Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
know what it really is or why.

js

--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
> know what it really is or why.
>
> js
>
> --
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> http://schmidling.com
>

Nice hops, and love your telescope as well...nice place you got there.

Gerard

On 9/19/06 8:28 AM, in article
, "
> wrote:

>
> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
> know what it really is or why.
>
> js
>
> --
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> http://schmidling.com
>
I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times, but
have yet to buy a vine or two.

Cheryl

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

> On 9/19/06 8:28 AM, in article
> , "
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
>>know what it really is or why.
>>
>>js
>>
>>--
>>PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
>>Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
>>http://schmidling.com
>>
>
> I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times, but
> have yet to buy a vine or two.

Well do it and you can give me the cones to make beer.. I like Cascade, Perle,
and Tetnanger.

Also, I thought hops were used as preservative in beer.

--
Dan

Great hop pictures! I worked as office manager for a hop farm here in Idaho
for about 15 years so I'm well aware of what hops are. :-) Even learned to
like the pungent smell of hops when they were harvested. NEVER learned to
like the smell of hop trash (what's left after the cones are shaken off the
vines). In the winter, you did NOT want to follow a truck that was hauling
the hop trash out to spread on the fields.
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
> know what it really is or why.
>
> js
>
> --
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> http://schmidling.com
>

"Donna in Idaho" > wrote in message
...
> Great hop pictures! I worked as office manager for a hop farm here in
> Idaho for about 15 years so I'm well aware of what hops are. :-) Even
> learned to like the pungent smell of hops when they were harvested. NEVER
> learned to like the smell of hop trash (what's left after the cones are
> shaken off the vines). In the winter, you did NOT want to follow a truck
> that was hauling the hop trash out to spread on the fields.
> --



worse than rotten spuds???
Buzz--hauled the 'taters

> Donna in Idaho
> Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>
>> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
>> know what it really is or why.
>>
>> js
>>
>> --
>> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
>> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
>> http://schmidling.com
>>
>
>

Dan Logcher wrote:
> Cheryl Isaak wrote:
>
>> On 9/19/06 8:28 AM, in article
>> ,
>> "
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
>>> know what it really is or why.
>>>
>>> js
>>>
>>> --
>>> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
>>> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
>>> http://schmidling.com
>>>
>>
>> I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times, but
>> have yet to buy a vine or two.
>
>
> Well do it and you can give me the cones to make beer.. I like Cascade,
> Perle,
> and Tetnanger.
>
> Also, I thought hops were used as preservative in beer.
>
That was one of the original reasons; now it's mostly for flavor.

--
-- Andy McKellar
Dallas, TX

I guess rotten potatoes and rotten fermented hop vines are probably pretty
much equal in the stink category!
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

"2fatbbq" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Donna in Idaho" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Great hop pictures! I worked as office manager for a hop farm here in
>> Idaho for about 15 years so I'm well aware of what hops are. :-) Even
>> learned to like the pungent smell of hops when they were harvested.
>> NEVER learned to like the smell of hop trash (what's left after the cones
>> are shaken off the vines). In the winter, you did NOT want to follow a
>> truck that was hauling the hop trash out to spread on the fields.
>> --
>
>
>
> worse than rotten spuds???
> Buzz--hauled the 'taters
>
>> Donna in Idaho
>> Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>>
>>> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
>>> know what it really is or why.
>>>
>>> js
>>>
>>> --
>>> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
>>> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
>>> http://schmidling.com
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

"Donna in Idaho" > wrote in message
...
> Great hop pictures! I worked as office manager for a hop farm here in
> Idaho for about 15 years so I'm well aware of what hops are. :-) Even
> learned to like the pungent smell of hops when they were harvested. NEVER
> learned to like the smell of hop trash (what's left after the cones are
> shaken off the vines). In the winter, you did NOT want to follow a truck
> that was hauling the hop trash out to spread on the fields.
> --
> Donna in Idaho
> Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

Where in Idaho are the hops grown? I live in Eastern Washington, might be an
interesting trip.

Bill

> Where in Idaho are the hops grown? I live in Eastern Washington, might be
> an interesting trip.
>
> Bill

Two areas in Idaho - northern Idaho - almost to the Canadian border and the
area around Caldwell, Parma, & Wilder, Idaho (southwest Idaho where I live).
Not nearly as many hops being grown around here any more. The farm I worked
for got completely out of the hop business a year after I retired and others
have cut back on their acreage. Hops are terribly expensive to grow with
lots of hand labor required and not as much money in them as there used to
be.
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

On 2006-09-20, Donna in Idaho > wrote:

> lots of hand labor required and not as much money in them as there used to
> be.

Is that the reason hops completely disappeared from CA?

nb ....3 summers on a Sacramento hops farm

On 9/19/06 7:01 PM, in article
, "Dan Logcher"
> wrote:

> Cheryl Isaak wrote:
>
>> On 9/19/06 8:28 AM, in article
>> , "
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
>>> know what it really is or why.
>>>
>>> js
>>>
>>> --
>>> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
>>> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
>>> http://schmidling.com
>>>
>>
>> I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times, but
>> have yet to buy a vine or two.
>
> Well do it and you can give me the cones to make beer.. I like Cascade,
> Perle,
> and Tetnanger.
>
> Also, I thought hops were used as preservative in beer.
Will do Dan!

C

wrote:
> Most folks know that hops is used in beer but brewers aside, few people
> know what it really is or why.
>
> js
>
> --


Very nice photo. I first saw hops growing when we visited the historic
Strawberry Banke village in New Hampshire. They were being used as a
decorative vine on a fence and arbor and were quite attractive.

My son-in-law is growing a few selected varieties for home beer brewing
that he ordered from someplace in Oregon. In their second year, the
vines are quite pretty and there is enough "fruit" to harvest.

gloria p

Not sure. When I first started working for the hop farm (1983) I think hop
growing in California had already disappeared. If not then, soon after.
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

"notbob" > wrote in message
. ..

> Is that the reason hops completely disappeared from CA?
>
> nb ....3 summers on a Sacramento hops farm

On 2006-09-20, Donna in Idaho > wrote:
> Not sure. When I first started working for the hop farm (1983) I think hop
> growing in California had already disappeared. If not then, soon after.

Isn't the internet great? Film of early hops farming around Sacrament:

http://www.sacramentohistory.org/films_hopfarm.html#

nb

Thanks for the link!
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2006-09-20, Donna in Idaho > wrote:
>> Not sure. When I first started working for the hop farm (1983) I think
>> hop
>> growing in California had already disappeared. If not then, soon after.
>
> Isn't the internet great? Film of early hops farming around Sacrament:
>
> http://www.sacramentohistory.org/films_hopfarm.html#
>
> nb

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 03:55:04 -0500, notbob wrote:

> Is that the reason hops completely disappeared from CA?
>
> nb ....3 summers on a Sacramento hops farm

Not completely. Take a look at this link...

http://www.saccounty.net/agcomm/crop...ia%2 0hops%22

I haven't been to sloughhouse for a while, but last time I was there, the
ranch looked alive and well.

Rick Knight

On 2006-09-20, Richard W. Knight > wrote:
> Not completely. Take a look at this link...

> I haven't been to sloughhouse for a while, but last time I was there, the
> ranch looked alive and well.

I saw that, but thanks. Turns out that Signorotti guy has hops farms
in states other than CA, too. I didn't work for him and didn't work
in Sloughhouse, but worked on a farm out on Sloughhouse Rd near there.
I was by there about a year ago. It was all ranchettes and horse
farms and riding academies.

Hops used to be heavy business in CA. All that housing developement
between Hwy 50 and the American River near Watt Ave used to be
hopyards, too. I now live a hundred miles away, in the greater SFBA,
and there's still remnants of that era. In the next town over is
a major thoroughfare, Hopyard Rd.

nb

Donna in Idaho wrote:

> NEVER learned to
> like the smell of hop trash (what's left after the cones are shaken off the
> vines).

Tell me more about that "shaken". We tediously pick them and it aint fun.

js




--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

Shaking isn't something that you could do at home very easily. When the hop
trucks arrive at the picker, the hop vines are attached to chains with hooks
that pull the hop vines up out of the trucks. The vines are shaken
violently enough that the hop cones fall off. Then the hops go by conveyor
to the dryer where the hops are dried to the desired moisture content. I
asked my boss how he knew when the hops were dry enough. He had done it for
so many years, he could tell if they were dry enough just by sticking his
hand in the drying hops. The hops are then baled in burlap using a big
press.

When my sister-in-law was a teenager she used to work in the hop yards
picking hops by hand. I can't imagine picking 100s of acres of hops by
hand, but that's how they used to do it. Must have taken humongous crews to
get them all picked or maybe there wasn't as many acres in hops then.

Now the hops are grown on high trellises and a worker in a crow's nest cuts
the vines and strings at the top. Another worker cuts the vines and string
at ground level and the hops drop into trucks with high sides and off they
go down the road to the picker with some of the vines dragging along behind!
Although some growers in Europe have tested growing hops on low trellises.
Since I'm not around the hop business anymore, I don't know whether that
became a feasible option or not.

There - that's probably more than you ever wanted to know about harvesting
hops!
--
Donna in Idaho
Reply to daawra3553 at yahoo dot com

"Jack Schmidling" > wrote in message
...

> Tell me more about that "shaken". We tediously pick them and it aint fun.
>
> js

On Thursday 21 September 2006 05:39, Donna in Idaho wrote:

> Must have taken humongous crews to
> get them all picked or maybe there wasn't as many acres in hops then.

The whole of the East End used to go on holiday to Kent, hopping. Definitely
'humungous crews'
--
Andy Davison
andy [at] oiyou [dot] ukfsn [dot] org

On 2006-09-21, Donna in Idaho > wrote:
> Shaking isn't something that you could do at home very easily. When the hop
> trucks arrive at the picker, the hop vines are attached to chains with hooks
> that pull the hop vines up out of the trucks. The vines are shaken
> violently enough that the hop cones fall off.

Not exactly. You are correct about pulling the vines off the trucks.
They are attached to moving chains that pulled them up and off the
trucks to again hang full length as they did on the trellises and move them
for about 50 ft toward the bud removal machine. The buds do not fall off
by shaking. In fact, that 50 foot distance is so workers can move
among the now hopelessly entangled vines and untangle them before they
reach the hop bud stripping machines. It's the worst job on a hops
farm and the one new workers usually get. Any exposed skin is raw
within an hour and bloody by the end of the day.

> Now the hops are grown on high trellises and a worker in a crow's nest cuts
> the vines and strings at the top. Another worker cuts the vines and string
> at ground level and the hops drop into trucks....

Absolutely correct, but in reverse order. The bottoms are cut first,
then the top. In the three summers I worked at the hopyards, I went
from the worst job, untangler, to the top job, literally, the crows
nest. Laziest job other than truck driver.

> There - that's probably more than you ever wanted to know about harvesting
> hops!

I remember when my highschool buddies and myself first approached the
processing sheds looking for a job. The smell was so strong and
pungent, I almost vomited on the spot. It was as bad as a full blast of
skunk. Now, all these years later, I can't get enough of it. There
is no beer that's too hoppy.

nb

Donna in Idaho > wrote:
>Although some growers in Europe have tested growing hops on low trellises.
>Since I'm not around the hop business anymore, I don't know whether that
>became a feasible option or not.

There was some mention of that in this newsgroup a few
years ago. Growers were trying to cultivate dwarf hop
varieties. I haven't heard anything more about it either.
But it would certainly be nice for the hobbyist, even it
if were not commercially viable.
--
Joel Plutchak

"Things just fall apart." - Now They'll Sleep (Belly)

notbob > wrote:
>I remember when my highschool buddies and myself first approached the
>processing sheds looking for a job. The smell was so strong and
>pungent, I almost vomited on the spot. It was as bad as a full blast of
>skunk.

While vacationing with the family in Colorado, we
stopped at Celestial Seasonings (tea factory) for a
tour. A feature of the tour was stepping into the
Mint Room for a whiff. Trust me, a whiff wasn't
necessary, as my eyes started watering before I even
crossed the threshold. I can imagine a hoip processing
shed being as pungent.
--
Joel Plutchak

"Things just fall apart." - Now They'll Sleep (Belly)

Donna in Idaho wrote:
> Shaking isn't something that you could do at home very easily


That seems strange because we go to a great deal of trouble to handle
them gently so as not to lose lupulins. Perhaps they do not fall off as
easily when fresh? They sure do when dry.

> I
> asked my boss how he knew when the hops were dry enough. He had done it for
> so many years, he could tell if they were dry enough just by sticking his
> hand in the drying hops.

I do the same but it is easy enough to weigh them (or a sample if you
have a lot) before and after. The dry weight should be about 25% of the
fresh weight. I used to do this but don't bother anymore as it does
not seem that over drying causes any problem and I am usually in no hurry.

js

--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

On 2006-09-21, Jack Schmidling > wrote:

> That seems strange because we go to a great deal of trouble to handle
> them gently so as not to lose lupulins. Perhaps they do not fall off as
> easily when fresh? They sure do when dry.

Having handled them fresh, I can confirm this. The untangling of the
vines coming off the trucks is a physically violent process. The vines
must be forcefully pulled apart, usually by more than one person.
Since the vines were usually no more than 10-15 mins off the trellis,
they've had no chance to dry and the buds (flowers) do not readily
come off. The vine is more likely to lose smalls leaves and leaf
stems than buds during this process.

nb

wrote:
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> http://schmidling.com

By the way, there is a great hi-res hop photo available at wikipedia if
you do a search for hops but here's the link to the photo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:H...pfengarten.jpg
and the article(?) it came from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops

Does anybody have any other links to some good hi-res photos regarding
hops (or, perhaps, other beer related items)? I did a quick GIS for
hops, but didn't find too many really impressive shots.

Scotty B

In article says...
> > PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> > Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> > http://schmidling.com
> >
> I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times, but
> have yet to buy a vine or two.

This is very interesting. Does anyone know if hops will grow in a
container as a perennial in Zone 5? I'd love to introduce this into my
vines but it would have to compete with morning glories, moon flowers,
and hyacinth beans.

"Mark Anderson" > wrote in message
.net...
> In article says...
> > > PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> > > Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
> > > http://schmidling.com
> > >
> > I've been tempted to grow golden hops as an ornamental several times,
but
> > have yet to buy a vine or two.
>
> This is very interesting. Does anyone know if hops will grow in a
> container as a perennial in Zone 5? I'd love to introduce this into my
> vines but it would have to compete with morning glories, moon flowers,
> and hyacinth beans.
>
>

Dunno where Zone 5 is but from what I read hops grow anywhere in the
continental U.S.A. As far as using a container, I've seen a picture of a guy
growing them on his condo porch in decent size pots. I duno how big they
ended up getting or if they produced any cones, but they looked pretty
decent size.

Gerard