In article , vsop
writes
Some time ago I asked advice on what whether it would be detrimental to the
Brussels crop if the tops were removed before the season end (cos we luv
em).
To those people who expressed interest in the answer I can now say that
after many delicious meals of tops, it has made not a jot of difference to
the quality or quantity of button yield.
We used the variety Hamlet , which were rather tall and needed to be staked.
We grew in raised beds made of decking timber.
Best Regards

Sprout plants should not come to any harm by having their tops removed,
but it is probably better to wait until most of the sprout crop has
formed up before doing that.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.