Planning a Fresh Hopped Ale

We're getting very close to hop harvest time.  In fact Saturday night could be it for the Hallertau hops.  What beer to make with those hops in the garden?

Dried Hallertau hops

I think I'll make an American Brown Ale, using those freshly harvested Hallertaus for bittering at sixty minutes in the boil, and then many additions of Hallertau for flavor and aroma at five minute intervals with twenty minutes remaining in the boil. Later on I'll use the Cascades, which mature later, for a dry hop in the secondary and an aprés brew infusion as I bottle. The American Brown style 10C can take a bit more hops than a Northern or Southern English Brown Ales 10A & 10B can and still have a good shot of maltiness to balance.  That beer should be well rounded. More details follow below.

Long Cascade hops

I'm amazed at the size of the Cascade hops.  Usually they're 3/4" to 1" in length. There are several of them that are 1-1/2" in length.  Look at the size in the image to the right.  The Hallertau hops at the top of the trellis are as brown as the grass, due to the strong winds from the southwest and the heat of this summer. In Worcester we've had over 20 days with temperatures over 90 F.  So there has been a lot of watering.  The hops in the middle of the bine are starting to dry nicely compared to the top of the bine.

Regular sized Cascade hops

I've had the twine break on both sides of the hops.  Last week the wind was blowing up a gust and the Cascade hop side's twine broke leaving the bines on the ground. While Jen assisted me by holding the bines off the ground,  I lowered the upper carriage and tied a new two foot piece of twine between the two broken ends through the tee fitting on the pipe arm. Then I hoisted the carriage back up to the top pulling the hops back into position. The twine was tightened and knotted on the bottom arm.  I have to work out some kind of grommet to ease the transition, so the wind blowing the twine against the pipe threads doesn't shear the twine causing a warn area on the twine that could break.  Some kind of silicone buffer.

As some may remember, I've also been taking photos of all the hops bi-monthly.  You can see the progressive images at my site. I'm also preparing another video chronicling the latter part of the hops season. Part 2 to The Hop Garden Part 1.

Note bene: I'm also brewing most higher gravity all-grain beer in 3 gallon batches now because the volume of grist & brewing liquor fit better in my 5 gallon lauter tun.

Fresh Hop Brown Ale
23 Specialty Beer 
based on 10-C American Brown Ale
Author: Steve Espach

Size: 3.0 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 180.79 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.054 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.014 (1.010 - 1.016)
Color: 19.98 (18.0 - 35.0)
Alcohol: 5.34% (4.3% - 6.2%)
Bitterness: 35.9 (20.0 - 40.0)

See the rest of this recipe on my recipe page.