What to do with unused hops?

I have about 1.5 ounces of hops left over from brewing today. How do I store them to keep them fresh for when I cn finally get around to use them again? They are pellet hops, .75oz Spatz and .75 oz Perle.

best would be to use a food saver, if no food saver just put them in a zip lock bag and throw them in the freezer. you should have no real problems

If I had been here much longer, I would have told you that you cannot store hops, and that you should send them to me ASAP so they don't go to waste... but I am a noob here.

Ziplock and in the freezer, they will be fine. Or if you would like send them this way I have tons of storage for a nominal fee.

bethlehembrewer means well, but he's trying to bilk you for all you're worth. If you send them to me, I will store them FOR FREE.

Hops left unused for more than 2 days create a level II biohazard which must be handled by a certified hazmat expert such as myself. Send me the hops and $500 and I will dispose of both and file the appropriate federal paperwork.

all that for a little more than an ounce of hops...Ive heard of the hop shortage but they are still not too expensive and in ready supply at my LHBS (AHS)

AHS is your LHBS..... me = jealous.

bsay said:

AHS is your LHBS..... me = jealous.

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Seriously! He has AHS, and my LHBS is closed for an undetermined amount of time. This simply is not fair.

chriswilkes33 said:

all that for a little more than an ounce of hops...Ive heard of the hop shortage but they are still not too expensive and in ready supply at my LHBS (AHS)

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I agree with the supply, but not price. You must not have been brewing long, because even at AHS, they used to be about $1 per ounce, now they're $5. A 500% increase in a year regardless of actual price is too expensive. My IPA now costs me an extra $20 per 5 gallon batch just in hops.

BarleyWater said:

I agree with the supply, but not price. You must not have been brewing long, because even at AHS, they used to be about $1 per ounce, now they're $5. A 500% increase in a year regardless of actual price is too expensive. My IPA now costs me an extra $20 per 5 gallon batch just in hops.

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Not to hijack this thread or anything off but, I have noticed the price level compared to other places. It seems like they have a larger selection, but I hope the prices drop when the hop shortage tones down a bit more. Some retailers are already lifting restrictions or lowering prices.

You would think we were buying a bouquet of roses rather than hops.

wow, i thought hops were expensive here in europe as i just bought 4oz centennial for the equivalent of $13 but on your AHS website they would cost $20. madness

I must be fortunate. I pay $3- 3.50 per oz at my LHBS, and I'm still trying to find quantity deals on unoxidized hops.
WBC, if they are unoxidized they smell and look better than roses, and yes I have toyed with the idea of roses for aroma. At least I can grow roses in the desert.

about 3.50-4 bucks for 2 oz at more beer for most hops. and its 3 blocks away

The 2008 harvest is in full swing. Haven't heard anything about quality/quantity, but as bad as my summer has been, the weather in Yakima and the Willamette valley has been nominal.

OP - I just bag and freeze mine. Anything under 1/2 ounce goes into a amalgam bag for use in a mystery beer.

buying is a bit of a gamble at this point. but you will likely see your best prices either right now as the harvest is coming in or in a few months when stocks are full and sales are flat. All depends on how good the harvest is and how well they sell at the inflated prices.

your looking at three possible scenarios:
1. harvest is good, sales are good and prices stay flat.
2. harvest is bad for the 2nd year and prices continue to inflate.
3. harvest is good, sales are bad due to inflated prices and prices begin to drop in a few months.

personally i am betting that even if the 3rd scenario does happen it wont be a significant drop till next years harvest is getting close.

There's a hop shortage???


Seriously though, vaccuum sealers are the best choice, but zip-lock freezer bags are a decent second choice. Keep them in the freezer and they'll keep for a pretty long time.

I did not think to put my unused hops in the freezer. I have some that have been in my refrigerator in ziploc bags for about a month. Should they be tossed out or is there still a chance to preserve them in the freezer?

They are ruined, send them to me for proper disposal.

Or get yourself a sealed canister like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072JV2K8R/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I put my open packages of hops in a ziplock and then in the airtight canister.

Thanks for the advice! Seems everyone wants those ruined hops!

madscientist451 said:

They are ruined, send them to me for proper disposal.

Or get yourself a sealed canister like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072JV2K8R/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I put my open packages of hops in a ziplock and then in the airtight canister.

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I use baby food jars for what I call SCRAPS. Find someone with a new born and they'll gladly save them for you for FREE.

Vacuum seal then into the freezer.

Anyone do any CO2 or gas purging before the food saver, or is that a whole new level of hop storage OCD?

I have a similar problem to the OP... I am brewing much faster than I can drink. I have all this beer and cider sitting around and I'm running out of bottles/space. Will you lovely folks help me figure out what to do with my overstock?

Are they in mylar bags? Fold the cut edge over and paperclip it shut. Store them in the freezer. With larger bags (one pounders) I put the closed-up bag inside a quart freezer bag and squeeze all the air out, then put in the deep freezer. They keep pretty well that way; some varieties lose potency quicker than others, but most will last a long time with proper storage.