buying and storing hops

hey there- I am looking into buying some larger quantities of hops -mostly aroma type and dual purpose and am wanting to buy a lot now as I am worried about availability. I am thinking of buying about 6lbs but the hops come in 1 lb bags......It will take me a while to use these. What is the most economical way to keep them fresh or am I better off just paying the extra $ and having them sealed in 1oz mylar so I can open them as I use them.

If I buy them in smaller increments were are talking about 3X the price-

I know some of this has been covered but I am looking for advice on the big picture here- cost, freshness, etc.

thanks

You might look into getting a foodsaver to vacuum seal them in smaller quantities. It's an additional cost but over a few seasons might be worth it. You want to store them in the freezer.

helibrewer said:

You might look into getting a foodsaver to vacuum seal them in smaller quantities. It's an additional cost but over a few seasons might be worth it. You want to store them in the freezer.

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What he said.

there is a food saver advertised on my margin on this site-good advertising-lol

go to homebrewfinds they have a link to a sweet deal on foodsavers and lot good hints...

Think about all the other uses you might have for the Foodsaver. Do you have a vegetable garden, buy meat in bulk?

Another piece of advice I often hear is that your hops will keep better in a deep freezer as opposed to a self-defrosting freezer, such as the type found on the top or side of your refrigerator. Since hops thaw relatively fast, constantly going through the defrost cycle & then freezing again can be harmful I'm told.

First point is to store in freezer. If you don't have the space, don't buy them.

Don't open the bags until you first need to use them. The original packaging is the best way to store them.

If they are leaf, I would strongly recommend splitting them into 4ozs bags once opened and vacuum sealing for storage in freezer. You should do the same for pellets, but they are more stable; if used within 12 months, they will be OK just packed in a ziplock and in freezer. ....... vacuum sealing is always better!

I have 5 lbs coming. Don't really need them, but wanted to try some different hops and price was pretty good (I might have had a couple too many brews when I bought them too - but no regrets). I have 15 lbs in the freezer. I'm brewing some really happy ales right now.

Not sure if I should start a new thread or not. But How long would leaf hops last in the freezer in a ziplock bag. Not vaccuum sealed. I often have the odd oz of hops left over and just wondered how quickly I should use them if they arent vacuum sealed.

They will last a long time. Some brewing software will help you. Many say oxygen is the enemy, but I think temperature is the main factor.

Forddog said:

go to homebrewfinds they have a link to a sweet deal on foodsavers and lot good hints...

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got one with lots of bags $78 shipped..........homebrew finds is great.....thanks


I have also heard to store in another container (like a small cooler w ice packs) inside a freezer to prevent the hops from thawing during the defrost cycle.