1. You could always send a sample to a lab for about $30.

2. You could to a side-by-side titration with commercial Cascade/Nugget as described near the bottom of this page under “Estimating hop bitterness” …

http://home.netcom.com/~dluzanp/backyard.htm

It depends on the condition of the hops. If they are still a little green, perhaps with touches of brown, you might be safe to harvest.

If they very dry, drained of color, and look like they have exploded, then it might be too late. I’ve heard other hop growers say that these hops can take on a skunky or oxidized aroma.

You might be best served to check them yourself. Examine them and rub them between your hands. Smell for freshness and make a call on if they are fresh enough to use in your precious homebrew. Err on the side of not using them if you sense something is off.

You definitely don’t have to dry the hops to use them. That is what “harvest” beers are all about. I don’t think it would be efficient to use wet hops before the last 10 minutes of the boil, but throw them in for flavor and aroma, and expect that, by weight, you’ll be using 2 to 4 times more hops than you would usually use.

I thought you might be pleased to know that if you search “hop drying necessary?” your post comes up in the top 10 on google! My dad’s been growing them, so I’m trying to figure out whether or not I have to dry them if I brew immediately with them.