Baby Hops Sprout Pictures

After only three weeks of putting hops rhizomes in the ground they are already sprouting!  Check back on the website for regular updates. Growing hops is easy and so much fun!

Cascade Hops Sprouts 1 – After 3 Weeks

Hallertau Hops Sprouts – After 3 Weeeks (about 5 inches tall)

According to Fresh Hops we are not to prune anything off the baby hops. When they are big enough I will train the strongest shoots onto a climbing line attached to the trellis. Thankfully due to the Oregon climate, I have not had to worry about watering them as it has rained almost every day! If it gets dry I will gently wet them down with the hose, but I won’t over do it.

We put in six new hops plants this year. One Nugget, one Magnum, one cascade, one Kent Goldings, and two Hallertau. As I understand it, Hallertau (aka Hallertaur) is being pulled by hops farmers in favor of higher yield, higher alpha acid varieties in Oregon. This concerns me as Hallertau is a noble hop variety and one of the best for German lagers and Pilsners. Mt. Hood is a substitute for Hallertau, but its not the same. The lagers I have made with Mt. Hood turned out great, but there are differences. Across the batches I have brewed, Mt. Hood is cleaner smelling and tasting, while the Hallertau adds a more floral scent and subtle complexity to the flavor of the beer (the kind of thing money can’t buy). I am growing Hallertau for my personal supply so I ensure myself access to the variety.

For information on how we planted these hops rhizomes see this article on planting hops.