Dougan

Recipes 

I'm pretty new to the homebrewing thing and am still using extracts and hop pellets and such, but I took advantage of an opportunity and got a bunch of hops off of the bush from a friend who was moving. I don't really know what variety they are. Anywho, I'm sure I'll make use of them but I don't really know what to do with them... is there a good way to store picked hops in order to preserve their flavor?

Thanks,
Scott

devaspawn

Recipes 

Well first you will have to dry them. Look up hop drying in the search function. Then, if you have a food vacuum sealer put them in the vacuum bag and seal it and then toss them in the freezer. You can keep hops pretty "fresh" for quite a few months this way.

__________________
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Prim 1: Ogre's Inverted Extra Red Ale
Prim 2: Ogre's Hair of the Dog Imperial Amber Ale
Prim 3: Ogre's Relaxed APA
Sec 1: Honey Blonde Ale with Hefe Yeast
Sec 2: Scotch Wee Heavy
Sec 3: Ogre's Simple Mead
Keg 1: Ogre's Brown Ale
Keg 2: Ogre's Extra Red Ale

cuinrearview

Recipes 

Dry them and keep them away from light, warm temperatures, and oxygen. Along with time (use them soon), these are the killers of hops. I plan on my hops (when I get a good harvest) being usable until the next harvest if I vaccum seal them and freeze immediately after drying.

__________________
Looking forward to brewing some beer

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

Also, since you don't know what the AAs are you should use them as flavoring or aroma hops...(at the end of the boil)...

__________________
HB Bill

Dougan

Recipes 

So I dried them out by putting them in my strainer and putting it in front of the air conditioner. I read in that link that was posted that they should smell when they're dried. They do not, but when I squeeze them just a tiny bit they definitely smell, and the smell lingers on my fingers like after I chopped an onion. Are these still usable? When would be the right time to go get more (I'm sure I can go back and get some more). From my internet research, it seems like right now is the normal harvest time.

devaspawn

Recipes 

Sounds good to go to me.

__________________
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Prim 1: Ogre's Inverted Extra Red Ale
Prim 2: Ogre's Hair of the Dog Imperial Amber Ale
Prim 3: Ogre's Relaxed APA
Sec 1: Honey Blonde Ale with Hefe Yeast
Sec 2: Scotch Wee Heavy
Sec 3: Ogre's Simple Mead
Keg 1: Ogre's Brown Ale
Keg 2: Ogre's Extra Red Ale