HOPS FOR DECORATION
Traditionally, garlands of hops were hung afresh every year - for good luck - in the pubs and farmhouses of the hop-growing areas of the UK (Kent, Herefordshire and Worcestershire) but few people outside of these areas appreciated the decorative potential of a full-flowered hop bine until The Hop Shop started, in 1986, growing and marketing them nationwide specifically for interior use.
To achieve top decorative quality, our hops are grown at extra-wide spacing to encourage flowering along the full length of the bine. (This means that they are bigger, fuller bines and more consistent in their flowering than hops produced from closely-spaced brewing hops which are always competing for sunlight.) The fully-grown bines are harvested from mid-August to mid-September when they are in their prime and have their freshest green colour. They are either sold as fresh-cut bines for immediate decorative use or dried in the dark in temperature- and humidity-controlled sheds to hold their colour. They are then boxed and stored in insulated, dehumidified stores for sale throughout the year. The decorative bines are approximately 3m (10ft) in length.
Now, dried hop bines can be seen throughout the UK, over the bars in pubs, trailed along the top of kitchen units, twisted around wedding marquee poles or adorning the beams of old barns.
Fresh hop bines can be purchased (cut to order) from mid-August to mid-September and either collected direct from the shop or despatched by 24-hour courier to most UK mainland addresses. For fresh hop bines please telephone 01959 523219 to order so that specific delivery/collection arrangements can be discussed or email us with your request and we will contact you to make arrangements.
Dried hop bines are available throughout the year for purchase direct from the shop or for despatch by Royal Mail or 48-hour courier throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. (Theoretically we can send dried hop bines overseas but delivery charges tend to be prohibitive!)
IMPORTANT ADVICE ON HANDLING HOP BINES
A hop bine is composed of two or three stems that have grown and twisted up a long central string. Fresh hop bines are supple and can be easily draped and twined into position and left to dry out naturally. Hanging the cut bines is easy – simply hook the stems or string over a nail. The bines are very light when dry so weight is not a problem.
Dried bines have to be stored at low humidity in order to preserve their colour and condition and can therefore be quite brittle to handle. We strongly recommend that 24 hours before they are to be hung, the boxes are opened and left in a damp atmosphere such as a shed, cellar or garage (not outside). Damp air will be absorbed into the flowers and foliage, softening them and making them easier to handle. An alternative is to use a fine mist spray and leave it for a short while to be absorbed.
Hops should always be hung in a position where they will not be knocked by people or disturbed by draughts as the flowers may disintegrate if damaged. The greenness of the flowers will be retained longer if the hops are not exposed to direct sunlight.
Please note: Hop flowers contain a yellow pollen-like substance that contains the plant’s essential oils. This can stain fabrics and furnishings, so dust-sheets should always be used to protect interiors whilst hops are being handled.
Occasionally there may be small insects or aphids hidden in the foliage or flowers of fresh hops, feeding off the sap. These will emerge as soon as the hops start to dry and will die off very quickly within a couple of days. We inspect all bines before despatch and reject any that have an obvious problem - but detecting small infestations is very difficult, so please be patient!
The fresh bines have a rough, slightly barbed surface to the stems and underside of the leaves. This can scratch the skin and cause short-term irritation so we recommend the wearing of thin gloves and long sleeves while handling the fresh bines.
For trade information, please telephone 01959 523219 or email us for prices.