age limit for vacuum-sealed hop pellets?

[FSBrewer]

I found an ounce of vacuum-sealed cascade hop pellets which are left over from my Mr. Beer days which were perhaps 6-8 years ago, I can't really remember for sure. Are these still good to use?

 

[brewt00l]

Cut open the package and evaluate.

 

[FSBrewer]

how do you mean: smell? Anything else?

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Sorry, but in their present jurisdiction, they are still not old enough to post on this forum.

6-8 years old? Jeez, are you really that hard up for hops? :cross:

Seriously, I might try them in a lambic, but I wouldn't expect any significant IBU from them.

 

[brewt00l]

Zatcly...aroma, appearance & flavor. Compare to a fresh sample. I wouldn't expect much cept stale, cheesy and little if any bitterness left if they are that old but check em out and see.

 

[cpz28]

The guy at my LHBS bought hops in mass quantities prior to the shortage. He had a vacuum sealer and broke them up into one pound bags, sealed and froze them. He had some simcoe that where frozen for three years. I smelled them and they smelled super fresh, we were both a bit surprised. Had I not smelled them myself I would have never believed it.

 

[TheFlatline]

The guy at my LHBS bought hops in mass quantities prior to the shortage. He had a vacuum sealer and broke them up into one pound bags, sealed and froze them. He had some simcoe that where frozen for three years. I smelled them and they smelled super fresh, we were both a bit surprised. Had I not smelled them myself I would have never believed it.

Frozen in the dark is different than sitting at room temperature.

I wouldn't expect much. Hops do deteriorate slowly over the course of months unless stored very particularly.

 

[Ooompa Loompa]

I have a couple of hop packages that are probably around that old. I am keeping them around in case I ever do a lambic (stale, flavorless hops are actually better for lambics then fresh hops). I wouldn't use them for anything else.

 

[foppa78]

I used some 2004 hops a few brews back and it didn't turn out so great. Maybe I should have done a better job adjusting the amount of hops due to deterioration. Next time I wont take the chance of screwing up a long brewday with chance hops.

 

[Donasay]

vaccuum sealed in a freezer I would imagine they have less than 1/4 of their original AAU potential.

 

[Shay]

You could make a lambic with them.