Storing leaf hops

Anyone have any suggestions on storing leaf hops? I am planning an IPA that is going to (duh) call for a lot of hops and I am planning on using all Centennial in it. My LHBS has 1lb bags of centenial, but the recipe obviously isn't going to us all that, 5oz total to be exact.

I am sure I'll use the centennial in other things (if nothing else, bittering). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store it? Just a zip lock bag in the fridge? That much hops I suspect is going to take me a few months to use all of them. If they aren't going to stay good, I might as well look at getting a couple of 2oz bags and a 1oz instead.

Thanks!

I use a double zip freezer bag and roll the air out with a rolling pin before sealing. For pellets, I just squeeze the air out and call it good. You can use a vacuum bagging system if you're dedicated. I toss mine in the freezer. No problems yet.

They will stay good a long time in the freezer! I have a food saver vacuum sealer, so I buy hops by the pound all the time and reseal. I've used hops from 2007 recently, just to use them up, and they were fine with the vacuum sealing and freezing and holding at 0 degrees.

I have around 10 pounds of hops in my freezer at any given time.

If you don't have a vacuum sealer, a ziploc bag would work well if you can squeeze out as much air and you can and stick them in the freezer.

Storage temp is #1 in importance. Always store in freezer. They keep way better in freezer than in fridge.

Air exposure is #2. Vacuum is better than ziploc which is better than loose.

A few weeks in fridge is OK, anything more and they should be in the freezer.

Awesome, thanks!

This will probably be especially important down the road as I am thinking of growing my own at some point. I have about 200sq-ft of yard set aside as garden space right now and my wife and I plan on doubling it in the next year or two. I doubt I'd grow a huge amount, but I am hoping for 2-3lbs per year.

That and maybe next year my apple trees will kick it in to high gear as I can do a nice cider or apple wheat.

You could store them in 15 gallons of beer

If they come in a mylar bag, you can reseal it with an iron or a flat iron. They are less permeable than ziploc bags. But if it's just a few months, a ziploc freezer bag will work fine.