Infuse More Hops Into Your Beer

It's no secret that I am a fan of hop-intense beers. I love the "green" flavor of true fresh-hop beers. The folks at Dogfish Head Brewery often push their beers through Randall, the Enamel Animal, something I've experienced a fews times at beer festivals. Now you can get the same intensified hop flavors at home, thanks to the Randall Jr.

Admittedly, I do think this will be more of a novelty, than something for regular consumption. Randall-ized beers can have flavors that can be extreme to a fault. But, that doesn't mean I'm not seriously considering ordering one of these for my next party.

A Priest Walks Into A Bar...

And then into a garden.

The Reverend Andrew O’Connor of Holy Family Church in the Bronx is a fan of craft beer. He recently met up with the brewers at Bronx Brewery and a partnership was launched. The brewery supplied 20 hop starter plants for the Priest who will grow them in his rectory garden. The brewery will use the fresh hops in its beer.

Says Father O'Connor, "There’s a lot more to be done with beer. It has immediate satisfaction. And the religious connotation is wonderful, too."

Read more at "A Bronx priest walks into a local brewery...and decides to grow hops for them in his parish garden".

H/T to Stan Hieronymus via Twitter.

East Coast Hop Farming

A well-done and interesting video report on hop growing in upstate New York.

Hop harvesting is hard work!

Direct link:
http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/09/07/smb_bg_american_hops_beer.cnnmoney/

Hopping Mad - Critter vs. Plant

While ordering plants this Spring to fill pots and planters on our deck, Colleen thought it would be nice to add a hop plant. We don't home brew, and don't expect to harvest the cones, but the vine would be an interesting addition to the foliage outside.

The plant was potted up, and a small trellis added. The vine adapted quickly and has been putting out new growth. Today, when we came home from Mass, the disorder pictured here greeted us. This is actually the second time in a few weeks that some creature, we're assuming a squirrel, has dug into this pot. Not a single other flower pot on the deck is touched. The same potting soil is used in all the pots. Neither the plant nor the roots appear to be eaten. There's certainly something about this plant that sends the critter into a digging frenzy.

Frustrating? Yea.