How do I store 1 lb of hops

[rhys333]

I just ordeded 1 lb of centennial hops and need to figure out how to store them for the long term. They come in a vacuum sealed foil package, which I can toss in the freezer until I open it. Any suggestions what I do after that? I'm guessing its not a good idea to just fold the package, wrap in plastic wrap, then ziploc and bung back in the freezer? The cheap ass in me wants to avoid buying a vacuum sealer. Do I need to just suck it up?

 

[masonsjax]

I use a simple and inexpensive product called pump-n-seal that uses these little bandaid looking things to vacuum seal mason jars. It's easy and works great. A pound of pellet hops fits in a quart mason jar perfectly.

 

[m1k3]

The Magnum pellet hops that I used Saturday were stored for a year in a folded over bag wrapped in electrical tape. They smelled great.

Anyway, I use a food saver now that my wife has one. But just keeping the hops away from air and as cold as possible and they will last a long time.

 

[Hello]

I use a zip lock pump thingy with their specific bags.

 

[Puddlethumper]

There was a very interesting article about hops storage in the May/June 2014 issue of Zymurgy magazine. If you can find a copy at the lhbs I would strongly recommend you read it through.

I have bought my frequently used hops by the pound and stored them in FoodSaver shrink bags in the freezer. It seemed to work OK but anything stored over 6 months became suspect to me. What the article in Zymurgy taught me was that the mylar bags we get our hops in are actually purged with nitrogen with residual o2 at less than 0.5%. Once opened, according to the hopheads at HopsUnion, those hops can be used expecting peak performance for no more than 2 weeks if stored at 50F (Cascade). Store them at 26F and their shelf life extends to 5 weeks. The home vacuum sealer does add a measure of shelf life, but without the nitrogen flush we can realistically expect our pellet hops to provide their best flavor/bittering/aroma for no more than 4-6 weeks after opening, regardless of our storage practices.

This information has dramatically changed the way I buy hops. I suggest you find and read the article for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Cheers.

 

[sawbossFogg]

Since you pr don't have nitrogen around, a CO2 purge is quite helpful.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Since you pr don't have nitrogen around, a CO2 purge is quite helpful.

Super idea. How would one do that?

 

[ong]

There was a very interesting article about hops storage in the May/June 2014 issue of Zymurgy magazine. If you can find a copy at the lhbs I would strongly recommend you read it through.



I have bought my frequently used hops by the pound and stored them in FoodSaver shrink bags in the freezer. It seemed to work OK but anything stored over 6 months became suspect to me. What the article in Zymurgy taught me was that the mylar bags we get our hops in are actually purged with nitrogen with residual o2 at less than 0.5%. Once opened, according to the hopheads at HopsUnion, those hops can be used expecting peak performance for no more than 2 weeks if stored at 50F (Cascade). Store them at 26F and their shelf life extends to 5 weeks. The home vacuum sealer does add a measure of shelf life, but without the nitrogen flush we can realistically expect our pellet hops to provide their best flavor/bittering/aroma for no more than 4-6 weeks after opening, regardless of our storage.



This information has dramatically changed the way I buy hops. I suggest you find and read the article for yourself and draw your own conclusions.



Cheers.

Hmm -- anecdotally I can't really believe that. Perhaps the hops do continue to degrade slowly, but even six months after first opening a package, I get really great aroma and flavor. Maybe they're not 100% what they once were, but they're still extremely fragrant. I use a mason jar sealer rigged up with a hand brake bleeder pump.


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[Puddlethumper]

Hmm -- anecdotally I can't really believe that.

Perhaps the people at HopsUnion are interested in selling more and smaller batches of their hops so they can get higher prices. Perhaps, since this is what they do for a living, they are speaking honestly and trying to share what they know. As I said, I suggest you find and read the article and draw your own conclusions. I have drawn mine.

Cheers!

 

[rhys333]

Thanks for the advice guys. I like the idea of a mason jar pump. What is this and where do I get it? I did a quick google seach and got this:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Austin-Powers-Pump.jpg

Joking aside, the mason jar idea sounds like it could work for me. Hop storage that is. Do they keep well even after most of the hops have been used and there's a lot of head space in the jar?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

From what I've read, the temp is the most important thing. The AA loss difference between vacuumed, mason jar, tuperware, and ziplock were all pretty dang close.

 

[masonsjax]

I've had good results with mason jars. Hops are plenty usable even a few years later and with a lot of headspace. Here's what I have, first hit on google under pump-n-seal:
http://www.pump-n-seal.com/

 

[Heavywalker]

When I buy bulk hops I open them up and then depending on the type of hops I use my vacuum sealer and make 1 or 2 oz. vacuum packs, put them in a paper bag and store them in the freezer.

 

[freisste]

I personally store mine in the original packaging wrapped as tightly as possible (no vacuum) in two ziplock bags. Based on the fact that frozen hamburger comes out of the freezer smelling like hops, I am sure aroma is leaving the pellets.

Anybody else have this issue? My freezer smells fantastic, but it is a little strange when frozen lasagna smells like hops when it goes in the oven...

 

[jameskingston]

Just about every time I step into a thrift store I see a foodsaver or a seal-a-meal for $10 or so. No need to break the bank.

 

[mbbransc]

I use jars with a food saver to store hops. I've never been able to fit 16oz in one though. I guess the best I've fit is about 13.5#.

Well, I can't get the picture to show up

https://flic.kr/p/nvMv6T

 

[ong]

Perhaps the people at HopsUnion are interested in selling more and smaller batches of their hops so they can get higher prices. Perhaps, since this is what they do for a living, they are speaking honestly and trying to share what they know. As I said, I suggest you find and read the article and draw your own conclusions. I have drawn mine.



Cheers!

Sure, I'm not implying any great cynicism on their part. Just maybe that they're so attuned to hops flavors that they're being a lot pickier than most of us would be.

I will say that I bought hops from one supplier that had CLEARLY suffered a lot of flavor and aroma lost. It was at a low price that probably should have been a red flag, and I definitely should have tested them before I screwed up several beers trying to use them.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Sure, I'm not implying any great cynicism on their part. Just maybe that they're so attuned to hops flavors that they're being a lot pickier than most of us would be.

I will say that I bought hops from one supplier that had CLEARLY suffered a lot of flavor and aroma lost. It was at a low price that probably should have been a red flag, and I definitely should have tested them before I screwed up several beers trying to use them.

I'm completely with you on that and understand your point of view. I honestly don't know which of the two is closer to the truth. What I do know is that hops do loose quality over time and different varieties store far better than others. Also, I understand that the hop sellers and growers HAVE to be more attuned to the flavors and aromas because that is how their products and their own performance is judged (and judged by some very knowledgeable and critical people I might add).

But consider all the things we do to make our best beer:

1. We buy good yeast strains and carefully make starters/rehydrate as needed
2. We buy the best grains and many of us grind them ourselves to both save money and also to make certain they are at their peak of freshness
3. We build fermentation chambers to assure the yeast can work at its optimal temperatures
4. We look at water reports and many of us carefully adjust the water chemistry to ensure the best outcome
5. And most of us take careful notes about each brew so we know how to track back to our errors or successes.

Yet the very item in the brew that adds the most to the bitterness, flavor and aroma we seem willing to store for a year in a jar in a refrigerator and say, "Ah heck, that's good enough."

There is a measure of inconsistency there that I was uncomfortable with. So for the additional cost associated with buying my hops in smaller quantities that I can consume within 4-6 weeks of opening I gain the peace of mind that I've done my best to make the best beer I can.

Others can and probably should disagree. This is, after all, still America. (Thank God) Do as you think best but since this is a discussion forum I wanted to throw an opinion into the ring that maybe wasn't being considered.

Cheers!

 

[ong]

Sure, and it's an valid point to consider. (Also, I'm definitely on the less obsessive end of the brewing spectrum -- while taste is very important to me, consistency is much less so.)

I get so much more hop flavor and aroma in my homebrew than in commercial beer, I feel pretty comfortable with making a big purchase once a year and vacuum storing in the freezer. There are definitely other areas where my beer could stand to improve, but hops character isn't one (to my taste, anyway).


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[Heavywalker]

The way I see it is that even when my hops are stored in a freezer vacuum sealed out of the light for a year. When I use them they may not be at their peak of freshness, but the resulting beer will still be fresher than what you can purchase in the store most of the time. I also know that hops are harvested at certain times of the year and once they are harvested they are done producing them, so if I were to order from someone they too would have to have stored the hops for a certain amount of time, I don't know that I trust the LHBS to store my hops any better than I can do it at home.

IOW how can I guarantee that the hops I purchase from the supplier are any fresher, or have been stored any better than what I have at home, from the same 2013 crop?

 

[Puddlethumper]

IOW how can I guarantee that the hops I purchase from the supplier are any fresher, or have been stored any better than what I have at home, from the same 2013 crop?

I've still got a half pound of 2013 Cascade in my freezer that I'm trying to use up. They have been vacuum sealed and frozen since the day they arrived, only opened to draw out what I needed, then sealed up again. The beer I've made with them has been good, so I guess I agree in principle with you and ong.

However, to me it's like trying to determine if beer is any better with grain that was crushed a month or two ago as opposed to grain that was crushed right before the brewing session. I'm not so sure we can easily quantify those differences. But what we can do is begin to develop our ideas about "best practices".

In answer to the question regarding pro's storage practices, if you receive your hops in the little silver colored mylar pouches they have been purged with nitrogen and stored in a light-proof container. In those conditions and frozen most varieties are good for 5 years +/-. But if the lhbs breaks those packages open and puts them in little clear plastic baggies all bets are off concerning freshness.

 

[m1k3]

Super idea. How would one do that?

Remove the gas lock fitting from the hose and put gas in the bag. CO2 is heavier than air so the O2 gets pushed out of the bag.

 

[Remmy]

Vacuum-seal all the way. I use it for barbecue after a big smoke as well as hops.

My LHBS sells hops for $2/oz. So, I typically buy 1 lb. bags of hops which are anywhere from $12-18 each, depending on the type.

 

[rhys333]

My LHBS sells hops for $2/oz. So, I typically buy 1 lb. bags of hops which are anywhere from $12-18 each, depending on the type.

And there i was thinking i had a good deal at $20 per pound before shipping!

 

[Remmy]

And there i was thinking i had a good deal at $20 per pound before shipping!

Depends on the type of hop. For example, Simcoe is anywhere from $17-20/lb. Columbus is $12-13, so I usually have a lot of that on-hand because I bitter, flavor and dry-hop with it on many of my IPAs.

 

[rhys333]

I bittered with columbus recently, but I find it really lingers. Was thinking or trying perle... I can get it for $12/lb and hear good things. The $20 I paid was for centennial.

 

[opiate82]

I don't know that I trust the LHBS to store my hops any better than I can do it at home.

IOW how can I guarantee that the hops I purchase from the supplier are any fresher, or have been stored any better than what I have at home, from the same 2013 crop?

This is what led me to buy in bulk. Hops are basically all harvested within a short time span once a year. From that point on you are depending on the farmers/suppliers then your LHBS to store and care for them properly. Now I have faith that the suppliers do a good job as they also handle hops for commercial accounts which are bound to be a lot more picky and in-tune with quality control than I am.

My LHBS is where I worry things may break down. I don't know if they fill their own little silver bags or order them from the hop suppliers, but what I do know is if there isn't any of the variety I want in the fridge out front, generally the guy goes to a freezer behind the counter, opens up a larger bag of hops, fills me up a small ziplock with the amount I need and closes the freezer. No purging, no vacuum sealing of either my bag of hops nor the whatever was in his freezer.

Now, they may turn over hops fast enough where even their bulk supply isn't sitting around that long, he may go back and purge and/or vacuum seal his bulk supply after I am gone and he has a small break, I don't know. But that is just it, I don't know. By buying in bulk I know exactly how the hops are handled (I use vacuum sealed jars purged with a little CO2 and stored in the freezer) and I save a bunch of money on hops to boot ($0.75 per oz vs $2.00 per oz).

I did my first bulk order this past November which included 7 varieties of hops. Already had to reorder Cascades and Centennials. But so far, 6+ months later I have not noticed any quality drop in my beers.

 

[Remmy]

I bittered with columbus recently, but I find it really lingers. Was thinking or trying perle... I can get it for $12/lb and hear good things. The $20 I paid was for centennial.

Try warrior. Both are good, IMO.

 

[Remmy]

This is what led me to buy in bulk. Hops are basically all harvested within a short time span once a year. From that point on you are depending on the farmers/suppliers then your LHBS to store and care for them properly. Now I have faith that the suppliers do a good job as they also handle hops for commercial accounts which are bound to be a lot more picky and in-tune with quality control than I am.



My LHBS is where I worry things may break down. I don't know if they fill their own little silver bags or order them from the hop suppliers, but what I do know is if there isn't any of the variety I want in the fridge out front, generally the guy goes to a freezer behind the counter, opens up a larger bag of hops, fills me up a small ziplock with the amount I need and closes the freezer. No purging, no vacuum sealing of either my bag of hops nor the whatever was in his freezer.



Now, they may turn over hops fast enough where even their bulk supply isn't sitting around that long, he may go back and purge and/or vacuum seal his bulk supply after I am gone and he has a small break, I don't know. But that is just it, I don't know. By buying in bulk I know exactly how the hops are handled (I use vacuum sealed jars purged with a little CO2 and stored in the freezer) and I save a bunch of money on hops to boot ($0.75 per oz vs $2.00 per oz).



I did my first bulk order this past November which included 7 varieties of hops. Already had to reorder Cascades and Centennials. But so far, 6+ months later I have not noticed any quality drop in my beers.

Have to agree here. My LHBS doesn't even refrigerate hops (1-lb. bags) and God knows how long some of the lesser-purchased hops stay out for. People simply trust them.

 

[rhys333]

(I use vacuum sealed jars purged with a little CO2 and stored in the freezer) and I save a bunch of money on hops to boot ($0.75 per oz vs $2.00 per oz).

Do you use the pump-n-seal others mentioned earlier in this thread to vacuum your jars? I'm leaning towards this method for storage.

 

[opiate82]

I have a vacuum sealer which I use the jar-sealing attachment. I also buy a lot of meat at Costco and do a lot of sous-vide cooking so a vacuum sealer is indispensable at my house.

 

[rhys333]

Try warrior. Both are good, IMO.

I hear Magnum is comparable too. I plan to try whichever I can get my hands on for the next IPA

 

[m1k3]

I hear Magnum is comparable too. I plan to try whichever I can get my hands on for the next IPA

+1 I'd be happy to bitter all my beers with Magnum.

 

[Puddlethumper]

My LHBS is where I worry things may break down.
By buying in bulk I know exactly how the hops are handled (I use vacuum sealed jars purged with a little CO2 and stored in the freezer) and I save a bunch of money on hops to boot ($0.75 per oz vs $2.00 per oz).

We are on exactly the same page with this. When I started brewing I didn't think anything of the little clear plastic 1 oz. packages of hops my lhbs offered. But as I learned more I became more concerned about the exposure of those hops to o2 and sunlight. Not to mention the question, "How long have they been in there?"

Storage in a dark freezer eliminates sunlight issue but the exposure to o2 can be just as damaging. A vacuum sealer reduces the o2 but does not approach eliminating it. A co2 purge as the package is vacuum sealed should come as close as we can get to the pro's practices. But I've yet to learn of a system where I'm confident the o2 hasn't raced in as quickly as the container is purged with co2.

 

[m1k3]

I purged the bag with CO2 with the regulator set to 10 psi. It blew a lot of hop fines out of the sack. I think I'll try a lower pressure next time.

 

[Puddlethumper]

I purged the bag with CO2 with the regulator set to 10 psi. It blew a lot of hop fines out of the sack. I think I'll try a lower pressure next time.

To properly and completely purge the o2 from the bag (or jar) I think you'd almost need some kind of needle-like probe that would allow the ambient gasses in the container to escape around it as the co2 is injected and then seal around the hole as the probe is removed. Otherwise the o2 will diffuse back into the container faster than we could seal it up.

 

[masonsjax]

Co2 is heavier than air. You can just pump some in let it settle, hit it again and seal if you're even worried that much about the tiny bit of oxidation that could occur after vacuuming most of the air out.

 

[Pkrd]

Best solution is to store them inside an IPA.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Co2 is heavier than air. You can just pump some in let it settle, hit it again and seal if you're even worried that much about the tiny bit of oxidation that could occur after vacuuming most of the air out.

It doesn't really work that way. The "heavier than air" concept assumes the two gasses are like oil and water. A more correct view is to see them as water and food coloring. You can inject food coloring into water and it doesn't force the water out, it simply mixes with it. But this analogy is imperfect because the molecular activity of water and food coloring are almost identical. They are both liquids at room temperature. Everything we see happening with these two substances is happening in extremely slow motion compared to what happens with gasses.

Carbon dioxide is a solid at -110F (dry ice). It boils and becomes a gas at -70F. This means co2 molecules are extremely active at room temperature. They will diffuse into the surrounding airspace in a heartbeat. But co2 is an absolute slug compared to oxygen. Oxygen boils at -297F. At room temperature it is hard to imagine how quickly it will diffuse.

We can overwhelm the quantity of any gas in a given space so long as we seal the opening quickly enough to beat the process of diffusion. This is how our co2 and propane tanks get filled and is how the little silver mylar bags are purged by the hops sellers. A similar process is our only hope if we want to purge our hops containers with any gas other than ambient air.

 

[Arrheinous]

Now something hop packagers could do (but this might require more prep time) is to seal a pound of hops into 16 1-oz sections along the vacuum bag - something that looks like a roll of tools. Even just four quarters with 4-oz each.

Then you can purchase a pound of hops at one time but don't have to worry about containing the excess.