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.

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.