Reaching for the Sky
Griffin Hill Blog
Our Rakau hops are working their way up above the top wire. This variety is mainly grown in New Zealand, but they are thriving in the upstate sunshine! One of the beers we're working on is dry saison with lovely tropical fruit aromas imparted by these beauties!
After the summer solstice the hops begin to develop the flowers, called cones, that we use in the brewing process. First come buds, then burrs (pictured here), and finally the cones become ripe late in the summer. Thes burrs on our Centennial plants are enjoying the morning sunshine!
Only female plants produce the cones needed to brew beer. No boys allowed in our hop yard!
At this point in the summer the plants are 18 feet tall and heavy with big leaves soaking up the sunshine. In the fall the entire above ground portion of the plants will die back, only to emerge anew in the spring and do it all over again.