Hop Harvest

After months of watering, and waiting, my cascade hops were ready to harvest on August 29. The total yield was about 3.5 lbs before any drying. I used most of them in a wet-hopped pale ale.

Green Harvest Pale Ale

Grains:
14# US 2-Row
2# Vienna
1# Crystal 40ºL

Mash at 155ºF

Hops:
All weights are for wet, freshly harvested hops.

10 oz First Wort Hop
2 oz 90 min
5 oz 60 min
5 oz 45 min
5 oz 30 min
5 oz 15 min
5 oz 5 min
5 oz 1 min

Aerate chilled wort onto the yeast cake from the last batch of IPA, and pitch in a vial of California V. Rack to secondary after 2 weeks, age 2 weeks, then keg and dry hop with 2 oz dried whole cascade. This is currently in the cellar, waiting for an open tap handle.

IPA

Brewed 2009.08.15

Grain Bill

• 12# US 2-Row
• 1# Malted White Wheat
• 1.25# Vienna
• 1# Crystal 60ºL
• 1# Crystal 15ºL

Single infusion mash, 158ºF. Sparge at 165ºF.

Whole Hops:

• 1.5 oz Simcoe (12.9% α) First Wort
• 0.75 oz Centennial (8.7% α) 60 min
• 0.5 oz Simcoe (12.9% α) 60 min
• 0.5 oz Cascade (7.9% α) 30 min
• 0.5 oz Amarillo (9.0% α) 30 min
• 0.5 oz Cascade (7.9% α) 15 min
• 0.5 oz Amarillo (9.0% α) 15 min
• 0.75 oz Centennial (8.7% α) 15 min
• 1.0 oz Cascade (7.9% α) 5 min
• 1.0 oz Centennial (8.7% α) 1 min

Pitch 1 vial English Ale yeast 5.5 gallons of wort with OG of 1.064.

Rack to secondary at 2 weeks. Aged 3 more weeks, then cold-crashed for 48 hours.

Dry Hop in Keg:

• 0.5 oz Amarillo (9.0% α)
• 0.75 oz Cascade (7.9% α)
• 0.75 oz Centennial (8.7% α)

Force carbonated at 10 psi.

Freshops

Frustrated with price, selection and quality at the local homebrew shop, I've turned to Freshops. Located in Philomath, they have a great selection of whole hops, rhizomes and hop oils. The whole hops were a reasonable price, and the quality seems good so far.

I bought 8 oz. each of
Amarillo
Cascade
Centennial
Czech Saaz
Simcoe
Sorachi Ace

I've brewed several batches with Saaz, Cascade and Centennial. I've been looking forward to trying Amarillo and Simcoe in IPA's for some time. Sorachi Ace, a Japanese cultivar, is a novelty. Currently looking for a recipe that will highlight the lemon aroma...

Hop garden

Late April, I planted 2 Cascade rhizomes in planter buckets. I staked them with 8 ft redwood poles, and put some chicken wire around them to keep the dogs from eating the (apparently) delicious organic soil/mulch mix.

They've established a nice root system, drink a couple gallons of water a day, and have reached up about 18 ft onto the roof. This week, they started popping up cones.

Not sure what the yield will be, but it should be enough for a batch or 2. I'm currently planning on using them right away in a Harvest ale instead of drying them. I have plenty of dry whole hops anyway.

Modestus

Latest batch, Weizenbock, inspired by Weihenstephaner Vitus. Brewed 2009.7.4.

• 8# 2-Row
• 7# Malted White Wheat

Single decoction mash. 15 minutes at 120ºF, 90 minutes at 142ºF. 60 minute boil with 1 oz Czech Saaz (4.9% alpha). Aerate 5.75 gallons of wort, OG of 1.080, and pitch 2 vials of German Hefeweizen yeast (WLP300 and WLP380). Ferment with a blowoff tube.

Old Recipe #2

Belgian Pale

• 12.5# Belgian Pale Malt
• 1.0# Biscuit Malt

Single decoction mash with 15 minute protein rest at 127ºF, 45 minute saccharification rest at 148ºF.

Boil:
90 minute boil.

60 minutes - 1 oz Czech Saaz (4.9% alpha)
15 minutes - 0.5 oz Czech Saaz + Whirfloc tablet


Cool to 75ºF, pitch Belgian Trappist Ale yeast into 5.5 gallons of 1.055 OG aerated wort.

Add 0.75# inverted Turbinado sugar after 1 week. Rack to secondary after 2 weeks.

FG: 1.009

Old Recipe #1

Big Red Ale

• 11.5# US 2-Row Malt
• 2.0# US Vienna Malt
• 1.5# Crystal 40ºL
• 1.0# Crystal 15ºL
• 0.5# Crystal 75ºL
• 0.75# Dark Chocolate Malt

Single infusion mash, 1 hour at 153ºF. Recirculate 1 gallon, then sparge at 165ºF. Collect 6.75 gallons, boil for 75 minutes.

75 minutes - 1 oz Galena (11.8% alpha)
15 minutes - 0.5 oz Cascade + Whirfloc tablet
10 minutes - 0.5 oz Palisade
1 minute - 0.5 oz Cascade
0 minute - 0.5 oz Palisade

Chill to 70ºF, pitch 1 vial of California Ale V into 5.5 gallons of aerated wort.

OG: 1.070
FG: 1.011

Rack to secondary after 10 days.

Dry hop with 1 oz Cascade and 1 oz Palisade.