[denny]

I have noticed that freshly picked hops have an amazing aroma that just isn't fully there when the hops are dried, and I mean freshly dried hops just a couple days off the vine. Fresh, undried hops are rarely used, however because of a reported grassy, vegetal, taste that I assume comes from the fresh cones. So I'm thinking that this weekend when I pick the remainder of my cascades I will pull open the cones and use tweezers to pull out the yellow lupilin glands so I get the hops goodness without the green flavor the rest of the cones will give me. I'm way too busy for this but I can't help it unless someone knows why adding this fresh yellow parts in place of a late hop addition won't work. Please tell me this won't work so I don't waste this time.

How do you know the that the rest of the hop doesn't contribute desirable flavors?  You've come up with a laborious, possibly useless, plan based on a guess that you don't even know is right.  Doesn't make sense, man.

[denny]

How are you drying the hops?  At room temperature or heating them up?  Also you don't have to dry them all the way.  You could try partially drying them and seeing if that gives the flavor you want without the grassiness.

I dry them on screens in the dark at about 65 degrees then vacuum seal and freeze. that goes as well as it can I think.

If you;re drying them in the dark to prevent skunking, don't bother.  They won't skunk without the presence of yeast.

[pete b]

How are you drying the hops?  At room temperature or heating them up?  Also you don't have to dry them all the way.  You could try partially drying them and seeing if that gives the flavor you want without the grassiness.

I dry them on screens in the dark at about 65 degrees then vacuum seal and freeze. that goes as well as it can I think.

If you;re drying them in the dark to prevent skunking, don't bother.  They won't skunk without the presence of yeast.

I've heard they brown up if dried in light. Where I dry them is naturally dark so I'm not going to extra trouble.

[pete b]

I have noticed that freshly picked hops have an amazing aroma that just isn't fully there when the hops are dried, and I mean freshly dried hops just a couple days off the vine. Fresh, undried hops are rarely used, however because of a reported grassy, vegetal, taste that I assume comes from the fresh cones. So I'm thinking that this weekend when I pick the remainder of my cascades I will pull open the cones and use tweezers to pull out the yellow lupilin glands so I get the hops goodness without the green flavor the rest of the cones will give me. I'm way too busy for this but I can't help it unless someone knows why adding this fresh yellow parts in place of a late hop addition won't work. Please tell me this won't work so I don't waste this time.

How do you know the that the rest of the hop doesn't contribute desirable flavors?  You've come up with a laborious, possibly useless, plan based on a guess that you don't even know is right.  Doesn't make sense, man.

I think you may have posted this before seeing my later post. I hope to try the whole leaf hops in a beer also so I'll hopefully answer my original guess about that. My evidence that they won't contribute desirable flavors is admittedly anecdotal: one beer I drank 3 years ago and what I've read. I think that the Brewer's Garden book said something unflattering about fresh hops.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have noticed that freshly picked hops have an amazing aroma that just isn't fully there when the hops are dried, and I mean freshly dried hops just a couple days off the vine. Fresh, undried hops are rarely used, however because of a reported grassy, vegetal, taste that I assume comes from the fresh cones. So I'm thinking that this weekend when I pick the remainder of my cascades I will pull open the cones and use tweezers to pull out the yellow lupilin glands so I get the hops goodness without the green flavor the rest of the cones will give me. I'm way too busy for this but I can't help it unless someone knows why adding this fresh yellow parts in place of a late hop addition won't work. Please tell me this won't work so I don't waste this time.

How do you know the that the rest of the hop doesn't contribute desirable flavors?  You've come up with a laborious, possibly useless, plan based on a guess that you don't even know is right.  Doesn't make sense, man.

I think you may have posted this before seeing my later post. I hope to try the whole leaf hops in a beer also so I'll hopefully answer my original guess about that. My evidence that they won't contribute desirable flavors is admittedly anecdotal: one beer I drank 3 years ago and what I've read. I think that the Brewer's Garden book said something unflattering about fresh hops.

Old British brewing books don't have good things to say about the quality of American hops. Catty.

Things change. Brew your beers, try some commercial wet hop beers, make your own opinion based on your taste.

[pete b]

I have noticed that freshly picked hops have an amazing aroma that just isn't fully there when the hops are dried, and I mean freshly dried hops just a couple days off the vine. Fresh, undried hops are rarely used, however because of a reported grassy, vegetal, taste that I assume comes from the fresh cones. So I'm thinking that this weekend when I pick the remainder of my cascades I will pull open the cones and use tweezers to pull out the yellow lupilin glands so I get the hops goodness without the green flavor the rest of the cones will give me. I'm way too busy for this but I can't help it unless someone knows why adding this fresh yellow parts in place of a late hop addition won't work. Please tell me this won't work so I don't waste this time.

How do you know the that the rest of the hop doesn't contribute desirable flavors?  You've come up with a laborious, possibly useless, plan based on a guess that you don't even know is right.  Doesn't make sense, man.

I think you may have posted this before seeing my later post. I hope to try the whole leaf hops in a beer also so I'll hopefully answer my original guess about that. My evidence that they won't contribute desirable flavors is admittedly anecdotal: one beer I drank 3 years ago and what I've read. I think that the Brewer's Garden book said something unflattering about fresh hops.

Old British brewing books don't have good things to say about the quality of American hops. Catty.

Things change. Brew your beers, try some commercial wet hop beers, make your own opinion based on your taste.

Well, I think I've been talked down from jumping off this cliff by all of you. A small batch of homebrew with fresh hops, a few commercial examples and a couple not too time consuming experiments it will be.

[denny]

I've heard they brown up if dried in light. Where I dry them is naturally dark so I'm not going to extra trouble.

I've never experienced that.

[denny]

Well, I think I've been talked down from jumping off this cliff by all of you. A small batch of homebrew with fresh hops, a few commercial examples and a couple not too time consuming experiments it will be.

Commendable decisions!

[kramerog]

Sounds like you are on the right path now.  Also please take these pills and seek psychiatric help .

[fmader]

My guess is that you will lose the unique taste of a cascade hop (or any hop) if you don't use the entire come.

Don't do this.

[pete b]

I think some of you will be pleased to know I made a 3 gallon batch of pale ale using freshly picked hops today. I used a simple grain bill and bittered with freshly dried home grown galena, added 1 oz of homegrown cascade I dried and froze last week at the last ten minutes and added 1/2 pound of cascade hops picked during the boil at flameout. I don't plan on dry hopping, I want the fresh hops to be the last addition.
Just to prove you all are not the boss of me I have some cascade cones in a french press with 100 proof vodka. If this hops extract preserves the fresh flavor I might dose some beers with it. It has a lot of nice flavor already but is pretty alcoholic. I might make a cocktail with that, my hops/ grapefruit bitters, and a piney gin. A Sierra Nevada Martini"?