I finally came across opened hops that smelled like cheese. So how long, stored in a ziplock baggie in the freezer, will hops generally stay good?
These had been opened prior? I’ve certainly had unopened hops last years, but those opened hops might have been opened for a year, sealed in a ziplock.I've had sealed hops used 2-3 years with little discernible degradation. I always smell them first to before just throwing them in the boil but haven't had any problems up to this point.
These had been opened prior? I’ve certainly had unopened hops last years, but those opened hops might have been opened for a year, sealed in a ziplock.
Did you keep the hops in the original mylar (or other oxygen barrier) bag/pouch they came in, taping it well shut, then put that inside a ziplock baggie?I’m sorry, I’ll be more clear. I generally like to split a 1/2 oz of Warrior for bittering. I had opened the original package, used half, and stored the other half in a ziplock baggie squeezing out most of the air, and keeping it in the freezer. I didn’t come back around to brewing again for about a year or so and I had found that my hops smelled like cheese. My question is once opened but resealed in a ziplock and stored in the freezer, how long will they generally last?
I use a vacuum sealer to store my hops in mason jars, I have hops from 2012-2013 that are still good.
I don't know if you can reseal the original bags, a lot of people reseal their hops in the vacuum sealer bags with success.
How did you store yours?I had a pound of amarillo last close to five years in the freezer without a vacuum sealer.
I’m a bit curious about this. I’ve seen some hops packaged in opaque bags, some clear, and some a solid light-proof. And likely they were made with different materials. Were all of them bad?Perfect timing. We had our monthly HB club meeting last night, and a woman who's in the club but rarely shows up brought a boat load of YVH hops. They were all unopened but most were from 2017. Talus, Simcoe, Amarillo, some French hop that I didn't recognize, and a few others. We opened the Talus and Simcoe - cheese city!! Despite never being opened they were totally unusable. I have no idea how they were stored, though I imagine it was not in a freezer.
We only opened a few so I have no idea they were all bad, but some smelled better than others. Most were 2oz bags, but some were larger, probably 8oz. They were in original packaging labeled YVH, looked to be light-proof, with a YVH insignia, but in packaging and material I'd never seen before, (I was just brewing kits in 2017 so maybe that's why?). I didn't handle any unopened bags so I can't say they were even vacuum sealed. But definitely not the silver bags we get today.I’m a bit curious about this. I’ve seen some hops packaged in opaque bags, some clear, and some a solid light-proof. And likely they were made with different materials. Were all of them bad?
Yakima is a big deal so I’d assume they used quality packaging. I’ve been known to be wrong before though…We only opened a few so I have no idea they were all bad, but some smelled better than others. Most were 2oz bags, but some were larger, probably 8oz. They were in original packaging labeled YVH, looked to be light-proof, with a YVH insignia, but in packaging and material I'd never seen before, (I was just brewing kits in 2017 so maybe that's why?). I didn't handle any unopened bags so I can't say they were even vacuum sealed. But definitely not the silver bags we get today.
There has been at least one round of packaging improvements for hops since 2017.I’ve been known to be wrong before though…
Vacuum sealing and freezing is the only way to go. When you buy hops by the pound and use it by the fractional ounce, you can't afford any other solution!
That’s how I generally approach hop usage, though I liked to split the 1/2 oz pack of Warrior for bittering 2 batches along with buying hops by the pound to also split for 2 IPAs. Theoretically opened hops wouldn’t sit more than a month or two, but several times now months and months have passed.There has been at least one round of packaging improvements for hops since 2017.
An alternative that I use (and others have mentioned using) is to buy the (semi-annually / annually) hops that
With this approach, one does not spend additional time and materials on re-packaging hops.
- one is likely to use in the next 6 to 12 months, and
- in package sizes that closely match amounts used in recipes.
In the end, it's a personal decision on how to trade-off hobby time and money.
In your situation, using a vacuum sealer to store opened bags of hops seems to be a good alternative.Now I’m intending on brewing smaller batches which means I’d likely be splitting more hop packages.
How good of an oxygen barrier is the typical film used for vacuum sealing? Comparable to Mylar (e.g., YVH, YCH) and multilayer oxygen barrier film (e.g., HopsDirect)?In your situation, using a vacuum sealer to store opened bags of hops seems to be a good alternative.
A while back, when I tried vacuum sealing partial bags of hops with the vacuum seal bags, it seemed to work about the same as closing the bag tightly and putting it in the freeze. YMMV.How good of an oxygen barrier is the typical film used for vacuum sealing? Comparable to Mylar (e.g., YVH, YCH) and multilayer oxygen barrier film (e.g., HopsDirect)?
This (newer varieties have lower storage survival) would help explain the variety of anecdotal experiences that we're reading.This works for some and not others largely due to the hop varieties. The newer, oil-heavy varieties have lower storage survival than older varieties.
Yes, of course, after sealing they're then returned to the deep freezer![...] and putting it in the freeze.
I haven’t tried resealing just the original bag.Anyone tried the vacuum sealer on the original bag? I’d just try it but I’d be quite upset if I ruined it.
When you read around, hops never improve with age. The right bag material, vacuum sealing, and frozen storage have proven to be the best strategy. At best they stay the same (a fallacy, they always lose something) or at least remain useful. Save yourself the trouble for additional testing of hop aging. Brew beer instead. Like 3 Barleywines.Well crap, I guess this means I’m going to have to test this eventually. A few pellets per storage type should do I’d think. A year should suffice I’d venture to guess. A standard ziplock vs vacuum sealer bag vs original container taped. Anyone tried the vacuum sealer on the original bag? I’d just try it but I’d be quite upset if I ruined it.
Now that’s sage advice!!When you read around, hops never improve with age. The right bag material, vacuum sealing, and frozen storage have proven to be the best strategy. At best they stay the same (a fallacy, they always lose something) or at least remain useful. Save yourself the trouble for additional testing of hop aging. Brew beer instead. Like 3 Barleywines.
3 barleywines, huh? For my 100th batch I tried brewing a barleywine. I bought yeast nutrients and was told by the Fermentis guy it would just barely be able to tolerate the 12% projected. I forgot the nutrients, it stopped at 9% and was a bit sickly sweet. But I might just do so again one of these days but in a 1 gal carboy I got in a tiny kit.When you read around, hops never improve with age. The right bag material, vacuum sealing, and frozen storage have proven to be the best strategy. At best they stay the same (a fallacy, they always lose something) or at least remain useful. Save yourself the trouble for additional testing of hop aging. Brew beer instead. Like 3 Barleywines.
It was just an example of a possible alternative to prove something that was proven already. I had just posted this, and Barleywines were on my mind.3 barleywines, huh?
Sweeter Barleywines can be excellent, as long as there's something to balance it elsewhere, like sumptuous maltiness (British style), or really bitter and/or hoppy (American style).[...] was told by the Fermentis guy it would just barely be able to tolerate the 12% projected. I forgot the nutrients, it stopped at 9% and was a bit sickly sweet.
A standard ziplock vs vacuum sealer bag vs original container taped.
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