Brewing with home grown Noble? Hops

[Shaffer1515]

So I got permission to pick some hops that have been growing at a historical society that came from an old farm for the past 100 years a month or so ago... very well established and ton of hops. Almost certain they are "noble" using this term loosely of course. Starting to think of the possibilities of what to brew or even the best route to figure out what they are....

Option 1: Do a single malt single hop and some 1056 and see how that goes... but who's heard of doing that with a Noble hop if thats what it actually is?

Option 2: Which I'm leaning towards is taking a big chance once again assuming they are of noble variety and trying to make a Helles...

Any other options or something that may help me in solving this 100+ year old mystery... In the words of Freddie "Let go gang"

 

[giraffe]

You could do a smash with a kolsch yeast and pils malt (or a pale ale malt and 1056, if they are, indeed noble, you can just call it a blonde ale. It will be easy drinking, just dont go crazy with the gypsum in the water chemistry)

There is a strong possibility they are not noble, and are cluster though.
Opinions vary on that hop. I think they smell like a cat's litter box. You can drink a tea made with them, and you should be able to guess if they are cluster versus some sort of hallertau.

 

[Shaffer1515]

I know they smelled like Hallertau when we picking them and drying. have about 4 or 5 oz dried. They come from SW PA which is a really big PA Dutch/German area especially when you think about a plant that is over 100 years... I want to believe they are German. I dont have any open now to smell them again or make any type of tea which I did try after they were dry but I cant remember ever thinking they weren't noble smelling.

 

[giraffe]

Well if they smell good go for it. The worst that happens is they are cluster and you end up with a characteristically rustic historical american pils and not a helles.

Personally id buy a hop for bittering, since you have no idea of the alpha acids and just use the picked hops for late additions. Also that way if they end up being cluster and 7% versus hallertau at 2.5% its not a tragedy.