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2013 hop harvest pics

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Heres a peak into the 2013 hop crop of the Yakima Valley.

early on...


Here they grow!




Starting to mature...






Harvest


Drying Kilns




Haulin bales


Lastly, this is what happens when a heavy crop, 1/2" of rain in 30 minutes, wind, and a rotten post all come together






Now go drink some beer!
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Just got back from a homebrewing presentation at our local Science Pub, good stuff. Those hops can be standing 20' high.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Thanks for the replies. The hops in the kiln pics are Cascade and the yard that collapsed was CTZ (Columbus/tomahawk/Zeus). The 6th pic is also CTZ from the collapsed yard. The other pics are randoms from driving around the valley. The bales on the truck are Clusters.

Skaredshtles - I've heard about the wild CO hop varieties. I think its pretty rad. I know of at least one grower here in Yakima who is experimenting with wild Colorado hops. There is a big push for developing secret proprietary varieties that can be monopolized and cashed in on. Everyone is looking for odd ball hops that no one else has. You may be sitting on a gold mine!
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
Thanks for the replies. The hops in the kiln pics are Cascade and the yard that collapsed was CTZ (Columbus/tomahawk/Zeus). The 6th pic is also CTZ from the collapsed yard. The other pics are randoms from driving around the valley. The bales on the truck are Clusters.

Skaredshtles - I've heard about the wild CO hop varieties. I think its pretty rad. I know of at least one grower here in Yakima who is experimenting with wild Colorado hops. There is a big push for developing secret proprietary varieties that can be monopolized and cashed in on. Everyone is looking for odd ball hops that no one else has. You may be sitting on a gold mine!
Let's face it... if it grows wild in the $hitty-a$$ "soil" in the foothills it has gotta be pretty hardy... what's the "correct" way to get hops going from existing plants? :D
 
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BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Last year's cascade and chinook smelled amazing. How's this year? I was really surprised by the dankness of last year's citra vs. the year before. Looking forward to getting the new crop in house.

Anything new in the ground this year? Always looking to brew with new (at least to us) stuff...
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
I'd say yields are down on some varieties, while quality is up. Although that isn't across the board. It really depends on who's doing the growing. There's quite a few people with baby Citra yards so it will be interesting to compare the different growers, most who've never had it before. Have you had your hands on Caliente yet? Thats really the only variety that I think is new-ish and semi-available, besides maybe El Dorado, but thats being pushed by BSG pretty hard.

*granted I don't know **** so I am sure the other dealers have something to offer I know nothing about! I have been hanging out in the orchards way more than the hops
 
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Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
That reminds me - there's an open space park here that hops growing wild in at least one location... I thought they looked hop-ish and pulled one of the cones and sure enough.
There is a HUGE plant growing right off the Santa Fe trail I've been meaning to take a cutting from for a while. Trade you a SoCo variety of a NoCo variety. :D
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,160
2,685
The bunker at parliament
There is a HUGE plant growing right off the Santa Fe trail I've been meaning to take a cutting from for a while. Trade you a SoCo variety of a NoCo variety. :D
Yeah just remember they used to call it the "pernicious weed" for a reason.
they tend to takeover pretty quickly, and are quite hard to get rid of if it's in a bad spot later on. In a suburban environment I'd never plant it outside of a tub.