Local Hops

[anewton]

Evening all, I'm relatively new to the forums (browsing awhile, just haven't had much to add yet), so I thought I'd start with a brief intro. I've been brewing for almost two years now, and in between batches my wife has to listen to me talk endlessly about new techniques/recipes/ingredients that I've been reading about. My Dad and I are expanding the farm this year to experiment with a hop crop and I'd like to get a little feedback from the local beer fans.

I'm interested in hearing from you about what hops you use the most. I know this can be difficult to nail down, my own hop use is often varied, but there tend to be a few standards that you like to rely on. Personally, I make British style ales, so I tend to use Goldings and Fuggles frequently. Which are your favourites?

Have many of you forayed into the world of wet hopping? Are you interested? Favourite varieties?

For your group orders, do you source locally, or do you end up bringing them in from elsewhere?

Andrew

[akr71]

Welcome!

I use a lot of Goldings and Fuggles (or Willamette) too, but I also use a lot of Cascade, Zues and Perle.

[mr x]

I've been growing a lot of my own, using them wet for the most part. And using them for things other than beer - sheese, bacon, etc...

I think the best varieties to grow on a small scale are the lower IBU types that are good for late additions. Cascade, Goldings , etc...

I don't know if you'll find much of a market for sales, but hey are great for personal use. We haven't been doing much group buy hop stuff, but the last small order we did came form the US.