Just bought one of them Foodsaver contraptions

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Willsellout

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Yeah, we probably throw away more food than we realize. I also figured I could use it for brewing too. I like using whole hops and the only places that have good selections you have to order a pound or more, so this should work out good. I'm stoked!


Dan
 
I have one as well and they are awesome. I vacuum seal everything. I use it for my corn sugar and hops. I go to Costco and buy bulk meat and divide it up , seal it and freeze. I have a couple canisters that came with it and use those for all kinds of dry goods. I want to get the lid sealer for use with mason jars and also the quick marinater they make. It also seals those foil chip bags.
 
I have one also and find it the cats meow.
I had a cheap one crap out on me this past year, and decided to get the foodsaver one. Great improvement.

I bulk buy and weigh out grains and hops and dry yeast and vacuum seal them.
 
Yep. Those things rock! I use them to bag up bulk grain. I also measure it out and add my specialty grains to a single bag so I have particular brews ready for the Barley Crusher.

Here's a few batches of my Haus Pale Ale

4569-Foodsaver55poundsPale.jpg
 
Yeah I figure it will pay for itself within the first year with the savings I will have in food, hops, and bulk grains. I can't wait for it to get here.
This forum is great for information, I never would have thought about it before I came here. This forum is also great in that it lets you know which things work and which ones don't. Next up I have my eye on the barley crusher:D

Oh and this kit comes with the marinator and a couple cannisters...those will come in handy in keeping my Coffee fresh as I order it from a specialty shop in California.
 
I too have a FoodSaver. Great for sealing up those leftover brewing ingredients.

I have also used it to seal up emergency tools for my motorcycle. Keeps the humidity from corroding them.
 
SWMBO recently bought one. We've been talking about it for years. It would definately have a place in the brewing room.
 
EdWort said:
Yep. Those things rock! I use them to bag up bulk grain. I also measure it out and add my specialty grains to a single bag so I have particular brews ready for the Barley Crusher.

Here's a few batches of my Haus Pale Ale

4569-Foodsaver55poundsPale.jpg


Now that is a good idea. The only thing I don't like is how expensive the bags are for those things.

They are really great for dry food. Wet stuff I find is tricky to get right because as it is vacuuming the liquid is passing through the heat seal point. So if you do wet stuff, but sure to test it before you have the seam bust (I speak from experience :D).
 
zoebisch01 said:
Now that is a good idea. The only thing I don't like is how expensive the bags are for those things.

They are really great for dry food. Wet stuff I find is tricky to get right because as it is vacuuming the liquid is passing through the heat seal point. So if you do wet stuff, but sure to test it before you have the seam bust (I speak from experience :D).

If you seal wet stuff like meat just roll up a papertowel length wise and put it between the area that will get sealed and the meat and when it vacuums the towel absorbs the moisture.
 
Personally I've never had a problem with bad seals on meat. I've had a few problems with soups and marinaded meats. Usually those problems manifest themselves in the seal never getting made.

The price of the bags: the bags are washable and you can reuse them (although the bag will be a little smaller the 2nd time). I frequently will put bags, inside out, on the top rack of the dishwasher. The only time this doesn't work is when I've used the bag for a tomato based item (like chili or spaghetti sauce).

Shop amazon and keep your eye on Sam's club. Both have p-retty good deals periodically.
 
Yeah, I'm a longtime fan. I've got two of them, but that's only 'cause my uncle is the "personality" who sells them on QVC and various infomercials. I ended up with one for free, and it's lasted for years. I use it every day. I keep my coffee beans in the canisters, which prolongs their lifespan incredibly.

I keep the other one downstairs in the brewhouse, and I bought a box of bag rolls from Sam's Club just for storing grain/hops. It works like a charm...and as others have said, the price is actually really good (especially considering how complex the bags really are, if you think about it). Just get a box of them from Sam's Club---you get three 12" rolls and one 6" roll, for $40. Given how much you get out of a roll, and the fact that they are reusable, I think it's a pretty damned good deal.
 
AleHole said:
If you seal wet stuff like meat just roll up a papertowel length wise and put it between the area that will get sealed and the meat and when it vacuums the towel absorbs the moisture.

You know I was going to add that in as an fyi lol. I did this recently on some Conch we had brought back from the islands. So I second the motion hehe. Doesn't work with liquid though :(.
 
kornkob said:
The price of the bags: the bags are washable and you can reuse them (although the bag will be a little smaller the 2nd time). I frequently will put bags, inside out, on the top rack of the dishwasher. The only time this doesn't work is when I've used the bag for a tomato based item (like chili or spaghetti sauce).

Tis' true. Another thing is to make them longer the first time so you get a few extra cuts off them. Anything really oily is a pita to clean too. But dry goods are definitely easy to reuse them with.
 
AleHole said:
If you seal wet stuff like meat just roll up a papertowel length wise and put it between the area that will get sealed and the meat and when it vacuums the towel absorbs the moisture.
I put the stuff to seal in one of the bags, put it in the freezer for half an hour and then seal; No juices or anything going in, it's all solid.


Dan
 
Yuri_Rage said:
I love mine for brewing - I keep my grains and hops in those bags.

If you're not careful, the hops might be mistaken for something else...

4688-holyhops.JPG

I guess it does look a lot like oregano, doesn't it?
 
Yuri_Rage said:
I love mine for brewing - I keep my grains and hops in those bags.

If you're not careful, the hops might be mistaken for something else...

4688-holyhops.JPG

Yeah I just bought a pound of Cascade from Hopsdirect, which of course means I have two pounds to break up and seal. I need to do that today. Is it best to freeze the hops or put them in the fridge?


Dan
 
zoebisch01 said:
Now that is a good idea. The only thing I don't like is how expensive the bags are for those things.
).

I have taken to using heavy plastic bags that a friend gave me. A bit difficult sometimes to get a seal but through patience they work. Saves a mint on buying those expensive foodsaver bags.
 
Willsellout said:
Yeah I just bought a pound of Cascade from Hopsdirect, which of course means I have two pounds to break up and seal. I need to do that today. Is it best to freeze the hops or put them in the fridge?

I put mine in the freezer. I ordered some from Hops direct and they just arrived too. I'm a bit disappointed. Their web site said the Cascade was 5% AA, but the ones that arrived are 4.2% AA which is the lowest Alpha percentage I have ever seen for Cascade hops.
 
EdWort said:
I put mine in the freezer. I ordered some from Hops direct and they just arrived too. I'm a bit disappointed. Their web site said the Cascade was 5% AA, but the ones that arrived are 4.2% AA which is the lowest Alpha percentage I have ever seen for Cascade hops.
Weird, mine said they were 6.9%. Do they have different varieties laying around or what?



Dan
 
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