Injecting nitrogen into bag for storage

How does one do this? Is their specific equipment needed (I'm sure there is)? Can someone point me in the right direction, I have no idea where to begin.

Yep, there is special equipment for this.

Here's a table top version of a nitrogen flush, vacuum packaging machine:

See that little probe sticking out from the device? You fill your bag with hops (or whatever), slip the open end between the jaws with that probe shoved inside. The jaws will clamp down, the probe will draw a suction and evacuate the bag. Then it will inject nitrogen into the bag. If you want to leave it as a "pillow" pack, it would yank the probe out and seal the bag. Otherwise, it would draw the nitrogen out until you have a tight vacuum and then seal.

Ouch those are pricey

If your sealer has a manual function, it seems like you could pull the majority of the air out of the bag, fill the bag with nitrogen, then pull it back down again. It would be more labor intensive but would be an option if dropping $3K for a sealer isn't in your future. You can get a nozzle (like a blower you would use for an air compressor) at any HVAC supply house, and are used to blow nitrogen through a line set. That of course assumes that you have a nitrogen tank and regulator with 1/4" flare fitting.....

Thanks! I didn't even know where to start. You started it and ended it for me. 3k to save a couple bucks on hops? No thanks! I do suppose the nitrogen tank and sprayer could be an option but probably not cost effective for my 15 five gallon batch a year habit.

That's short sided thinking. It would pay for itself in only 327 years!

BTW - A lot of people simply use a vacuum sealer without nitrogen purge with good results. Still quite an investment for hops alone, but you can use it for bulk groceries as well.

If I drink more beer I can preserve myself in alcohol solution, right?

The Brew Strong episode about hops made me think of this as they said studies show a vacuum sealed bag of hops in a freezer has a year. If I bought several pounds of hops at my brew rate wouldn't work. I guess I'll have to brew/drink more to hops and slowly work on being immortal.

That sealer is amazing.

I have some cascade stored in a mason jar. Before I vacuum seal the jar I shoot co2 in there. No problems with 2012 crop so far. You could prob do this with nitrogen if you wanted

nosnhojm20 said:

If I drink more beer I can preserve myself in alcohol solution, right?

The Brew Strong episode about hops made me think of this as they said studies show a vacuum sealed bag of hops in a freezer has a year. If I bought several pounds of hops at my brew rate wouldn't work. I guess I'll have to brew/drink more to hops and slowly work on being immortal.

Click to expand...

With the correct consumption rate you may or may not live forever, but you will for sure feel immortal. Proof is at any bar on a Friday night!