Mystery Solved

Mystery Solved

Susan was out and about the chicken's playground while I was loading up for a dump run, when she came upon the original plastic stake which identified the cones in this picture as "Northern Brewers Hops." And having had my first experience of brewing without "hop pellets" I am totally ready to make use of these bad boys next summer. Here's what Beer Advocate has to say about em:

Northern Brewer is a bittering-type cultivar, bred in 1934 in England from a Canterbury Golding female plant and the male plant OB21. Northern Brewer has been used in the breeding process of many newer varieties. This cultivar http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3544035is grown in England, Belgium, Germany and the USA.

A strong fragrant hop with a rich rough-hewn flavor and aroma, ideal for steam-style beers and ales. Northern Brewer has a unique mint-like evergreen flavor. (alpha acid: 8.0-10.0%/ beta acid: 3.0-5.0%)

If I have any left, I'll let Susan use them for their medicinal use. I'm going to have to see if my Mom (who lives in the middle of HOPS country) would grown me a few vines.

:)