Page 35 - Beverage MasterAug Sept 2020_Rev

Craft Brewery

August and October. treatment program for next spring.

In fall, it’s time to inspect the quality of the har- Other common insects to watch for in fall are
vested crop, have brewers visit the farm to select two-spotted spider mites, damson hop aphids
hops, and plan for the first frost when plants go and potato leafhoppers. When high populations
into dormancy. of these pests exist, it may be beneficial to apply
insecticide in the post-harvest period. It may also
While sometimes overlooked and not given the be required to obtain a burning permit if burning
attention it deserves, the post-harvest season is pest-infested plant debris is allowed in the area.
crucial for hop growers as part of a year-around
maintenance schedule. The tasks relevant to this Post-harvest Hop Drying
time prevent pests and disease for the next sea-
son and help growers get their orders in well in Also important is the post-harvest drying of hops
advance, so they’re not rushing at the last minute. to prevent mold and mildew, while allowing for
Meanwhile, post-harvest provides an opportunity proper storage to maintain high crop quality. This
to set up the next season for success by recalling task is timely and relevant because harvested
lessons learned from the past growing season. hops are rarely needed for immediate use. Right
after harvesting, hops have high moisture content,
Soil Considerations often greater than 75% moisture contained with-
in the fruit, leaves and flowers. Moisture content
Soil maintenance should be at the top of the pri- between 10 and 15% is ideal for preservation, but
ority list for any hop grower’s post-harvest season. this may vary slightly based on hop varietal. Timely
After harvesting the hops, growers can spend their drying of hops will help preserve their flavors and
time wisely by draining irrigation systems, clean- aromas while keeping them fresh.
ing filters, tilling the hop yard and planting winter
crops or perennial cover crops. This time is also Growers can dry hops in ambient air with no heat
when growers can run harvested bines through a added or use an oast to dry hops with temperature
chipper to create mulch or add to a compost pile and air controls in a dedicated building or cabinet.
and fertilize the area to replace nutrients in the Oasts can be convenient for large-scale hop pro-
soil. Typically, applications of nitrogen—80 pounds ducers but are often not practical or affordable for
per acre or less—are most effective. Fertilizer smaller hop growers with more modest crop yields.
should be applied along rows, not on top, to pre- Alternatively, food dehydrators, ovens and micro-
vent rot and disease. waves are used by hop growers to aid the heated
drying process. A drying rig can be used for the
Consider changing the irrigation frequency after small-scale, low-cost drying of hop cones and other
harvest, and only irrigate if the area is experienc- plant material where low-temperature drying is
ing a drought to prevent downy mildew and other preferred.
diseases. To restore nutrients and increase the
health of next year’s hops, add lime, potassium or Packaging the Hops
gypsum. It is often best to apply sulfur to the field
soil after harvest in small applications to lower the After hops are dried, it is time to store them in
soil pH. It’s also a good idea to dig up a selection of airtight packaging in a cool, dark, dry place. The
plants to inspect the roots and assess the soil com- hops should remain there until they are ready to be
paction, decay and lesions before simply replanting used.
the crowns.
Preserve hop cones and pellets in tightly sealed
Pest and Disease Control Considerations bags, while getting as much air out of the packag-
ing as possible through manual pressing, vacuum
Hop growers can get ahead of pests and disease removal, or nitrogen gas-assisted removal. Nitrogen
problems by paying more attention to these issues purging is most effective but requires specialized
right after harvest. To fight downy mildew, a com- equipment. Many medium-sized hop producers
mon problem on hops at this time of year, try using rely upon a food-grade vacuum sealing machine to
systemic fungicides and developing a protectant package and store their hops in either multi-layer

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