Frost is coming, so I make sure to harvest my hops before they freeze. I know they’re ready when I see brown spots, when they feel soft between my fingers, and when they have that nice hop smell.
To dry them, I simply spread them on a tray and roast them in the oven — 50°C for 24 hours, with the oven door slightly open to ventilate properly. I make sure they’re not layered on the tray, since that would cook them rather than dry them. They soon start to open up — so beautiful!
Once dry, I put them in a metal jar in the freezer and leave them there until winter comes and we have enough indoor time to make beer.