Growing Hops in Michiana

[Dunkelweizen]

Spring is here, and I am thinking of planting some Hops near a sunny
spot in our backyard. I am thinking of planting three or four rhizomes.
Any advice on what varieties I should order?

I am hoping to use American developed varieties with moderate disease
resistance. It would also be good to have a nice spread of alpha acids
for the various uses. So, eliminating the original german and british
varieties the choices (with alpha acids %) are:

CASCADE (05-06)
High yielding, flora American aroma type
CENTENNIAL(08-10)
Good yielding, similar to Cascade with more alpha, moderate disease
resistance.
CHINOOK (10-13)
Good yielding high alpha hop, moderate disease resistance.
GLACIER (03-09)
variety with balanced bittering properties, an aroma profile
described as excellent, with a pleasant hopiness.
LIBERTY (04-06)
Hallertauer hybrid, more vigorous and disease resistant
MAGNUM (11-17)
German Hallertauer hybrid, good storge stability, very good yield
potential, high alpha.
MT. HOOD (04-06)
Hallertauer hybrid, more vigorous and disease resistant
NUGGET (12-15)
High yielding, vigorous disease resistant, high alpha.
REDVINE (05-06)
exceptionally vigorous, high cohumulone, moderate disease resistance
STERLING (06-09)
Good yield. Saaz Hybrid, aroma and oil composition very similar to
Saaz.
SUNBEAM (04-05)
Saaz hybrid with golden yellow leaves, prefers not full sun.
ULTRA (03-05)
Good yield Hallertauer like aroma and pleasant bitterness
WILLAMETTE (04-06)
moderate yielding, triploid hybrid of English Fuggle

Any thoughts? Favourites? Suggestions?

[Alexandre Enkerli]

"Dunk" said:
> Spring is here, and I am thinking of planting some Hops

Nice!
They look nice, can make a very nice pergola, grow very very fast (a
foot in a day isn't unheard of) and smell nice.

Be aware that though hops grow very fast, they do require some care...

> I am hoping to use American developed varieties with moderate disease
> resistance.

One issue too is latitude. But Michiana seems to be at a fairly good
latitude for most hops.

> It would also be good to have a nice spread of alpha acids for the
> various uses.

Ah, but here's the thing (to go into brewing matters...).

Warning: bit of brewing technicality...
You won't really know the alpha acids of the hops you dry. So the best
strategy is probably to use these hops for late kettle additions (near
the end of boil) or even for dry-hopping. In this case, high AA hops
aren't really an option. Well, it is, but the results aren't that
interesting and you don't get much (or any, in the case of dry hopping)
bitterness because the AAs don't isomerize. In fact, high AA hops are
fairly equivalent in flavor/aroma so there's no real reason to grow
them as you can get them easily. Dual use hops are ok but, if I were
you, I'd grow some of the lower AA ones (Willamette, Mt. Hood, Liberty,
Cascade). Cascade is the most typical US variety. You like grapefruit?
;-)

Santé!

AleX