I seem to have found hops in my garden...

[molc]

So, got up this morning and was in the garden and spotted what looked like hops growing on a trellis in my back garden!



I'm still looking for the root, so it maybe a case that it's growing in my neighbours garden. Any of the Raheny brewers want to own up? :p

Anyway, does it look:
1. Like a hop
2. Like its healthy and can be harvested
3. How the he'll do I find out what type of hop is it?

[Taf]

Definitely hops, and looks healthy enough, considering a lot of varieties might be past there best at this stage. If it's coming from neighbours rather than wild escapee, might be Prima Donna, which has a lot of goldings characteristics.  Slice it open to see if it has much lupulin which resembles a yellowy green pollen. You can either dry them out or maybe use in fresh hop ale. 

[molc]

Thanks. I did a search for Prima Donna and I found Golden Tassel, which look very like the hops and the leaves:
http://home.btconnect.com/Micropropagation/DwarfHops/DivaCones.htm

I split one open and it smells amazing, with plenty of lupulin inside. I'm flying out tomorrow, so I'll harvest them tonight and spread them on some grease proof paper in the hot press while I'm gone.

[CARA]

Nice find! Prima Donna are what white gypsy grew this year!

[delzep]

Spread them on kitchen roll....better at absorbing than grease proof paper

[molc]

So in the fading light I took another look. it is indeed my plant it seems. There were trellis setup by the previous iwner, who seems to have loved gardening.


Grabbed some that I could see and did a wee harvest. Also cut through one so you can see what's inside.



Will dry this and do a smash to see what it's like

[johnrm]

Good find clom!

[Garry]

How big is your garden if you're only finding them now Sorry, I'm just jealous. I tried and failed to grow hops and you just "find" them in your garden.

[molc]

Well, it gets worse. I spent all damn summer pulling it up as it was wrapping itself around every plant it could find, not knowing it was hops. No idea how it managed to survive.

The garden isn't big, just it has a lot of green stuff that I know nothing about

[Simon_]

A homebrewer inadvertently finds a bucket load of hops growing in his backgarden. What are the chances? Do the lottery this weekend.

[mr hoppy]

Apparently hops grow wild in Mount Desert and Myrtleville. Couldn't find them myself though.

[molc]

Well I got about 30g out of it in the end. It was getting dark so I missed a load. Came back after holidays and they were all dead too, so lucky to get what I got.

[Padraich]

Did you get around to using the hops yet???

I only just found this thread!

[molc]

Still sitting in a bag in the freezer, as I've been trying to get some other recipes sorted. I might make a 5L smash with the over the Christmas though, just to see what it tastes like I guess just some pale malt and the hops at 60,15 and 1? Wonder should I add any Crystal to give them a chance at tasting anywhere interesting...

[molc]

Was thinking of this as a recipe. I've never tried to do a smash from scratch, so I may be way off.  I used First gold as  a hop base, so the IBU's mean nothing except to let me set ratios. Also I think I'll need to rejig the boil volume, as it is assuming 2L loss, which wont be true.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 l
Boil Size: 9.17 l
Boil Time: 60 min

1.206 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 1 100.0 %
5.00 g Mystery Hop [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 2 13.2 IBUs
10.00 g Mystery Hop [7.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 3 14.4 IBUs
15.00 g Mystery Hop [7.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 4 1.9 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35.49 ml] Yeast 5 -

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 %
Bitterness: 29.6 IBUs
Est Color: 8.0 EBC

Mash Profile
Mash In Add 3.15 l of water at 73.1 C 66.7 C 60 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 7.24l) of 75.6 C water