Daily Archives: August 13, 2019

Thursday, August 22, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Hop Varieties in Homebrews and Craft Ales

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On August 22 from 6 – 9 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts, learn in a very relaxed interactive classroom setting the types of hop varieties and how to use them in home beer brewing recipes. The home brewer has an abundance of hops available today and finding new ingredients and new tastes is one of the most satisfying aspects of home brewing. Learn what type of hops work best in beer categories based on the Beer Judging Certification Program (BJCP) and American Homebrewers Association (AHA). Compare homebrew and craft ale types and the hops used in their recipes in a comfortable taste testing experience. Leave with a packet of information of how to use hops in a homebrew for bittering, flavoring, aroma and sweetness.

Samantha Ambrose has been home brewing since 1978 and is one of the original members of American Homebrewers Association (AHA) since 1979. The most fundamental aspect of a hop plant is that it is a flower and in recognizing that, the complexities of the hop and its involvement in the home brewing process will be better understood. Warm, vibrant and engaging Samantha is at home on the community theater stage or presenting, facilitating and mentoring on a variety of gardening and home brewing topics. Must be over 21 to register. $39 for Tower Hill members, $47 for nonmembers. Visit www.towerhillbg.org to sign up.

Pest Alert: Leaf Damage to Oaks Caused by the Oak Shothole Leafminer and Oak Anthracnose

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A dramatic and possibly widespread outbreak of the oak shothole leafminer (Japanagromyza viridula synonym Agromyza viridula) and oak anthracnose (Apiognomonia errabunda) has occurred this season. To date, samples and observations of the outbreak have been made in western and eastern Massachusetts, coastal Rhode Island, southern New Hampshire, eastern New York and eastern Pennsylvania. The oak shothole leafminer is a small fly in the family Agromyzidae. Not much is known about this particular species, although very short-lived outbreaks of this insect on ornamental oaks have been recorded in New England in the past. The oak anthracnose pathogen appears to be readily colonizing foliage damaged by the leafminer. The anthracnose damage appears mostly minor to moderate in severity (leaf spots and blotches). However, for some trees the disease has been far more damaging (leaf wilting, death and premature shedding). Infected leaves may have tan to brown-colored spots and blotches or appear blackened and wilted.  To read the complete article, visit https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/news/leaf-damage-to-oaks-caused-by-oak-shothole-leafminer-oak-anthracnose