Hops ready to be picked for the Wood Green Hopping Brew Day at the Goodness Brewery, this afternoon, Sunday18 September.
Local growers contribute their hops, which are picked only shortly before brew day because the 'green hopped' pale ale is brewed while the hops are still fresh. Dried hops are used for most other ales, lagers and beers. The hop plant is supplied by the brewery, and anyone can join in!
Harvesting the hop bines. This plant only produced 0.5 kg this year - last year the crop was four times the size!
Picking the hop flowers off the bines in the sun. They smell glorious! (Supposed to be good for insomnia if you put them under your pillow).
The ale will be available to buy in cans later in the autumn, while stocks last! Owen's Food Store in Alexandra Park Road N10 stocks it (together with other beers from the Goodness Brewery) - anyone know of other stockists? Or you can of course go to the Goodness Brewery itself, Coburg Road, Wood Green, to try it with optional pizza. It may also be available on tap at the Goodness and at pubs such as The Prince on Bounds Green Road. We really like it!
Comments
Since the hops harvest was so meagre this year (in Wood Green, at least!), there is sadly no Wood Green Hopping green-hopped pale ale available for sale in the shops. There's probably some that you can still get in cans from the Goodness Brewery, at 5a Clarendon Yard, Coburg Rd, Wood Green N22 6TZ (i.e. it's basically in Coburg Road, at the other end from Karamel).
Goodness Brewery say that Wood Green Hopping should be available on tap and in cans around early November.