Hops Trellis  The Hops Trellis in my garden is 10 feet tall and is built using PVC pipe. The bases are made from a larger diameter tube and are set in concrete in the ground. This allows the whole unit to be removed at any time. I am currently growing Goldings, Northern Brewer, Willamette, and Centennial hops. This is their first year of growth and I don't expect a large yield. Eventually, this will make a nice privacy fence constructed from hops bines.

Hops Trellis Plans  The Hops Trellis in my garden is a modification of the plans I found in Homebrewing for Dummies by Marty Nachel.  I made some additions and modifications to suit my needs and space availability.  The bases are set in concrete in order to help counteract the forces of the wind.  The units can be taken down in the winter by sliding the trellis out of the sleeves embedded in the concrete.  I wish I could have made them taller but I don't think my neighbors would approve.  I constructed two of these units to support the four varieties of hops that I am growing.  Clicking the link at right will enlarge the plans.

First Hops Harvest This is a picture of some of the hops that I was able to harvest from the first year of growth.  I was actually surprised at the quantity.  The flavor and aroma of the hops was not quite up to the level of commercial varieties but I suspect there will be vast improvements after they become more established.

Second Year Harvest This is a photo of the Goldings hops I harvested for 2005. This window screen contains a thick layer of hops set out to dry.  I also harvested a full brown paper grocery bag of Northern Brewer and a full bag each of Willamette and Centennial varieties.

Centennial Hops Close-Up This is a close-up photograph of my second year Centennial plant.  It is by far the most prolific grower of all the hops I have and is the 3rd to begin flowering.  It appears to be a favorite of the local insects.  Centennial is a relatively new hop variety on the market and can be used for aroma with properties similar to Cascade.  It works for bittering as well and has a medium to high bittering profile.  Its' alpha acids range from 8-11%. The trellis could be twice its' current height and this variety would probably still outgrow it.

Goldings Hops Close-up This is a close-up photograph of the Goldings variety I am growing.  It seems to be the most bug resistant and is the 2nd fastest to begin flowering in my garden. The variety was originally developed in the UK in the county of Kent. Its' flowery aroma has characterized some of the best English bitters and it has an alpha acid range from 5-6%.

Northern Brewer Hops Close-Up This is a close-up photograph of the Northern Brewer variety I am growing.  It is an English bred variety with some aroma but a high bittering quality.  It has an alpha acid range of 7-9%. It is reputed to be difficult to grow but seems to be the 2nd most prolific variety in my garden.  It seems to have an excellent resistance to the insects in my area as well.  It is the first hops of the season to begin to flower.

Willamette Hops Close-up This is a close-up photograph of the Willamette hops I am growing. Released by the USDA in 1976 as a new aroma variety. It is  a triploid hybrid of the English Fuggle variety. It is characterized by low bittering values with alpha acids in the 4-6% range. It has a mild aroma, generally has medium yields, and is the last of my garden hops to begin flowering.