[coolman26]

Same here on the Mittelfrueh being 14'.  I have no problem buying 14' hops.  I'm going to compare my last years buy to the fresh 15 hops.  I'm guessing my nose maybe can tell fresh, once in a brew, probably not.  Looking forward to some of these I've never used.  When do the 15' noble hops make it to market? 

[hopfenundmalz]

Same here on the Mittelfrueh being 14'.  I have no problem buying 14' hops.  I'm going to compare my last years buy to the fresh 15 hops.  I'm guessing my nose maybe can tell fresh, once in a brew, probably not.  Looking forward to some of these I've never used.  When do the 15' noble hops make it to market?

Normally imported hops show up just after the holidays. Shipping and customs are the lag.

[Footballandhops]

Thanks to the Nikobrew sale I now have 6 pounds of hops that will be in the freezer :/

[klickitat jim]

I started buying from the West Coast when Mark Garetz opened HopTech (He sold the business years ago).  The difference between what Mark sold and what was available in the general home brew trade at that point in time was like the difference between night and day.  Even though things have improved, the home brew trade is at the bottom of the hop totem pole.  Not only are 1oz packages expensive, they are at the bottom of the bottom of the hop totem pole.   Plus, I prefer to purchase as close as possible to the grower.

I tell ya, you want Hop Heaven.  Ted is a BJCP Grand Master.  He drives from his house in eastern OR to Yakima and hand selects his hops from the growers.  He and his wife pack them themselves.  He bought over 35K lb. last year.  You will not find better quality hops...at least I haven't!

I think he was one of the Masters who set the bar for my tasting exam. Said he had just bought a uhaul full and was doing the exam on his way home to bend (I think)

[denny]

I think he was one of the Masters who set the bar for my tasting exam. Said he had just bought a uhaul full and was doing the exam on his way home to bend (I think)

Close...Baker, not Bend.

[Stevie]

Hop Heaven has fair prices too. My only very minor issue is when going for the more popular hops, they tend to be bundled with other hops. I'm normally buying a bunch at once, so it usually doesn't bother me.

[reverseapachemaster]

I was really close to hitting several hop deals this weekend but I looked in the freezer and realized I still have way too much of what I bought this year that needs to be used up. These sales will roll around next year, right about the time my current supply wipes out.

[chinaski]

I cut commercial hops entirely out of my brewing.  My home hop yard is now at the scale that I can be "hop independent"- harvested over 3 lbs. (dry) of the freshest hops I can have.  I have enough successful varieties to brew American, German, and English styles that I enjoy.  Sorry hop sellers!

[denny]

I cut commercial hops entirely out of my brewing.  My home hop yard is now at the scale that I can be "hop independent"- harvested over 3 lbs. (dry) of the freshest hops I can have.  I have enough successful varieties to brew American, German, and English styles that I enjoy.  Sorry hop sellers!

I went the other way....I found it too much of a hassle to keep growing mine when I could get such great quality commercial for so little $$.  For an example, I spent hours caring for, harvesting and packaging my Cascades  only to have so much that I couldn't possibly use it all in a year.  I realized that for $8 I could buy a lb. of Cascade which would be all I'd need in a year and they were at least as good quality as the ones I grew.

[S. cerevisiae]

I can't say I've really monitored the price of the hops before, but I looked tonight since I was just there today.  Willamette @ $1.90 per oz, Liberty @ $1.70 per oz.  Plus I get a 10% discount. 

From personal experience, everything that I have received direct from the West Coast has been heads and shoulders above what is sold in mylar bags at my LHBS, and my LHBS turns over hops.  I usually pay $1.00 or less per ounce shipped to my door for new harvest hops (prices are up this year). My LHBS is a 70 mile round-trip drive, and I have no idea as to when the hops were harvested.  A lot of the cultivars that I purchase are grown by Puterbaugh Farms, so that is a win-win for me.  I know that Cluster is not high on the average home brewer's list of desirable hops, but Puterbaugh Farm's routinely grows top-quality Cluster.  Legacy is also an interesting hop for those who like Cluster.

[erockrph]

Maybe I got them in a bad year, but the Legacy I tried didn't have much flavor at all. I've heard good reviews from other years' harvests, though.

Mark, if you're ever looking to branch out a bit, Wai-iti from NZ might be of interest. It has a massive blackcurrant character up front, with more typical southern hemisphere notes of passionfruit and lime way in the background. Sort of reminds me of a NZ take on Cluster.

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[JT]

Posting here since it is already a hop topic.  Just kegged an APA made with Falconer's Flight.  Hoping the taste improves a bit in the keg.  It's not bad but maybe a bit muted?  Any other experience with this hop?
.7 oz Centennial first wort
1 oz Falconer's Flight @ 5 min left
1 oz Falconer's Flight 7 C's hopstand 10 min
1 oz Falconer's Flight dry hop

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[Stevie]

 YVH just emailed out their Cyber Monday promo. Lots of bulk packs of 2014 hops for $40

[fmader]

YVH just emailed out their Cyber Monday promo. Lots of bulk packs of 2014 hops for $40

The Citra, Galaxy, Cent, and Equinox pack has my name on it!

[smkranz]

A few years back, I tossed 10-15 lb. of very old hops.  That kinda cured me of over ordering...or at least made me cut back some!

I will more than likely end up giving a portion of each pound away to other brewers.    I gave away a sealed one pound mylar bag of whole Tettnanger not long ago.  Purchasing directly from the West Coast in multi-pound lots to save on shipping brings the per ounce price down to the point where I can be generous with other brewers.  I have yet to meet a brewer who will not take free hops as long as they are still in good shape.  I wish that Hops Direct would sell half pound packages.  Yakima Valley sells half pound packages, but I have received less than stellar hops from them in the past.

I can attest to Mark's addiction(s), having just counted said 1 lb. bag of Tettnanger in my freezer with 3 or 4 pounds of other hops.  Might need to plan something Germanic for them very soon.

And Mark, if you're interested in splitting one pound bags of any particular hops from Hops Direct, just hit me up in advance