Topic: Hops?

[katynewbie]

Has anyone grown them and made beer? I grew up in Kent and picked them when I was tiny and hop fields still existed, always wondered if it would be possible to grow your own. The fields I remember were rows of hop poles, about 10-15 feet high, matbe they could be trained on something a bit shorter for the home grower?

All thoughts and comments welcome!

 ???

[PurpleHeather]

Wow, that is a good question. Regret I forget the in depth details of this.

The hops we used to grow are now not EEC friendly

There was a big argument many years ago about the gender of hops.

As I remember it, the Germans were very afraid that their hops would get contaminated with ours.

They won the argument because their larger type beers can only be grown with one gender the British Beers can be grown with either/both.

Must say, have not seen a UK hop field for years.

[cleo]

Never grown them but I made a lot of beer in the early 80s when I was into showing it. I used wild hops once and they were OK but not like a good Golding or Fuggle.

I fancy the days of Kentish hop fields are now a fading memory

[katynewbie]

 :'(

They definitely are a fading memory Cleo. I went back to look at where I picked hops in the 60s and it's now a housing estate. I still think it would be nice to grow one or two as an homage to my roots (I live up North now!) just to see if it's possible.

 ;)

[ladybizzy]

There are a lot of hop fields in Hereford and Worcester still! The hops are about 10-15ft tall at the moment. I was wondering the same thing, I am going to try and grow some next year if I can find a supplier.

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Just Googled and found a supplier: http://www.hopshop.co.uk/hopplants.asp

Something for next year I think!

 ;)

[ladybizzy]

Great - thanks for that  :)

[Hyacinth]

.....am I completely mis-remembering ???....didn't SuperSprout use hops as a mulch? :-\

[katynewbie]

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Yep, spent hops, bet her plot smelled great!!

 ;)

[cleo]

.....am I completely mis-remembering ....didn't SuperSprout use hops as a mulch?

I still remember her with much fondness-and she used about everything as a mulch. I met her a few times and she was as lovely in the flesh as it were as in cyber space

[Barnowl]

I also grew up in Kent. I had friends who were hop farmers and I'm not convinced by the gender / contamination argument.  I think the reason was purely economic: European hops are bush varieties, not climbers like ours, and therefore much cheaper to grow and harvest (because it can be done mechanically), particularly once the East Enders stopped coming down to do the harvesting.

However,  I'm sure that recently I read somewhere that someone had succeeded in breeding a bush version of an English vine hop. Does that ring any bells with anyone?