I’m really anxious to get a lambic or two started. Is there a quicker way to age hops than to leave them for 1-2 years? I mean, I’m all for patience in brewing, but I would prefer to brew something that I could at least be blending in a year. If I’m waiting 1-3 years before using hops, then another 2-3 before drinking my lambic, I’m not sure I have that much patience.
What if I used a low alpha hop at a low amount, just to get some of the antiseptic properties?
Yes a modest amount of low alpha hop will work in a pinch.
As for aging I’ve been aging some of my homegrown hops out at room temp since last summer. And I think some places sell aged hops, you might look around. They do seem to bring some interesting flavors to the beer. I was forunate to have a friend who gifted me a big bag of aged hops when I was new to the sour game. I just ran out of them last fall.
Hops Direct sells aged hops.
Could you tell us more about processing your homegrown hops? I have two bines that are in their third year now and I expect a pretty large harvest and have no idea what to do with them, or when.
thanks!
[quote=“tom sawyer”]Yes a modest amount of low alpha hop will work in a pinch.
As for aging I’ve been aging some of my homegrown hops out at room temp since last summer. And I think some places sell aged hops, you might look around. They do seem to bring some interesting flavors to the beer. I was forunate to have a friend who gifted me a big bag of aged hops when I was new to the sour game. I just ran out of them last fall.[/quote]
I let them hang at least a few weeks after they’re full grown, until some of the very edges of the flowers start to turn yellow. Then I pick them all at that point. I don’t have an oast per se, so to dry them I take some screen door material and spread the hops out on that and leave them outside if its warm and dry. If it rains I bring them inside. You want them not squished together so theres no chance of mold growing. After they get dry and papery, I stuff them in a Ziplock, squeeze the air out and put them in the freezer. I usually use them in just a few beers and massively hop those.
You can also make a fresh hop ale, where you don’t dry them at all. I think you want to use them only as late additions in that case.
