Buying Hop Plants/Seeds?

[Mark Jackman]

Hey Guys,

 

I've got a mate who is keen to buy some hop trimmings/seeds/whatever they are sold as and he told me he is having trouble finding anywhere that will sell to him.  I don't grow hops so I can't help him but I thought some of you might know what his best options would be.  I am guessing he has missed the season for starting this year?  He would preferably like to get some Motueka or Riwaka but I would have thought most NZ varieties are easy enough to get from any local suppliers?  We're in Auckland but I presume they can be shipped up if needed easily enough? 

 

Thanks in advance for any tips, I might even share a couple of bottles of the IIPA we willl brew with the first harvest ;)

[denimglen]

Unfortunately you can't get any named varieties - trademarked or something like that.

 

There is a cascade-unknown cross floating around that someone on here might be able to get you.  Also Smoothcone, an ex-commercial variety, can be found.

 

Give Mike at Brewer's Coop in Mt Wellington a call, I noticed he had some there the other day.

[Smiffy]

Have a read of this thread, it has a lot of information.

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/1500433:Topic:11669

To answer your specific questions, the commercially grown hops are not available to the public. All that is available are: Smoothcone, Golden, "Mystery German" and "Danscade". It should be quite possible to grow some from shoots now, but its unlikely that they would produce any cones this season, they would produce nice healthy roots ready for next season though.

[Mark Jackman]

Thanks for the responses.  I'll be into Brewers Coop this week so Ill talk to Mike about it when I see him and hopefully we can get the foundations for a decent first harvest next year.  Interesting about the named varieties, I didnt know it worked like that but I suppose it makes sense. 

[Chad Keven]

hey mate ive got some plants that are ready, will trade for other varieties or yeast strains? what you reckon?

[Mark Jackman]

Thanks for the offer Chad.  My mate is just a Coopers kit brewer, he's brewed with me before but doesn't have any interest in doing it himself so Im afraid he doesn't have any yeast strains and he hasn't grown any hops before so no varieties either.  Thanks for the offer though, Ive spoke to Mike at Brewers Coop and he's got some for him so maybe next year you two will be able to swap some plants or whatever.  He's the horticulturalist so if you are keen I can put you in touch with him to sort a swap whenever you can do it safely without killing the plants. Hopefully he will get them in in time for next years harvest.