Source: timesunion.com
Hello again! It has been a while since my last blog but I will surely make up for it with this entry. I have a ton to talk about so let’s get rolling.
Hops!
The hop yard is alive and thriving. The previous two springs have been much warmer than usual and we got used to starting in the field around St. Patrick’s Day. This year we saw a return to more seasonable temps and were not able to get working until late April. Spring work included harvesting larch poles for our new Sorachi Ace row, cleaning up the hills from winter, harvesting rhizomes, and this year we added a new kind of spring harvest. This year we harvested the hop shoots which are the initial 6”-8” of growth that would typically be cut back to encourage more vigorous bines to emerge. These initial shoots are often referred to as “Bull Shoots” and are hollow and fragile. It’s best to cut them down once your hops are established (2nd or 3rd year). Generally we would simply discard them but decided this year to harvest and try our hand at making pickled hop shoots.
By coincidence, we were contacted by the Executive Chef at One Six Five restaurant at the Normanside Country Club who was inquiring if we had any hop shoots for sale. The chef had cooked on the west coast where the usage of hop shoots is quite prevalent and he has some real experience preparing them. We were fascinated by this and agreed to provide him with shoots harvested at HopRidge Farms. We are waiting to hear back from him as to what he prepared and how they tasted.
As mentioned above, harvesting hop rhizomes is another big springtime activity. The hop “crown” is the heart of the plant. Long roots travel perpendicular to the ground out from the crown to establish a water and nutrient collection system and also to grow additional hop bines. They are the rhizomes. Only a rhizome can turn into a crown and produce more bines. Rhizomes can travel 6-7 feet, so to keep the focus of the crown on 4-5 bines and keep order in the hop yard it’s encouraged to draw a 2-foot radius around your crown and cut back/harvest anything outside this zone. If planted, a rhizome will become a crown once established, usually within two years, and shoot off its own rhizomes. Many farms sell the rhizomes as harvested but we like to pot them and get them growing before sale. This way the root system can establish itself, hopefully ensuring it will grow.
Beer!
In my last blog I mentioned I would have some exciting info on brewing with a unique ingredient. I was approached by a gentleman from the American Seed and Oil Company to develop a beer with Hemp Seed. Hemp farming is now legal in Vermont and they were hoping to serve this beer at an event they were planning. Never one to back down from a challenge, I started my own research. Turns out hemp seeds are, pound for pound, one of the most nutritious things you can eat. They are packed with protein and fiber as well as a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. This was great to learn but how could I use them in a beer (and was it legal to do so)?
After a ton of reading and some phone calls, I learned it was legal if I used sterile hemp seeds that were provided by a company who has the proper permitting to sell them. They are often used in such foods as granola bars and oatmeal for added nutritional benefits. Once that hurdle was jumped, I wanted to know what sort of flavor profile they would produce. Turns out several breweries have brewed with hemp seeds in the past. The best descriptors I could find were nuttiness, creamy, and a citrus-like twang. Taking all the info obtained I decided to give it a whirl and created an American Brown Ale dubbed “BURNT!”
The recipe was comprised of the following malts: Pale, Crystal 60, Victory, Chocolate, Oats, and Honey. Since I heard of the citrus twang flavor I decided to use all Citra hops and go for a more hoppy brown (hence the American Brown Ale style). I gently roasted 50 pounds of Organic/Sterile Hemp seeds and included them in the mash. All went well with the brew and I had a nice fermentation as well. I decided to dry hop the batch to add a wonderful aroma and went with one of my favorite blend of hops – Falconer’s Flight. The statistics for the beer came out to 6.4% ABV with around 40 IBUs and it was very well received. I really liked how it turned out with a pleasant nuttiness along with rich creaminess. The only thing missing in my mind was the hop presence. I decided I would brew another batch with the hemp seed but I would up the hops and make it more of a hoppy brown. This batch was called “Hemp n’ Hoppy” and was even more delicious than the first. If you are looking for a cool experimental ingredient for your next batch give hemp seed a try. I got them from nuts.com and feel free to send me any questions you may have as I’m happy to help.
Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge
I am super excited to announce the First Annual Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge. We are looking for the best home brewers in the area to compete in Bennington, VT for the opportunity to brew their beer at Madison Brewing Company this fall. I will work with the winning homebrewer to develop a 3.5 Barrel batch of their beer to be available on tap at Madison Brewing Co. If you’re interested I highly recommend you register ASAP as slots are filling fast. Here is the official press release:
Are you are a home brewer or enjoy sampling fresh, local, home brewed beer? Then plan to join us for The First Annual Craft of Beer Home Brew Challenge and street festival on August 1, 2015 from noon to 4pm. A section of County Street in Bennington will be closed for this unique event. Enjoy a street fair atmosphere with live bands, delicious food trucks, and of course the best home brewed beer in the area! Events will be spread throughout County Street so you can sample beer, shop, and enjoy all that the Four Corners North has to offer! This is a family friendly event and there will be homemade root beer available.
If you are a home brewer and would like to enter the Challenge please go towww.craftofbeer.weebly.com and register now. There is a $10 registration fee and is limited to the first 50 home brewers who register. This will be a “Best of Show” competition voted on by those in attendance. Admission to the street festival is free and $15 if you would like unlimited sampling of the home brewed beer. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event and will include a sampling glass. Please visitwww.craftofbeer.weebly.com for additional information.
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