Do any of you grow hops? It's harvest season, but I'm thinking of planting some this winter for harvest next year.

If any of you grow them in central/south/east texas, I'd love to hear do's and dont's. I live in aggieland.

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

Typically cuttings are available in March or April. I have tried growing them in East TX as have a couple of my brewing buddies, all to no avail. My cousin in New Hampshire has lots of luck though.

I have read 5 or 6 fail stories in magazines and forums, but I haven't yet found any successful Texas growers. Does no one have success stories?

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

---

If only beer companies would learn this... But then again if the hipsters want it, more power to them I guess.

Its not my thing either, but then again neither is dry wine. I can't stand the sensation of drinking something that is liquid, but it makes my mouth dry. This generally puts me in the minority though.

Nope, I'm gonna use it to try and clone this stuff:


If you haven't had any, get some. It's delicious.

Oh, and for the OP. ...when you try to grow things in a place where they aren't meant to grow it's always going to be tough. There's a reason you don't see hops growing in South Texas. They need colder weather.

Lots of stuff online about folks trying to grow hops in Texas..... mostly in greenhouses... because of what Sean said..... hop genetic lineage is from pretty far up north and that's just the main problem.

There are also some articles about using Texas grown barley malt.

https://ask.extension.org/questions/115090

Sean98 said:

---

Oh, and for the OP. ...when you try to grow things in a place where they aren't meant to grow it's always going to be tough. There's a reason you don't see hops growing in South Texas. They need colder weather.

---

I don't think it's necessarily the cold weather as much as it's the day length in the growing season. Days are longer up north which hops require. Our days are shorter down here which prevents them from being able to flower, or something.

You can grow them down here, but I don't think you'll get them to drop any cones.

Sean98 said:

---

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

---

If only beer companies would learn this... But then again if the hipsters want it, more power to them I guess.

---

Amen.

At least the hipster beer explosion has netted us more porters and stout options. So I guess it isn't a complete waste.

good to know. I wasn't aware of that.

Sean98 said:

---

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

---

If only beer companies would learn this... But then again if the hipsters want it, more power to them I guess.

---

hops have very specific roles in brewing. It isn't just random. Some styles call for a lot of bitterness or hop aroma and flavor. Some don't. No one is cramming a bunch hops in stouts or porters, because the styles don't call for them. If you're making an imperial IPA and using hops 'in moderation', you're not going to get what you set out for.

62strat said:

---

Sean98 said:

---

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

---

If only beer companies would learn this... But then again if the hipsters want it, more power to them I guess.

---

hops have very specific roles in brewing. It isn't just random. Some styles call for a lot of bitterness or hop aroma and flavor. Some don't. No one is cramming a bunch hops in stouts or porters, because the styles don't call for them. If you're making an imperial IPA and using hops 'in moderation', you're not going to get what you set out for.

---

No one said they didn't. What we are saying is every double / triple IPA pallet killing hoptopia is generally overkill even though that's what they're going for (and what hipsters think is cool right now).

"Barkeep, I'll take the biggest baddest IPA you have. That way I can't taste anything after it and I get that great metal beer can aluminum aftertaste for the rest of the day. Thanks!"

Thankfully this beer revolution of sorts has led to a mass expansion of all the rest of the beer styles that are great to accentuate the seasons throughout the year instead of flannels and beards.

Yeah, but it's like making a s**t sandwich. I mean it wouldn't be complete without a giant helping of feces right? But that doesn't mean it's not trash.

AgLA06 said:

---

62strat said:

---

Sean98 said:

---

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Don't cram them all into one beer batch. Do use in moderation, like any spice or flavoring.

---

If only beer companies would learn this... But then again if the hipsters want it, more power to them I guess.

---

hops have very specific roles in brewing. It isn't just random. Some styles call for a lot of bitterness or hop aroma and flavor. Some don't. No one is cramming a bunch hops in stouts or porters, because the styles don't call for them. If you're making an imperial IPA and using hops 'in moderation', you're not going to get what you set out for.

---

No one said they didn't. What we are saying is every double / triple IPA pallet killing hoptopia is generally overkill even though that's what they're going for (and what hipsters think is cool right now).

"Barkeep, I'll take the biggest baddest IPA you have. That way I can't taste anything after it and I get that great metal beer can aluminum aftertaste for the rest of the day. Thanks!"

Thankfully this beer revolution of sorts has led to a mass expansion of all the rest of the beer styles that are great to accentuate the seasons throughout the year instead of flannels and beards.

---

Hipsters have moved away from hop bombs. (Hop bomb Mania was like 5-10 years ago.) Sours came into play (very little hop profile) the last few years, and now haze is the craze as well. Hazey ipas aren't bitter bombs at all. They are balanced, fruity and floral, all because of usage of a proper amount of certain hops.

IPAs are just terrible. I don't understand how anybody drinks that ass juice.

AgLA06 said:

---

No one said they didn't. What we are saying is every double / triple IPA pallet killing hoptopia is generally overkill even though that's what they're going for (and what hipsters think is cool right now).

"Barkeep, I'll take the biggest baddest IPA you have. That way I can't taste anything after it and I get that great metal beer can aluminum aftertaste for the rest of the day. Thanks!"

---

Done correctly, a double or triple IPA usually needs the extra bitterness to balance out the added sweetness that comes with brewing a beer thats 7-10% abv. but i will also concede there area whole lot done incorrectly and are either sickeningly sweet just so they could boast high abv, or tastes like drinking essential oils. so i guess the emphasis really is on the done correctly

Y'all like to ***** about people enjoying IPAs more than most people that like them enjoy drinking them.

Jefe07 said:

---

Sean98 said:

---

Oh, and for the OP. ...when you try to grow things in a place where they aren't meant to grow it's always going to be tough. There's a reason you don't see hops growing in South Texas. They need colder weather.

---

I don't think it's necessarily the cold weather as much as it's the day length in the growing season. Days are longer up north which hops require. Our days are shorter down here which prevents them from being able to flower, or something.

You can grow them down here, but I don't think you'll get them to drop any cones.

---

I've been trying with little success to grow hops in MI for the last few years now.

They don't require cold, but they don't like heat at all. They are a water intensive crop (thus the reason for my 'dryland' failures) and don't do much without it. Finally, the change in day length is important--they don't start setting cones until days start getting shorter. Day length changes obviously are magnified the further you are from the equator.

You could probably grow a really nice bine (not vine) in the springtime, but it would likely be shriveling up in the heat before having a chance to set cones in the summer.

Ive tried in Houston. Bought 5 or so different varieties. Only one produced after couple years. Id have to pull notes to see the variety.

The yield wasnt enough to do anything with.

Good to see the vocal pro IPA guy has been replaced by the vocal i hate ipa guy. Same people just opposite tastes.

There is a group of businessmen from the Pacific Northwest who are scouting areas in central Texas for commercial hop farms. Their plan is to build massive greenhouses and cater to the growing number of breweries in the southwest.

Interestingly enough, their plan is somewhat strategic; their farms can be converted to grow marijuana relatively easily.

JFrench said:

---

Ive tried in Houston. Bought 5 or so different varieties. Only one produced after couple years. Id have to pull notes to see the variety.

The yield wasnt enough to do anything with.

---

So you didn't have disease, poor nutrients, heat death etc problems? Just poor yield?

I can solve the water & soil issues, but no way am I gonna plant a 15+ foot tall bine in my air conditioning and then install lamps for it.

Jefe07 said:

---

Sean98 said:

---

Oh, and for the OP. ...when you try to grow things in a place where they aren't meant to grow it's always going to be tough. There's a reason you don't see hops growing in South Texas. They need colder weather.

---

I don't think it's necessarily the cold weather as much as it's the day length in the growing season. Days are longer up north which hops require. Our days are shorter down here which prevents them from being able to flower, or something.

You can grow them down here, but I don't think you'll get them to drop any cones.

---

This. It's the distance to the equator that is crucial. That said, it's mostly the European hops and their offshoots (which make up almost everything used in commercial brewing) that need the northern latitudes. The Neomexicanus hop variety is supposedly native to North America and has been grown and harvested by monks in New Mexico for quite some time. Those might do relatively well in Texas.

Supposedly they do better in the heat and need less water than their European cousins.

Not that I'm aware of. This was 7-8 years ago though. And by no means am i a green thumb. I bought a book and followed its advice.

I did it as well a few years ago in the Houston area. Again, very small yield. i had some protection from the western afternoon sun but still required daily water in very sandy soil.