Did You Buy A Food Sealer for Bulk Hops?

Did you? Did you buy a food sealer for bulk hop purchases? Where do you get the bulk hops?

Sorry about the typos!!

No poll choice for me. Guess it doesn't really apply for me as I got all of my Chinooks and Cascades free from a local guy. I used the heck out of the foodsealer we already had.

Made up the bags and then used a large plastic cup to smash the hop in tight and then sealed. IMO a food sealer is a necessity for bulk hops.

McKBrew said:

No poll choice for me. Guess it doesn't really apply for me as I got all of my Chinooks and Cascades free from a local guy. I used the heck out of the foodsealer we already had.

Made up the bags and then used a large plastic cup to smash the hop in tight and then sealed. IMO a food sealer is a necessity for bulk hops.

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Shut up... :cross:

I live a few miles away from one of the largest hop farmers in the Pacific Northwest. I get fresh picked hops. Last summer when I was out there Deschutes and Full Sail were both
there picking up hops for their fresh hopped ales. The owner is a awesome guy.

apparatus said:

I live a few miles away from one of the largest hop farmers in the Pacific Northwest. I get fresh picked hops. Last summer when I was out there Deshutes and Full Sail were both
there picking up hops for their fresh hopped ales. The owner is a awesome guy.

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I guess you have to Shut up too!

Actually I've had the sealer for quite a while but it gets used more now that I stocked up from freshops.com

Amazon.com: Johnson S C Inc 70055 Ziploc Vacuum Pump: Home & Garden

This thing literally sucks on ziplock bags. It's what I use, great for hops, sucks for DME.

Yeah, I use the cheap-o ziplock pump for my Freshops purchases, also.

I've owned and used a Seal-A-Meal well before I began buying hops in bulk; I've only ordered from Freshops and HopsDirect to date.

In fact, I have a pound each of EKG and Galena en route from Hops Direct.

Yes I bought one, But I have never ordered any from Freshhops or Hopsdirect.

Niko has a link up on his site now for the FoodSealer and replacement bag rolls! Smart fella.

I got my hops from Niko then realized I had to get a foodsaver. Niko and the foodsaver rock.

He needs to get a deal like the George Foreman Grill


The NIKOSEAL...

Produced by Guthey Renker

Went the cheap route with a ten dollar Reynolds Handi-Vac.

See I thought about one of the cheaper ones... but only people who are pissed seem to write reviews... so the reviews I read were horrible. Granted I got my sealer originally $169 for $59 with a coupon code... so I wont complain.

To be honest, the bulk hops were just the motivation to get one....I've been wanting one for the kitchen for a while but just couldn't convince myself to spend the cash.

Had a foodsaver and I use mason jars to store my hops. You can open them then re-seal them many times using the foodsaver with the large mouth sealing attachment.

Salute!

I use a food sealer on all my leftover hops. But I didn't buy it, it was a wedding gift
I've only purchased bulk once and it was from hopsdirect. I was very pleased with with speed, and product I recieved.

I'l be buying a cheap one b/c I'm growing hops this year.

I got the Rival vacuum sealer from Kmart for about 50 bucks... It works just as well as my mom's high end FoodSaver and is cheaper when it comes to the bags as well...

heh, this is my uncle.

He's one of those on-air personalities for QVC. He also has been hocking the Foodsaver via infomercials for a long time. So everyone in our family has at least one. I've had one since college, myself. Great product!

I get my hops from either freshops or Puterbaugh (hopsdirect). Just ordered a pound each of EKG and Magnum from Puterbaugh a couple days ago. Usually I'll use Freshops if I don't want to pay for a whole pound of something...otherwise, Puterbaugh.

Gotta have a foodsaver, though. We have two. One is dedicated to my hops and specialty grains.

I requested and received a FoodSaver last year for the holidays and have been using it for both food and hops equally.

I purchase from Hopsdirect because I don't like whole leaf but will probably grab up a pound of Amarillo from Niko soon because of the cheaper shipping. I still need to buy Styrian from HD, though.

I purchases a foodsaver and initially sealed the hops in bags. But one day I went to their site to order more bags and they had a sale on their canisters. This is about a year ago so I don't remember exactly how much they cost but it was something like $15 for a set of 3 canisters (different sizes). So I purchased three sets. Now I don't use bags and the canisters are very convenient, after weighing my hops I use the suction pump attachment and i'm g2g. I have an extra fridge in the garage and the top freezer is full of hops. I have 7 different varieties on hand (purchase pound of each).

Anyone just use mason jars and purge with CO2? Wouldn't this have the same effect as sucking out oxygen?

food sealers, purging jars, that is just getting complicated.



$2 for pump and 3 bags.

Brewme said:

Anyone just use mason jars and purge with CO2? Wouldn't this have the same effect as sucking out oxygen?

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I saw a site that condoned this. It probably would not be 100% airtight, but much better than a ziplock bag.

honestly, who has hops around long enough that keeping in a ziplock is a problem? my hops get used us faster than they are going to oxidize in a vacuumed out ziplock in the fridge...I have had some hops stored like that for 2 months with no noticable degredation...

Yes, I have a FoodSaver that I acquired soley for packaging bulk hops, which I purchase from hopsdirect or freshops.

I tried a Reynolds HandiVac and it was a waste of time and money.

I don't have a FoodSaver yet, I keep spending all my money on brewing ingredients. It's on my list of things to get, but I haven't had a problem using a cheapo Reynolds sealer jobby and there are a few things higher on the list than a foodsaver. Someday I'll get one though.

Hopsdirect rocks. I have some Magnum on the way from them as well.

vespa2t said:

honestly, who has hops around long enough that keeping in a ziplock is a problem? my hops get used us faster than they are going to oxidize in a vacuumed out ziplock in the fridge...I have had some hops stored like that for 2 months with no noticable degredation...

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Some members have ordered 5 lbs at a time from HopsDirect or Freshhops. With that quantity you'll want to use a vacuum sealer.

Unless you only brew IIPAs, of course.

vespa2t said:

honestly, who has hops around long enough that keeping in a ziplock is a problem? my hops get used us faster than they are going to oxidize in a vacuumed out ziplock in the fridge...I have had some hops stored like that for 2 months with no noticable degredation...

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I've had some hops for over a year. When you buy by the pound (especially a high-AA bittering hop), you tend to not go through it as quickly.

Evan! said:

When you buy by the pound (especially a high-AA bittering hop), you tend to not go through it as quickly.

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+1 to this! Even if I didn't use it for hops, a vac sealer is pretty much mandatory in my kitchen.

I got my Foodsaver initially for sealing up hops and grain, but I'm glad I have it otherwise. The thing gets used at least once a week. Vacuum sealing canisters of brown sugar keeps it from turning into a brick, and I use the Foodsaver vacuum marinading dish as well for preparing meats.

Evan! said:

I've had some hops for over a year. When you buy by the pound (especially a high-AA bittering hop), you tend to not go through it as quickly.

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Ya, I don't have that problem . I have a bigger issue going through the lower aa% varieties.

:rockin:

ohiobrewtus said:

Ya, I don't have that problem . I have a bigger issue going through the lower aa% varieties.

:rockin:

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I'm shocked. Positively befuddled.