Wild hops - Ask Extension
found 3 miles of wild hops along a railroad track. They have a fruit like smell as to the 400 I have in my back yard are pine like in odor these are ...
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Wild hops #269971
Asked August 13, 2015, 6:02 PM EDT
found 3 miles of wild hops along a railroad track. They have a fruit like smell as to the 400 I have in my back yard are pine like in odor these are females only the wild ones were male and female what can you tell me of wild growing hops they are native to europe
Taylor County Iowa
Expert Response
Wild hops grow all over the northern hemisphere and are often considered a weedy species. You can read more about their typology and distribution at http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038%2Fsj.hdy.6800839
There are both native and introduced varieties reported in SW Iowa. You can check out the county distribution at http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HULU
Unfortunately there is no way to determine what kind of hops they are, or even if they are a recognized variety, without a laboratory DNA test. Alternatively, if you are curious about utilization, you might make a small batch of beer with different quantities and different addition timings to see what kind of characteristics are imparted on the finished beverage.
Let me know if I can provide anything additional.
Best,
Andy
There are both native and introduced varieties reported in SW Iowa. You can check out the county distribution at http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HULU
Unfortunately there is no way to determine what kind of hops they are, or even if they are a recognized variety, without a laboratory DNA test. Alternatively, if you are curious about utilization, you might make a small batch of beer with different quantities and different addition timings to see what kind of characteristics are imparted on the finished beverage.
Let me know if I can provide anything additional.
Best,
Andy
