Leaf Hops

[FrozenInTime]

What would happen if I just bagged them and froze them straight from the bine??

[berryman]

I would love to dry them outside on a screen but I don't think it would go well with our nights below 30 now. It got cold quick, caught me with my... garden down. I barely got my camper winterized before it hit, literally by hours.

I think your climate is a lot like ours here in western NY but more drastic. I tried dying outside on screens but the sun would bake them during the day and damp at night. Maybe in a open air barn or garage with a fan would work. for the little I have I plug away with the dehydrator. Dry them down between a 1/4 and a 1/3 weight vacuum seal and freezer and will keep for awhile. We haven't hit that cold yet, no frost yet but I bet in another week or so will have one.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Oh, and they're hop bines, not hop vines.

220-221 whatever it takes!

Pretty sure if you froze them immediately you would be ok, but you would be best to vacuum seal them before freezing.

[RickBeer]

I would love to dry them outside on a screen but I don't think it would go well with our nights below 30 now. It got cold quick, caught me with my... garden down. I barely got my camper winterized before it hit, literally by hours.

I think your climate is a lot like ours here in western NY but more drastic. I tried dying outside on screens but the sun would bake them during the day and damp at night. Maybe in a open air barn or garage with a fan would work. for the little I have I plug away with the dehydrator. Dry them down between a 1/4 and a 1/3 weight vacuum seal and freezer and will keep for awhile. We haven't hit that cold yet, no frost yet but I bet in another week or so will have one.

Seems a bit drastic for brewing, no?

[RickBeer]

First, remember the urgency here. 48 hours from picking is considering the max. So work as quickly as possible.

Everything I have ever read says not to freeze hops before drying. Cells burst, etc.

[FrozenInTime]

Well poop... was 3 days when I pulled the vacuum sealer out, half were the ones wet from the bine. Guess I should pay more attention to detail next season. Cells bust, releases more oils? Yea-yea, I know... LOL biggest problem I have is they were all still on the bine before I could get to them, after a nights below 30. Brewed up a batch with them yesterday wet, I know all of them did not get ruined, the smash I did was not malty/sweet, came out more like a good hard IPA although that did overshoot what I was going for. I will see after fermenting/conditioning.

[John Sand]

I think it will be fine.

[bpgreen]

They may have lost some potency, but they'll still make beer.

[RickBeer]

Some helpful info:

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/ ... rown-hops/

[FrozenInTime]

Cool, thanks! I'll check that out.

[FrozenInTime]

Welp, put keg in da chilla, had a glass of it last night. Holly poop batman, that is good stuff! I did use the hops *wet* but was surprised no grassy flavor. I used a total of 5 oz's hops, I might have got away with less. Smell is nice, not real overpowering and taste is pretty good! I had aimed for a lightly hoppy brew so I could taste where the hops where at. I ended up with a light IPA, not too bitter, just right. The home-grown hops are going to make a nice addition to my homebrews! Started out OG 1.034, FG at 1.002 with some ranched US05 so I figure 4.192% ABV, nice SMASH session brewski.