Hops

[Badger]

I know a place where hops have been growing wild for a number of years. My question, if anyone can help, is; When is the best time to pick said hops, and how do I go about drying them?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Odsox]

The time to pick hops commercially is the first week of September until they are all picked (about the middle of Sept in Kent).
After that they have lost their freshness and more importantly the lupulin has decayed.
Lupulin is the greenish yellow powder in between the "petals" that is responsible for the bitter taste and is also a preservative.

Go and have a look at them as soon as possible and if the cones still feel fresh and none of the "petals" fall out, and there is still some greenish yellow powder in there, then it's worth picking them still.
Dry them in a very cool oven until they are bone dry and they will keep for a year.

[Badger]

Cheers for that Odsox, I will take a ride out that way tomorrow and have a look.

[boboff]

Mine were rubbish this year, all wet and rotted before they flowered. Anoying..........

[pelmetman]

We used to grow hops, just make sure you are suitably covered Badger when you go to pick them otherwise they will slash you to bits.

Sue

[Luath]

I'm picking mine this week, hoping to make a start today. I tend to cut the bines, and strip the hops at the table - less injuries that way, they're fearsome things, the bines. I pick in the middle of a dry day any day in September when they're ready. MIne go up on the washing pulley above the Rayburn in net curtains for a few days, then into brown paper bags for storage, or straight into the bucket as soon a possible when dried.

[Badger]

Thank you all for you helpfull tips.... Haven't had chance to get out that way yet but will have a look and hopefully collect them this weekend. Oh and I'll take along some good gloves too, thanks Pelmetman.