Leaf Hops

I grew some hops and want to include them in my keg. However, I am not sure as to how to prepare them for kegging. Can I just pick them and toss them in or do I need to process them some how?

I haven't grown my own yet but some breweries use a wet hopping.  You might want to experiment for seasonal brewing with fresh hops.  I might think about a soak in some strong alcohol to disinfect them first but I would toss some in fresh then dry the rest.

Use them as you would normally use dried whole hops except you will need between five and eight times the weight. I like to let them set for a short time to let any insects crawl away. If that makes you squeamish, use them in a hop stand or as whirlpool hops. Do not soak them in alcohol.

ghwren said:

Use them as you would normally use dried whole hops except you will need between five and eight times the weight. I like to let them set for a short time to let any insects crawl away. If that makes you squeamish, use them in a hop stand or as whirlpool hops. Do not soak them in alcohol.

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This is excellent advice. Wet hops will give you a "grassy flavor to your finished beer if you dry hop. Some people like it, some don't. My harvest this year is about 6 lbs. dried. Let the critters crawl away, and they will. I dry mine in less than 50 % humidity (air conditioned room) for a week. Put them in a vacuum seal bag, purge them well with CO2, seal them, and freeze them. The CO2 or nitrogen will sanitize them. Since you can't get them down to a commercial dryness without heat to 5-6 percent moisture, that's why you freeze them! Heat does cook off the oils in the drying process. The heavenly smell of hops at a drying facility is aroma that doesn't go into your beer.

Thank you gentlemen!