November 30, 2009
The hops are starting to shoot laterals and the Chinook have shone their first burrs. They are flowering. Its early in my mind, especially given how late they started to shoot. I may have two harvests this year from the Chinook at least.
The Flinders and Fuggles are struggling at the moment, but look to be about to bounce back. Theya re in the hottest part of the garden and copped a battering in the hot week we had. Everything else is going well. Although the Cascade isn't as big as I would like to see it. With luck it will hit the heights and produce something this year. If not I may look to pass it on to another brewer and get something a little more productive. It is in a prime position and if it doesn't grow well it stands out.
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
November 23, 2009
The hops (except Flinders, Cascade and Fuggles) have now hit the heights and started working horozontally, much to their displeasure. The cluster has some great laterals going now and the Goldings is producing laterals and the POR and Saaz look like they are about to. Chinook has taken over as the growth king from Clsuter in terms of length but the Cluster is bushier.
All of the hops survived the week of 35+ degrees so it looks to be a good year.
Now it is just time to wait to see when the flow... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
November 3, 2009
The new hops I purchased, POR, Goldings, Saaz, Victoria, Fuggles and Flinders have all started well. I was starting to get a little worried that my original hops, cluster, cascade, chinook, and columbus, were damaged in some way, not starting. But a hot week here and they have taken off.Each bine is strong and thick. The cluster has put up around 7 strong bines which have grown 2 feet in the space of three days. The columbus has been a little slower with only one at the moment, many in waitin... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
October 7, 2009
A selection of new hops have gone into the ground and into pots. Some great Australian varieties, Victoria and Pride of Ringwood, a Saaz hop, and Goldings. There are some very generous brewers out there. They have all started to grow already after only a few days in the ground.The other varieties have all started to make a big push towards the trellising growing well. It looks like it will be a good crop this year. Columbus looks like its ready to take over the world, Cascade after a good sta... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
August 17, 2009
And they are off. The Cascade had made a run for it. Five or six good sized shoots have made their first appearance. It may be a little too early in the season to start but Cascade is supposed to be one of the most vigorous of the hops. It would be great if they started early and produced a good number of flowers. A homegrown Cascade hopped beer would go down a treat. Despite being the quintessential Amercian hop if it grows well and outstrips the other varieties it could play a role in the q... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
July 29, 2009
I've had the great pleasure of testing a new hop variety for a hop grower. It was a wonderful American style hop with subtlety that is often missing from the American Hop varieties. It was an absolute pleasure. I still have some of these hops left to have one last brew with but, the good news for me, soon I'll have my own rhizome to grow my own. The grower was also kind enough to offer another couple of varieties of rhizome for me to grow at home. Now all I need is a place to put them that wi... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
July 28, 2009
I have a relatively small backyard but I have four hop rhizomes. I have Cascade, Chinook, Columbus and Cluster and I'm looking to get another couple this year. They are starting to get to a reasonable size now so I am expectign a good crop this year. I was expecting one last year too but there was a significant heat wave in Adelaide that damaged the plants. As a result I didn't get much out of them. All of my hops are in pots for the moment, half wine barrels although one day when we move to ... Continue reading...
Posted by Jared Birbeck.
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