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Author Topic: Hop Hoarder  (Read 9584 times)

Offline saintpierre

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2012, 11:09:37 am »
So if you keep them sealed do they stay good indefinitely? Do you portion them out and seal them in increments, or just reseal the bag after you use them?

Indefinitely is a long time!  I've got pellets that are 4-5 years old and still good.  I put them in big bags and reseal them after I take some out.
4-5 years! WOW! :o
I store mine in canning jars blanketed with C02. Although I do have a few ounces that my be almost 2 years old set out in my basement to age...
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2012, 11:25:42 am »
So if you keep them sealed do they stay good indefinitely? Do you portion them out and seal them in increments, or just reseal the bag after you use them?

Indefinitely is a long time!  I've got pellets that are 4-5 years old and still good.  I put them in big bags and reseal them after I take some out.

If I get them in vacuum-sealed 1-ounce bags (like from one of the online homebrew shops), then I'll generally leave them as-is. If I get some in bulk (Freshops, Hops Direct, Yakima Valley, etc.), then once I crack the package I'll put them in a Food Saver bag. I use the rolls and cut the bag to length with a few inches of extra headspace. This way as I need to crack the bag open I have plenty of room to re-seal it.

And yes, I bought a FoodSaver just for my hops. I told the wife it was for the garden veggies, but I have pounds of hops in my freezer and just a few handfuls of fruit & berries...
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2012, 11:32:52 am »
And yes, I bought a FoodSaver just for my hops. I told the wife it was for the garden veggies, but I have pounds of hops in my freezer and just a few handfuls of fruit & berries...

I love disguising brewing purchases as family meal purchases. Next up: a Food Saver and an Electric Smoker.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2012, 04:02:46 pm »
And yes, I bought a FoodSaver just for my hops. I told the wife it was for the garden veggies, but I have pounds of hops in my freezer and just a few handfuls of fruit & berries...

I love disguising brewing purchases as family meal purchases. Next up: a Food Saver and an Electric Smoker.

Our FoodSaver, Smoker, and Thermapen are used for making beer and food. Multi-taskers they are.
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Offline roguejim

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2012, 07:15:15 pm »
The LHBS gave me 1lb of outdated Magnum whole hops.  They are still in their 2oz aluminum baggies, are now 5 years old, and are still very pungent when opened.  Someone at HopUnion told me pellets will keep a couple of years in the freezer, leaf hops...about a year.  Frankly, I think they keep well much longer if vacuum sealed in the freezer.

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #20 on: July 30, 2012, 02:24:44 pm »
yep I buy about 15-20 lbs of hops a year in one or 2 hauls and foodsaver seal them up and throw em in the freezer. One lb. of hops is usually split in 3 or 4 bags.

Hops have 2 enemies: Oxygen and Heat. If you eliminate those as much as you can they will keep for a VERY long time. I have whole leaf hops that are about 2 years old in the freezer vac sealed and I wouldn't hesitate to use them if needed.
Jason
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Offline micsager

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #21 on: July 31, 2012, 10:03:45 am »
I do the same as Denny.

A couple years ago I split some bulk hops into smaller bags (2 - 3 oz) and that also worked well.  A lot more work, though, and I'm not sure there is a huge benefit to it.

This is what I do.  I order by the pound from HopsDirect, then once opened, portion it out in 2ounce packs and vacum seal.  Makes it easy to use, as I already know each pack is 2 ounces.  For partials, I put a big X on the pack, so I know I have to weight them.

Offline alcaponejunior

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #22 on: August 07, 2012, 09:56:13 am »
I also have a bunch of hops in the freezer (several pounds), with "other" ingredients to only make two batches, lol.  I've even changed a recipe I was going to make to make it an IPA instead just because I got some new hops in LOL

Offline AmandaK

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2012, 10:15:30 am »
I couldn't even tell you the amount of random hops I have in my freezer right now. But I know it's not more than 20 lbs!! ;)

But then again, the fall harvest is upon us. And I'm thinking of doing a Brett B Trois APA with Calypso & Citra... it would be cheaper in the long run to just by a pound of each... and I'm running out of Czech Saaz again... and I should get some Simcoe before it runs out like this past year.... and... dang I gotta stop!
Amanda Burkemper
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #24 on: August 23, 2012, 10:42:21 am »
I think I'd rather have too much than too little...but I try to keep it manageable.  I have about ten pounds of assorted varieties.
Ron Price

Offline tankdeer

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Re: Hop Hoarder
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2012, 04:20:31 pm »
So if you keep them sealed do they stay good indefinitely? Do you portion them out and seal them in increments, or just reseal the bag after you use them?

Indefinitely is a long time!  I've got pellets that are 4-5 years old and still good.  I put them in big bags and reseal them after I take some out.

If I get them in vacuum-sealed 1-ounce bags (like from one of the online homebrew shops), then I'll generally leave them as-is. If I get some in bulk (Freshops, Hops Direct, Yakima Valley, etc.), then once I crack the package I'll put them in a Food Saver bag. I use the rolls and cut the bag to length with a few inches of extra headspace. This way as I need to crack the bag open I have plenty of room to re-seal it.

And yes, I bought a FoodSaver just for my hops. I told the wife it was for the garden veggies, but I have pounds of hops in my freezer and just a few handfuls of fruit & berries...
I do exactly the same thing. My eldest are probably 2 years old but they're still in great shape. Yay for the foodsaver. I didn't disguise that purchase though. The wife knew damn well what it was for.  :D
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