Hops pillow for sleeplessness.

Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 03:01:07 -0500
Sender: HERB.TREARNPC.EGE.EDU.TR
From: "Steven M. Armstrong" <yooper.TEXAS.NET>
Subject: Stinky Hops

I read somewhere that hops sewn into a pillow can bring on intense dreams. So, I put some Tettnanger hops into a sachet, along with a little sweet basil from the garden.

I have been having occasional bouts of insomnea, but for three nights in a row, after placing this sachet inside my pillowcase, I had no trouble falling asleep (and it was a deeper, more restful sleep than I've had in years) and I had some wonderful, very vivid dreams.

The problem is this; after three nights, this sachet began to smell like smelly feet. It finally smelled so bad I had to throw it away.

Was the smell caused by the basil, or do hops rot? And if hops do rot and stink, why would someone sew them into a pillow? Is there a way to preserve hops, yet still allow their aroma to escape?

By the way, I used hops in pellet form. Would this make a difference? Any help/advice would be appreciated. I'd like to be able to sleep like that again!

From: Back in Black <skeevers.NETCOM.COM>

Steven,

Why not put your hops either in a pillow that has a zipper on one side, or in a little mesh bag (which you could tie closed with a piece of string), so that after three days you can dump out the old hops and put in fresh ones? Or even simpler, just wrap them up in a piece of cheesecloth and put the packet in your pillowcase.

Bon

From: vic hlushak <vhlushak.AWINC.COM>

> I read somewhere that hops sewn into a pillow can bring on intense

It was probably the basil. The hops should just go less aromatic over time. Hop pellets are hop flowers (cones) that have been crushed and formed into pellets so they should be all right.