Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Male hop plant  (Read 15280 times)

Offline thirsty

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
  • Brewster, NY
Male hop plant
« on: July 18, 2011, 07:09:30 pm »
I have a second year east kent goldings plant that is growing just fine, but I'm pretty sure it's a male plant. No cones, but lots of bunches of flowerish buds.

What do I do with this thing?

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2011, 07:27:43 pm »
Keep it away from yer wimmin plants.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2011, 12:05:23 am »
I have a second year east kent goldings plant that is growing just fine, but I'm pretty sure it's a male plant. No cones, but lots of bunches of flowerish buds.

What do I do with this thing?
Do they look like this?  If so they are burrs, give them time and they will turn into cones.  You can google hop burrs for more pics.

Tom Schmidlin

Offline thirsty

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
  • Brewster, NY
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2011, 05:09:02 am »
They look more like small bunches of grapes. I'll try to get a pic.

Offline alikocho

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 567
  • Bristol, UK
    • A Storm Brewing
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2011, 06:11:16 am »
They look more like small bunches of grapes. I'll try to get a pic.

Do they look like this? That's a male.

Bristol Brewing Circle (BBC)
Bristol Craft Brewers

UK National Homebrew Competition - http://www.bristolhomebrewcompetition.org.uk/

Offline b-hoppy

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 166
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2011, 08:02:56 am »
If it is a male, you could just let it go and see what happens.  I've read some debates on using seeded hops and none have really swayed me one way or another.  I have one male in my garden and it blooms at a point that only later ripening varieties have some seeds.  I think it's kinda cool!  Go for it!

Offline thirsty

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
  • Brewster, NY
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2011, 08:08:20 am »
alikocho, yeah that's it. I am so bummed. After two years of waiting I get no cones.   :'(

At least I have some other hops.

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2011, 08:47:39 am »
where did you get the rhyzomes? don't usually see male plants available.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline thirsty

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
  • Brewster, NY
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2011, 09:09:54 am »
Well I ordered a normal female plant.
Got it from freshops. I emailed them a few days ago but hadn't heard back so I figured I'd ask here.

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2011, 10:32:16 am »
Are you sure it is fully male?  Stressed plants will sometimes express both male and female characteristics with "sterile" male flowers.  If it has both kinds of flowers, then it is a female but it is not a happy plant.  Make it happy and you should have only female characteristics next year.  If it is fully male, rip it out. :-\
Tom Schmidlin

Offline pinnah

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1323
  • Wesloper, CO
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2011, 03:22:23 pm »
I have a bisexual Zeus.  Its name is Pat.



I snip the males out...as there are not very many.

I have also had an all male Crystal.  That bastid never did get any feminine parts, so I let him have it with some Roundup.

Neither of these plants were stressed.  Both came from Freshops.  It happens.

What is a bit scary, is that I have hops in the garden coming up from seed; I also have one plant that appeared over 50m away from any other plant that I swear seems to be a cross between the male Crystal and a Chinook.

Hops are wicked prolific and have the genetic potential to take care of business themselves. :o



Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2011, 04:31:25 pm »
The Zeus with both is probably stressed, even if it's not apparent.  Unless of course, Zeus are more prone to exhibiting this, and that I don't know.  But stress can come in lots of forms, the right temp, amount of water, nutrients, soil conditions, etc.  Some varieties are probably more tolerant than others, but I can't imagine zeus would be chosen as a variety to propagate if hermaphrodites were a frequent problem.  Then again, it could be a failure of imagination. :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline thirsty

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 304
  • Brewster, NY
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2011, 05:12:58 pm »
I've been growing hops without a problem for five years or so now, so I don't think it's stress. It's way to tall for me to clip the flowers so I will just get rid of it soon I guess.

Offline tonyp

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 656
  • If it ain't broke you aren't trying hard enough...
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2011, 09:00:02 pm »
I have a bisexual Zeus.  Its name is Pat.

you sir, owe me a keyboard. that actually made me chortle!
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline stblindtiger

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: Male hop plant
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2013, 07:32:25 pm »
I have a Hermaphrodite Zeus plant that I got from Freshhops as well.

This is the second year, and was not stressed at all. It's growing like crazy to tell you the truth. I just noticed the seed pods today.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it????

Is this common with Zeus?