How to cheaply use hops for brewing
Have you ever thought, gosh, "I'm sick of paying so much for hops! I wish there was a cheaper way?"
There is.
And it so so very easy.
You can grow your own hops!
Even if your green thumb is decidedly lacking in green, you can cultivate your own hops in your own garden.
Using fresh hops in your homebrewing efforts is an awesome feeling and adds to that sense of 'master of your own beer brewing destiny' that many beer makers seek.
It's also fairly organic if that's what you're into.
Here's our guide to growing hops:
Where can I get hops plants from?
Hops grow best from root-like cuttings which are known as rhizomes. Rhizomes can be purchased online but home brewers that grow their own share with each other, or sell them cheaply. A great way to source these contacts is on social media groups such as Facebook and beer forums.
There's plenty available to purchase on Amazon too.
You can always try growing hops from seed, though this is not considered as easy as using a rhizome.
Hops may be grown in any moderate climate if given proper maintenance and care but the best to plant the rhizome is during spring to allow for the plant to take advantage of the summer growing period.
Hops plants are best served by being planted in a sunny location. A site exposed to many hours of sun in the day is ideal.
So if you've planted in spring, you'll be harvesting in summer. While it depends on where you live, autumn will likely be too late. So hops can take 4 - 6 months in the growing cycle to be ready for harvesting.
Yes, it's true.
Just like kiwifruit.
Male and female flowers of the hop plant usually develop on separate plants.
Because viable seeds are unwanted for brewing beer, only female plants are grown in hop commercial fields, thus preventing pollination.
Light is the natural enemy of hops. Hop cones are susceptible to breaking down due to the effects of the sun and light from the first moment they are harvested. You should do your best to avoid light exposure as much as possible so store hops in a dark place.
Hops that has broken down due to light exposure can impart off flavours into the beer.
Fuggle is another popular hop. It has a classic English aroma and provides a well balanced bitterness which makes it a great choice for English and American-Style Ales. It's described as being mild and pleasant, spicy, soft, woody, with some fruit tones.
What is the best season to plant hops in?
Hops may be grown in any moderate climate if given proper maintenance and care but the best to plant the rhizome is during spring to allow for the plant to take advantage of the summer growing period.
Where should I plant my hops rhizome?
Hops plants are best served by being planted in a sunny location. A site exposed to many hours of sun in the day is ideal.
The hop vines (known as bines) grow upright at quite a rate so they will need something like a trellis to climb up.
Tall poles can be used together with strong string or twine are often used to support the growing bines.
Hops grow at a fast rate and really take advantage of the soil's properties - being nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium.
Home growers can choose to use commercial products that add these elements or by making manure compost.
Tall poles can be used together with strong string or twine are often used to support the growing bines.
Hops grow at a fast rate and really take advantage of the soil's properties - being nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium.
Home growers can choose to use commercial products that add these elements or by making manure compost.
If you can convince some Lady Bugs to hang around your hops plants.
How to harvest hops from the bine
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| Lupulin powder in the hop |
A hop that is ready to be picked will feel dry to the touch, be somewhat 'stringy' and have a strong hop smell. The lupulin powder will be left on the fingers.
If you open the hop cone up, it should release the powder if it is matured properly. It will be a warm yellow - goldish colour.
I heard hops plants have male and female versions?
Yes, it's true.
Just like kiwifruit.
Male and female flowers of the hop plant usually develop on separate plants.
Because viable seeds are unwanted for brewing beer, only female plants are grown in hop commercial fields, thus preventing pollination.
It's not time to light up
Light is the natural enemy of hops. Hop cones are susceptible to breaking down due to the effects of the sun and light from the first moment they are harvested. You should do your best to avoid light exposure as much as possible so store hops in a dark place.
Hops that has broken down due to light exposure can impart off flavours into the beer.
Experience has shown that hop makers have about 24 hours to begin to process hops before it begins to break down like a vegetable naturally wood. The keenest brewers get their hops into a kiln and dried asap.
Homebrewers can actually dry their hops in an ordinary fruit dehydrator.
You can also leave them to dry on a mesh screen in an airy location (with little light). I've read that some people have been known to dry their hops in the oven using a low heat.
Tips on storing fresh hops
It turns out that turns out freezing hops is actually a popular trick with beer brewers!
Quite simply:
If you want to go all 'professional' you could use a vacuum sealer to remove all the air.
In such cases, you might not need to freeze the hops if the sealing has been done properly, but it wouldn't hurt.
You've probably heard of dry hopping right?
That's when you add hops in pellet form to the wort. So if you ever wondered what wet hopping is, it's adding fresh hops to your beer.
And in this case, it's fresh hops you've grown yourself.
Wet hops can be used anywhere in the brewing process, including as a boil addition, whirlpool addition or for dry hopping.
Cascade is a very popular choice of hops. This is an extremely popular American hop. Known for it's floral hop trait, it is often likened to a grapefruit. Cascade is known as a versatile hop variety that is popular for bittering, finishing and dry hopping of pale ale and American style beers. It produces a good yield and is considered fairly resistant to diseases.
The rhizomes can be ordered from Amazon.
Quite simply:
- take your dried beer hops and place them in a zip-lock bag.
- remove the excess air and then seal.
- grab a Sharpie pen and write on the name of the hops on the bag so you don't forget and then place in the freezer until required.
If you want to go all 'professional' you could use a vacuum sealer to remove all the air.
In such cases, you might not need to freeze the hops if the sealing has been done properly, but it wouldn't hurt.
How to use fresh hops with your beer
You've probably heard of dry hopping right?
That's when you add hops in pellet form to the wort. So if you ever wondered what wet hopping is, it's adding fresh hops to your beer.
And in this case, it's fresh hops you've grown yourself.
Wet hops can be used anywhere in the brewing process, including as a boil addition, whirlpool addition or for dry hopping.
What are some good varieties of hops to grow?
There are all kinds of hop varieties that one can choose from. We recommend these two for simplicities' sake:
The rhizomes can be ordered from Amazon.
Fuggle is another popular hop. It has a classic English aroma and provides a well balanced bitterness which makes it a great choice for English and American-Style Ales. It's described as being mild and pleasant, spicy, soft, woody, with some fruit tones.
Basically, it will depend on where you live, what's popular and how easy it is to obtain. Many specialty hoops delivery websites have popped up as the demand for hops plants has grown. Kiwis could try Wild About Hops while many rhizomes can be found on Amazon.
Some hops are protected by intellectual property rights so cannot be grown by those who do not have permission to do so. For this reason, hop plants that are in the public domain are fairly popular with hops growers.
This can be a bit of a tricky measurement because fresh hops are called wet hops for a reason - they are made mostly of water - and that can mean all the tables and measurements go out the window if you are trying to work out the exact alpha acid rating for your hops.
How much wet hops to use with a brew?
This can be a bit of a tricky measurement because fresh hops are called wet hops for a reason - they are made mostly of water - and that can mean all the tables and measurements go out the window if you are trying to work out the exact alpha acid rating for your hops.
That said a general rule has been established - use anywhere between 6 - 10 times the amount of dry hops you would normally use.
Generally speaking, you are using fresh hops to promote aroma and flavor additions to your brew. If you are trying to add bitterness, store brought hops where you can identify their bittering qualities could be the way to go.
Hops have a tendency to grow quite rampantly when placed in good growing conditions. They tend to spread and take up every inch of soil that's open to them. That's why many growers recommend that after the final harvest of the hops cones, the plant should be cut back to about three feet and then left to grow back. A good time to do this is at the beginning of winter.
A further trick is to plant your hops 'above ground' that is to say in a container of some kind such as a tub or old kitchen sink so as to help contain the plant's movements across your garden.
Extra hops tips for Experts:
And so, armed with the comprehensive knowledge of hop cultivation, you stand on the cusp of a new era in your homebrewing adventures. From sourcing the ideal rhizomes to understanding the subtle art of wet hopping, your garden is not just a space for flora—it’s a brewing laboratory awaiting its first experiment.
Generally speaking, you are using fresh hops to promote aroma and flavor additions to your brew. If you are trying to add bitterness, store brought hops where you can identify their bittering qualities could be the way to go.
Beware the creeping vine of hops!
Hops have a tendency to grow quite rampantly when placed in good growing conditions. They tend to spread and take up every inch of soil that's open to them. That's why many growers recommend that after the final harvest of the hops cones, the plant should be cut back to about three feet and then left to grow back. A good time to do this is at the beginning of winter.
A further trick is to plant your hops 'above ground' that is to say in a container of some kind such as a tub or old kitchen sink so as to help contain the plant's movements across your garden.
Extra hops tips for Experts:
- How to dry hop your beer
- How to add hops to the beer kit's wort
- Where to buy beer hops online
- Using beer hops for home brewing
And so, armed with the comprehensive knowledge of hop cultivation, you stand on the cusp of a new era in your homebrewing adventures. From sourcing the ideal rhizomes to understanding the subtle art of wet hopping, your garden is not just a space for flora—it’s a brewing laboratory awaiting its first experiment.
While the act of planting and nurturing may appear humble, each step is a critical addition to a tapestry that culminates in a personalized, homegrown flavor profile. As you contemplate the sun dipping below the horizon, you might find yourself envisioning those verdant bines ascending skyward, their cones ripening in a dance of nature and craft. Don't forget, however, that the humble hop plant, so often overshadowed by its more vocal counterparts—yeast, malt, and water—is now offering its fragrant bounty solely to you.
These hops are yours in every sense: an embodiment of your soil, your care, and your vision for that perfect brew. And as you take that first sip of your own homegrown, freshly brewed beer, you'll realize that hops aren't just a purchased ingredient; they're a manifestation of your brewing ethos. Here, in this garden of aromatic delight, you're not just a brewer. You are a cultivator of experiences, a farmer of flavor, and indeed, the true master of your beer-brewing destiny.
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