Jeff Flowers on March 26, 2014 30 Comments Growing Hops Right At Home Is Easier than You Think Home brewing is becoming increasingly popular as more and more beer lovers discover just how easy it can be to a cook up a batch of your very own creation. An integral part of the home brewing process are hops, which infuse beer with its signature flavor. While some home brewers choose to purchase hops for the brewing process, many are choosing to grow hops on there own. Photo Credit: Wikipedia What Are Hops? Hops are the female flowers of the plant known as humulus lupulus. Hops are used as a means of flavoring beer, as well playing a role in preserving the beverage. Hops offset the sweetness of malt to create a complex flavor profile that beer lovers crave. Depending on how much and what type of hops are used will determine how bitter a beer may be. Hops were used as a method of flavoring beer as far back as the 11th century. Before then, many brewers imparted flavor to their beer by use of a variety of herbs and flowers. The resulting brews contained far less alcohol content, and were also more susceptible to spoilage. Today, hops are an integral part of the brewing process, with many growers taking a scientific approach to this age’s old traditional preparation. Types of Hops There are typically two kinds of hops used in brewing. Aroma hops feature a lower acid percentage, which helps bolster the aroma of a beer. These are most commonly used as a means of finishing or conditioning a brew. Conversely, bitter hops feature a higher acid percentage. These are useful when beer is going through the boiling process. Each of the numerous varieties of hops offers a unique flavor profile. There are many different hop varieties out there you can use to brew your beer. Here are just a few well-known hop varieties, along with a brief description of what they do for your beer: Cascade:Cascade hops are a well-known American hop created by Oregon State University in 1956. They feature a light and citrusy flavor, such as those found in a variety of pale ales. Bullion:Bullion hops offer a distinctly bitter flavor profile, as found in dark ales and stouts. Dominant flavors include earthy, resin-rich notes that some beer drinkers may find too strong. Challenger:Challenger hops are a very popular English variety thanks to their dual nature. The complex flavor profile includes notes of citrus and toffee, which pairs beautifully with stronger ales. Fuggles:Fuggles are a version of ‘wild’ hops that first came to notice in 1860s Great Britain. Upon their introduction by one Richard Fuggle (hence the name), these hops offered an earthy taste, as exemplified by such beers as English ales, porters, as well as stouts. Columbus:Sometimes referred to as Tomahawk, Columbus is a hop variety that is commonly used for its bitterness. Tips on Growing Hops Just about anyone is capable of growing hops right in their own backyards. The process starts with procuring rhizomes, which are root segments are taken from older plants. These can be found from a number of reputable dealers all over the country. Growers can also purchase potted hops plants, which can then be planted in their home gardens. Maintenance of hops plants is relatively easy, as they are robust enough to withstand many different environmental factors. Planting: It’s best to choose a sunny spot for your hops plants. You’ll also need a means of support as they grow. Hops plants climb as they get bigger, and many growers construct wire supports, which allows the hops plants to curl upward. This is recommended as some vines can grow well over twenty feet long. It’s best to plant your rhizomes at least three feet apart, at a depth of about one to two inches. Plants will grow exceedingly fast at first, with plants sometimes growing a foot per day. It’s best to do your planting early in the spring, once frost is no longer a concern. Take care when watering and fertilizing your plants; too much or too little can prove detrimental to your yield. Harvesting: Harvest ranges from mid-August to mid-September depending on where you’re located. When harvesting, one should be aware of what to look for to indicate whether your plants are ready. Smell is important in this capacity, as well as the look and feel of the plants. Hops will smell most pungent when ready for harvest, and they should appear light in color and feel dry to the touch when ready. Once harvested, hops should be dried before being incorporated into beer. This can be done using an oven, food dehydrator, or a self-made hop dryer. Without the addition of hops, beer just wouldn’t be the same. Growing your own for brewing purposes can be a great experience for both master brewers as well as novices. A small home garden is all you need to take your home brewing to a new level. Planting Hops Around Your Pets Special thanks to Brian, a commenter below, for pointing out that hops are potentially poisonous to pets. After doing some research, it appears that hops are indeed poisonous to both cats and dogs. The toxicity can range from mild to severe, and depends on many factors, including the size and breed of your dog, as well as how much they ingested. Symptoms to look out for include: heavy breathing, anxiety, stomach pain, vomiting, extremely high temperatures, elevated heart rate, and in some cases, death. If you suspect your dog has ingested your homegrown hops or hop pellets, then it is highly recommended that you get them to an animal hospital immediately.
Brian says March 27, 2014 at 4:10 pm Just don’t plant them any where a dog might get to them, hops will kill a dog. Reply
Jeff Flowers says March 27, 2014 at 4:31 pm Hi Brian, Thank you for the heads up. As a dog owner, I would be devastated if she was harmed by a result of eating my hops. You learn something new everyday. I have added a section about this in the article in hopes that others see it and can take precautions. Cheers! Jeff Reply
Janette Winters says August 20, 2014 at 11:14 am Will deer eat the plants? If they do will it harm them ? We also have ferrel donkeys . Will they eat them also ? Reply
Rod says August 20, 2014 at 11:41 am is there any way to determine the variety of hops by looking at them? I found a cache of wild hops growing near a 1800’s cabin on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. they appear ready to harvest but not much aroma. Reply
Alain Marec says November 5, 2015 at 7:56 pm What you buy are actually called rhizomes, which are part of the root system of the plant, and can be purchased at your favorite beer supply company (most make it available in early spring when they are ready for planting). Hope that helps Reply
JJ in Maine says May 13, 2017 at 11:51 pm NO Seeds! Female plants Only! “Rhizomes, which are root segments are taken from older plants. These can be found from a number of reputable dealers all over the country.” Or from your local Hop Head. Reply
John From Virginia says September 19, 2018 at 7:28 pm Seeds come from male plants and can be male or female. Rhizomes (if that’s how you want to start) should be from female plants. Male plants develop only a fraction of the lupulin that the female produces, if any at all. Do yourself a favor and start with baby crowns. They are more likely to root successfully and grow well. I buy mine at Great Lakes Hops. There are other places. The crowns are a little more expensive but, given the higher success rate, they are worth it. Reply
sandy says July 8, 2018 at 3:08 pm I bought some on amazon, but haven’t done enough research to plant them as yet. Reply
Rick White says May 16, 2015 at 12:29 pm My 3 variety of hop plants are into their second season and they are trying to grow into outer space! I have them staked onto a six foot bamboo stake but it’s just not tall enough for the longest shoots. I’ve been attempting to push them down as they grow over the top but another day or two goes by and I’m faced with the same issue. My ultimate goal is to have them trellised over my back patio but that’s probably another 2 years away before they’re mature enough to do that. My question is would it be best to get a tomato cage and have the plants rotate around the cage this season and next? Reply
Bryan Vackar says January 5, 2016 at 4:48 pm I got three 12′ long, 1″ diameter galvanized conduit pipe from Lowes for about $1.30 each, plus two elbows, and made a simple square arch from them. Then I hung twine down to the hops, and voila! Yes, I would like to go up to 20′ at least, but it is a good start. Reply
Leon loza says February 8, 2016 at 12:15 am Most Comercial grown hops are grown 18 foot trellis unless you get some dwarf varietys. Most aroma variety produce 80 percent of hops in the last 5 feet of plant so the taller the trellis the better Reply
Anna Wilhelm says August 20, 2015 at 5:07 pm When harvesting ,after picking them off will more keep growing? Also, for the winter do we just cut the hops off at the ground and maybe put mulch over the top . Reply
Leon loza says February 8, 2016 at 12:18 am The plant will continue to grow but won’t produce much we cut our plants 4ft above ground and leave them like that till spring then we clear ground and clear all plant material away from above ground to help with diseases Reply
Rose Mason says August 24, 2016 at 6:59 pm I want to grow hops to use as a sleep aid. I would stuff small pillows with the hops. Any suggestions as to what kind of hops I would be looking to plant? Reply
Daisy Debs says December 11, 2016 at 3:31 pm Hi Rose , Me too ,,, this year I harvested the hops from a golden leaved garden variety and dried them on a sunny windowsill . I used them to fill a sleep pillow for myself and am very happy with it . I then did a bit of research on the internet and found out that Fuggles is a good variety for a sleep pillow …so I ordered a root from a Kentish Hop Farm ( there are several places you can find that sell them and am now waiting for the postman to deliver it .Meanwhile I am preparing the ground in a special place for it in my veg garden . Hope this helps and inspires you 🙂 Reply
Donna says May 6, 2019 at 7:29 am Thank you for this info regarding which variety for a sleep pillow. Also for the source. Reply
Klostomo says April 30, 2017 at 4:29 pm Looking forward to planting my hops. Getting bees in 2 weeks so hopefully they will benefit from them. Reply
Byrun says May 30, 2018 at 6:44 pm My area is rated as hardiness zone 9a, are there any varieties that I would not be able to grow? Reply
Marshall Reagan says August 14, 2018 at 8:42 pm Will deer eat them? if they will I might need to plant them around my garden for a fence. that way I might have a fence high enough to keep the deer out and I can grow my shade . Reply
John From Virginia says September 19, 2018 at 7:22 pm Deer will eat the new shoots in the spring. Once the bines get tall enough, they develop a knobby texture that helps them to climb but annoys the deer. So protect them until they are about 3-4 feet high and you should be okay. Reply
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