Hop rhizomes

[James P]

Hi All
(Hopefully I didn't miss a thread here, I searched first!)
Just wanted to see if anyone has rhizomes available this year? I hear there is a shortage, however if there are any suppliers anyone knows of I would be keen to given them a go!

Maybe we can get a list of suppliers going? I see in the old forum that Stephen @ Hallertau may have been one of them, any ideas?

Cheers

[James P]

I have spoken to an ex brewer today who may have access to some hops from his family farm, they are growing "wild". Not sure of the variety, however he and his father and brother used them for brewing in days gone by.

I'll post back when I have more information!

[Hinny Skippy]

It is quite possible to grow decent hop plants from seeds. After all that's where they started from in the first place. Most of the hop flowers i have are packed with seeds. Some will be male and some female. As long as you just grow the females you should get a harvest in the second year.
I have hit a stone wall here trying to get named hop var's. So i'm going to grow some from seed and spend a few years 'cubing' them to get a good var that i like. I'll happily pass these on to interested brewers.

[James P]

Hi Hinny

I would be interested in some seeds if you have any spare, and if i'm successful will also return rhizomes to those who are interested.

[Hinny Skippy]

I've got quite a few seeds. I'll be collecting some more next brewday-early next week. I'll be happy to let you have a bunch.

[Steve Baker]

When is the earliest you can tell the sex of the plant? Do you have to wait for the cones to start growing?

I've got twenty something seeds in a germination tray - just waiting for them to show signs of life.

[Chris Banks]

Hey All
Sex of the plant seems to be determined by whether the plant grows flowers
that stay flowers(male) or flowers that produce cones(female) so it might
take a while to see!!
I ended up buying some mystery hops of mystery sex from fragrant garden
as an experiment Ive planted them so its wait and see?? Anyone else tried
the hops from fragant garden?
Cheers Chris

[Steve Baker]

I ended up buying some mystery hops of mystery sex from fragrant garden
I planted some of these late last season, so we'll see what happens this season. I saw the mother plant in the fragrant garden and its huge so I think there is a pretty good chance that most of the plants she sells are female.

[Chris Banks]

Cool sounds promising! Did you gather any ideas about what
kind of hops they are by any chance?

[Steve Baker]

She doesn't know except that they came here from Germany about 50 years ago. She uses the entire harvest for her own herbal sedative preparations - thats a lot of sleepy tea.

[Chris Banks]

Hell yeah lots of tea and lots of sleepin !!!

[Dan]

Sounds like its worth a shot, theres nothing to lose but a little time and fertilising.
Grow them, smell them, brew them, and see what you think! If it came from germany 50 years ago and hasn't been crossed and a female plant it may be a noble hop with unique characteristics grown in NZ soil/climate.
I had been using some tettnang recently and I think its a nice pils hop, Would love to be growing that.

[Chris Banks]

Fingers crossed !!! If the hops works out it might be the push I need
to branch out from kit brewing
Although I presume it would take a couple of seasons to get enough hops to work with as the plants I got are tiny wee things the rhizomes themselves are about 50mm long and 12 mm in dia!