We are excited to announce that the brew date for our Annual Neighborhood Hop Swap Brew will be Sunday, September 11th at our PLATTE STREET Taproom!
This event is one of our favorites because we get to meet all of you Hop Swap Farmers and enjoy the awesome community you all have helped create here at DBC. Thank you for spending your summer loving and caring for these little hops.
You do NOT want to be late for this event! We will hold the Grand Weigh In for all our growers who bring in hops at 11 am on Sunday just before adding them to the brew. Everyone who helped contribute hops will receive a free crowler, and the grower who brings in the most hops will get to take home a free case of beer!
We are excited to see everyone on September 11th at 11:00 AM.
Before you harvest, check out these hop picking tips:
1. HOLD UP!!! Don’t pick your hops too early. Wait until the last moment so you can to get the best flavor from them! Hops are at their prime when the leaves of the cone have started to turn papery, but not yet brown. When they look ready, give em a lil’ squeeze! If they stay squished, they’re not ready yet, if they spring back, it might be time.
2. When you’re ready to harvest, follow this method:
“There are two methods for picking your hops: pick by hand (recommended for first-year harvests) or cut down the bine (recommended for all harvests after the first year).
If you cut the bine down, cut two to three feet above the ground to prevent injury to the root system and crown. For first year bines, try to pick the cones and not cut down the bine until it dies off. Vital nutrients will flow back to the root system for the winter months and ensure it survives. For following years, cut the bine down and be careful not to damage or dirty those precious lupulin glands. You should expect one to two pounds of dry hops per mature plant.
Be sure to wear durable, abrasive resistant clothing, gloves and goggles during harvest. Hops have hooked hairs that can cause skin rash and small cuts.”
3. Once you have your hop bines cut down, please remember to pick them and only bring in the cones! They have to be picked one way or another, and this will save our team precious time on brew day.
Check out this great article from our friends at the American Homebrewers Association for more info:
4. If you got hops this year and haven’t seen them producing luscious cones yet, be patient! If you don’t have any hops ready for this brew, don’t worry. Year 1 hops focus primarily on their roots and will surely produce a bountiful harvest next year. Let them grow through September. If you can’t contribute any hops this year, you are still more than welcome to come down for the brew day festivities and enjoy the brew when it is ready!
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