Temperature to store leaf hops

Hey guys,

Four year home grower of hops. I've always taken my leaf hops, dried them, vacuum sealed them, and tossed them in the freezer. No issues.

My wife is pregnant. Doesn't every brewing sob story with "My wife is pregnant?"

Anyway, she wants me to empty the freezer of all my hops. She wants me to put them in the kegerator, which has room but runs at maybe 45 degrees.

I realize this will keep them cold, but what I've noticed is some hops are not as dry as others and if they are frozen the water remains frozen in the hop. However if they aren't totally dry, the wet ones in a fridge go darken and go bad.

So my question is, what do you think of her idea? Use the kegerator for the hops? Or should I buy myself a mini freezer and put my hops in there? I'm sitting on 100+ ounces of hops. I can't wake up one day and see them going bad. To much work invested. I need to make her happy and store my hops correctly.

Any thoughts/advice is appreciated.

If you have the funds, I would recommend the small freezer idea. I have seen several small freezers on CraigsList recently, they weren't terribly expensive (under $100). I recommend finding one that is manual defrost, not automatic, they stay colder 24 hours a day. That will maintain your hops for the longest possible time.

Congrats on the impending newborn - and good luck with the mother

I agree with Butcherboy, you want to keep those hops frozen if you want them to remain usable. If you have the space, get on Craig's List asap and find a small freezer...

Cheers!

Dang kids...Just kidding. Congrats.

Obviously, the colder the better and below freezing is a must, especially if they aren't completely dry. If they are dry enough that moisture doesn't pop out plus vacuum sealed plus out of UV light, you can store them a year before there is any degradation. If they are at refrigerator temperatures, that will cut in 3/4 to 1/2 the storage time. If they are wet and turn brown, its all over.

Thanks. You confirmed what I suspected. I'll get something used and smallish for hops. Syne I'll used that extra space in the kegerator for yeast?