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Author Topic: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?  (Read 23960 times)

Offline erockrph

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #15 on: March 05, 2016, 09:39:27 pm »
I'm in a similar boat. I grew hops for a couple of years when I first started brewing, but I ended up growing varietals that I don't really have an interest in brewing with. I decided to restart 2-3 plants this season, but I've been looking for something that I'm actually going to want to use. Cascade and Centennial don't do much for me, since every commercial brewery has used these to death. I'm definitely going to grow Sterling, since I use it in my lagers quite a bit. My others are going to be two of the following:

Sorachi Ace
Crystal
Glacier
Pacific Gem
Kent Golding

I'm leaning towards Sorachi (from Farmhouse Brewing Supply) and Pacific Gem (from Great Lakes Hops), right now. But Kent Golding is tempting to try since I often brew English ales over the winter.

Good luck on the Goldings. It has been said that Goldings needs long days like in England to do well, I am a little north of you at 42.3o Latitude, and my Goldings never produced more than a small handful of puny cones. I ripped it out.
Good to know. Maybe I'll go with Fuggles instead if I decide to do the English hop thing.
Eric B.

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Offline fmader

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #16 on: March 06, 2016, 05:03:48 am »
I agree about the Goldings. I live around 40.7 latitude. My Goldings grew well, but never produced a cone. Same with Mt. Hood and Perle. I pulled them all out last year. If you're looking for something noble-ish, my Willamette grows very well and produces many cones.
Frank

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #17 on: March 06, 2016, 06:17:17 am »
I agree about the Goldings. I live around 40.7 latitude. My Goldings grew well, but never produced a cone. Same with Mt. Hood and Perle. I pulled them all out last year. If you're looking for something noble-ish, my Willamette grows very well and produces many cones.
Mt. Hood has done well for me some years, not others. Willamette, not so well, but I may leave it in another year, as it did a little better last year than most.
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Offline pete b

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #18 on: March 06, 2016, 06:35:55 am »
I'm in a similar boat. I grew hops for a couple of years when I first started brewing, but I ended up growing varietals that I don't really have an interest in brewing with. I decided to restart 2-3 plants this season, but I've been looking for something that I'm actually going to want to use. Cascade and Centennial don't do much for me, since every commercial brewery has used these to death. I'm definitely going to grow Sterling, since I use it in my lagers quite a bit. My others are going to be two of the following:

Sorachi Ace
Crystal
Glacier
Pacific Gem
Kent Golding

I'm leaning towards Sorachi (from Farmhouse Brewing Supply) and Pacific Gem (from Great Lakes Hops), right now. But Kent Golding is tempting to try since I often brew English ales over the winter.

Good luck on the Goldings. It has been said that Goldings needs long days like in England to do well, I am a little north of you at 42.3o Latitude, and my Goldings never produced more than a small handful of puny cones. I ripped it out.
Good to know. Maybe I'll go with Fuggles instead if I decide to do the English hop thing.
I'm in the same boat, Eric I want to grow English hops but not sure if I can. My cascade and galena do great and I make use of them but I'm brewing more UK styes these days.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #19 on: March 06, 2016, 06:56:47 am »


I'm in the same boat, Eric I want to grow English hops but not sure if I can. My cascade and galena do great and I make use of them but I'm brewing more UK styes these days.
Since Fuggles seem to grow just fine at lower latitudes (Styrian Goldings are actually Fuggles), and are one of Cascade's parents, I'm hoping they are a safer bet around here for an English hop.

Eric B.

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Offline pete b

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #20 on: March 06, 2016, 07:39:23 am »


I'm in the same boat, Eric I want to grow English hops but not sure if I can. My cascade and galena do great and I make use of them but I'm brewing more UK styes these days.
Since Fuggles seem to grow just fine at lower latitudes (Styrian Goldings are actually Fuggles), and are one of Cascade's parents, I'm hoping they are a safer bet around here for an English hop.
My problem is I'm OK with fuggles but love, love, love EKG. I use it more than any other hop.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #21 on: March 06, 2016, 10:03:13 am »
Willamette is a Fuggles triploid. It is a little more robust, but hasn't done much for me.

The Fuggles you grow in the US may not taste like British grown Fuggles.
Jeff Rankert
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #22 on: March 06, 2016, 12:36:01 pm »
Willamette is a Fuggles triploid. It is a little more robust, but hasn't done much for me.

The Fuggles you grow in the US may not taste like British grown Fuggles.
Bingo. Styrian Goldings taste very little like UK grown Fuggles in my opinion. I'm thinking that Fuggle is highly dependent on terroir.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline pete b

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #23 on: March 06, 2016, 03:40:49 pm »
Willamette is a Fuggles triploid. It is a little more robust, but hasn't done much for me.

The Fuggles you grow in the US may not taste like British grown Fuggles.
Bingo. Styrian Goldings taste very little like UK grown Fuggles in my opinion. I'm thinking that Fuggle is highly dependent on terroir.
According to Denny and some others (not me, I like it) that terroir would include potting soil. Maybe it is grown in the leftover peat used to make peated malt.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline b-hoppy

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #24 on: March 06, 2016, 05:02:27 pm »
I've grown Fuggle, Willamette, Golding etc over the years with no real luck as the most any of those have ever yielded has been maybe 3-6 ounces, not worth the effort.  Brewers Gold on the other hand is a beast here in Ohio but is quite a bit different (catty, juicy, pungent) than the others.  This may be an option though: http://www.greatlakeshops.com/vojvodina.html.   I got one a few years ago and it gives me between 8 oz and a pound at harvest.  The aroma is really pleasant and earthy much like the Golding & Fuggle with a moderate alpha.  Grows well with a very minimal response to downy mildew. 

Offline pete b

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2016, 05:47:12 am »
I've grown Fuggle, Willamette, Golding etc over the years with no real luck as the most any of those have ever yielded has been maybe 3-6 ounces, not worth the effort.  Brewers Gold on the other hand is a beast here in Ohio but is quite a bit different (catty, juicy, pungent) than the others.  This may be an option though: http://www.greatlakeshops.com/vojvodina.html.   I got one a few years ago and it gives me between 8 oz and a pound at harvest.  The aroma is really pleasant and earthy much like the Golding & Fuggle with a moderate alpha.  Grows well with a very minimal response to downy mildew.
Sounds interesting. I wonder if I can find the hops for sale to see if I like them.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2016, 06:44:23 am »
I've grown Fuggle, Willamette, Golding etc over the years with no real luck as the most any of those have ever yielded has been maybe 3-6 ounces, not worth the effort.  Brewers Gold on the other hand is a beast here in Ohio but is quite a bit different (catty, juicy, pungent) than the others.  This may be an option though: http://www.greatlakeshops.com/vojvodina.html.   I got one a few years ago and it gives me between 8 oz and a pound at harvest.  The aroma is really pleasant and earthy much like the Golding & Fuggle with a moderate alpha.  Grows well with a very minimal response to downy mildew.
Sounds interesting. I wonder if I can find the hops for sale to see if I like them.
I have bought from hopsdirect, I see they have leaf and pellets available. Used in a Ballantine IPA clone.
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline pete b

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2016, 12:08:35 pm »
I've grown Fuggle, Willamette, Golding etc over the years with no real luck as the most any of those have ever yielded has been maybe 3-6 ounces, not worth the effort.  Brewers Gold on the other hand is a beast here in Ohio but is quite a bit different (catty, juicy, pungent) than the others.  This may be an option though: http://www.greatlakeshops.com/vojvodina.html.   I got one a few years ago and it gives me between 8 oz and a pound at harvest.  The aroma is really pleasant and earthy much like the Golding & Fuggle with a moderate alpha.  Grows well with a very minimal response to downy mildew.
Thanks Jeff, I think I'll pick some up soon and hopefully I can brew something up so I can taste them before growing season, still 6 weeks and more away.
Sounds interesting. I wonder if I can find the hops for sale to see if I like them.
I have bought from hopsdirect, I see they have leaf and pellets available. Used in a Ballantine IPA clone.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Fruity, tropical hop rhizomes I can actually get my hands on?
« Reply #28 on: March 11, 2016, 08:48:30 am »
It should not be too long before some of the newer public domain varieties become available to us as rhizomes but you're probably a year or two early (maybe more). If you can get Pacific Gem then that's probably your best shot right now at what you are after.
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