruit drier. (95degF for 8 hours and they were done)
3) Put some in a paper bag in the hot press
I'll get some idea of the results later in the week. Already I'm leaning towards the electric fruit drier. I never used this for hops before because it didn't hold larger amounts, but because its so fast, I could actually process way more over a week.
We are good to go this Saturday;
Format :
2pm Setting up.
3pm Picking hops.
7pm BBQ (€10 per head)
8pm weigh and distribute hops.
Location : Birdhill. Co. Tipperary
Please PM me if you are coming so I can get enough food, and send you directions.
Brett
Brett would love to make it but my inconsiderate sister has decided to get married that day.
Quotebut my inconsiderate sister has decided to get married that day.
Excuses, Excuses !
Only one thing for it. Just hang around for the church and photo after, then dart off to Birdhill. So long as you're back for the last dance no-one will notice.
Well,
Weather's looking promising 18deg and sunny.
Looks like we have 10 pickers and two possibles (not including Chris who has an inconsiderate sister), so we should have a good peck picked in a few hours, then onto the BBQ.
Hey Brett, confirming that I will not be on attendance.
Enjoy the day all!
Quote from: johnrm on September 20, 2014, 12:53:02 AM
Hey Brett, confirming that I week not be on attendance.
Enjoy the day all!
Anybody else from Cork going to be there as I have your Ahtanum John.
Shanna
Thanks Shanna,
Are you staying at your sisters?
You could leave them there.
I will be passing at some stage.
Quote from: johnrm on September 20, 2014, 09:00:25 AM
Thanks Shanna,
Are you staying at your sisters?
You could leave them there.
I will be passing at some stage.
Staying at my Mums will send you a PM.
Shanna
Ta
Big thanks to Brett for his hospitality yesterday, unfortunately was not able to sample any of his beer but from the rate the others were lashing in to it speaks volumes :) Left with a good share of fuggles & cascade & both Alex & I had a great day.
Shanna
Glad you enjoyed it. I'll post a few pics later
Unfortunately, I got distracted on way the to get you a few takeaway bottles :-[. If you are passing today or another day, please text me and call in for them. You need some of the Gnarley Nettle ale's antihistamine properties for those vine scratches.
cheers
Brett
Quote from: brettdundee on September 21, 2014, 12:03:06 PM
Glad you enjoyed it. I'll post a few pics later
Unfortunately, I got distracted on way the to get you a few takeaway bottles :-[. If you are passing today or another day, please text me and call in for them. You need some of the Gnarley Nettle ale's antihistamine properties for those vine scratches.
cheers
Brett
Some other day gives me a perfect excuse to call over. Good luck with the demo on the 5th of October.
Shanna
Thanks for the great day yesterday Brett - looking forward to brewing with your fuggles and cascade.
Eoin
PS
Your Gnarley Nettle beer went down well. :)
Well we had another great sunny year for the hops, and another great sunny day for our 3rd annual Hops harvesting day.
We had a turnout of 10 pickers this year, some more fashionably late than others (I suspect they were hoping to avoid the bar carrying exercise of last year). Anyway after we set up the bar we started on the Cascades at 4pm.
Here you see Eoin attempting the one handed pick technique
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u608/brettdundee/IMG_2250_zps69a662ec.jpg)
Dec and myself were cutting down the spikey vines which scraped our forarms prevoking small alergic reactions. A few pints of my "Gnarley Nettle Ale" helped aleviate the alergy. It's a well kept secret that nettles contain natural antihistamine as well as histamine that causes the sting.
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u608/brettdundee/GnarlyNettle_20140730_zps788c39d2.jpg)
We also had an Irish stout and wheat beer on tap.
By the time the BBQ feast was ready at 8pm everyone was so famished that anything would have tasted great. Well no complaints at least.
Then for the hops weigh in and divvying up and several more pints into the night.
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u608/brettdundee/IMG_2253_zps0c0c5c6a.jpg)
Total crop was;
Cascade - 2.55 Kg
Fuggles - 4.2 Kg
Goldings - 1.48 Kg