2 ounce hop tubes

[BeerCanuck]

After 3 years of growing hops I finally needed a better way of packaging them. I have several pounds this year and wanted to store them to save as much space as possible. I saw another DIY project that I borrowed from.
Previously i was able to store approximately 2 oz of hops in a 1 gallon freezer bag now I can hold 10 oz in the same 1 gallon bag in convenient 2 oz hop tubes;

The hop barrel and plunger I made out of 1.5" pvc tube / cap / expanding coupler. The plunger is a 1.5" plastic furniture cap that I pushed into a broom stick.

To help maintain the hop tube I loosesly wrap some plastic wrap around the tube to hold the hops when they get pushed out.

2 ounces of home grown hops ready to be pressed and packaged.

Hops are loaded into tube until there full to top

Hops Plunged and filled until 2 oz are done

Invert the tube and tap cap off while pushing down on outside tube to allow plunger to push hops out.

Continue extracting by pushing hops out with plunger.

Hops extracted

Hops labeled packaged
Quality check gets purr of approval

Cheers;
BeerCanuck

 

[Doomsday]

NICE!

I will keep this in mind if I decide to grow my own hops.

 

[JuanMoore]

Home made hop plugs!

 

[kickrjason]

Hoe much lupulin residue is on the inside of the tube when you are done?

Since that's hat we want in the beer and not the leaves I am curious.

Nice idea looks like it really increases your amount in a given volume.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[BeerCanuck]

You probably loose a minimal amount of lupulins in comparison to the process involved with standard hop pellets. ( hops pulverized and pressed vs cone kept mainly intact)

Ever since I started brewing with whole leaf hops I tend to avoid pellets. The main advantage is the whole leaf hops act as a filter vs pellet hops tending to foul a pickup tube.
I know that you can use a hop sock/spider with pellet hops put I believe hops prefer going Rambo

Cheers;
BeerCanuck

 

[crash1292]

wouldn't using vacuum freezer bags with the pump be just as easy?

 

[Bobby_M]

You can get them compact in a vac. bag but you have to start with a huge expensive bag. This kind of physical compression is ideal.

 

[jason81]

good idea, that will definatley save on space and help heep them fresh. Im from st catharines too and i was curious about where you are getting your grain from as i am interested in buying 50# sacks or splitting one one with someone once in a while, also if you ever find yourself in over abundance of fresh hops i would be interested in purchasing some