Baled hop bricks

[WhiskeySam]

I received about a dozen hop bricks from a hop farmer I'm acquainted with. These are whole hops that were baled and then had a 5x5x2 brick of hop material cut out of the larger bale.

It's fairly awesome.

Anyway, I've never used these. The hop farmer guy says to treat them as "whole hops". The software I use (iBrewMaster) does not change the IBU calculation between 1 oz pellet cascade v. 1 oz whole cascade.

I'm curious if I just need to use the same weight of material as I would as a pellet hop. I've always heard you need "more" whole hops to equal the same amount as pellet hops, but is that because it's less concentrated before it gets squished down into its pellet form? It's "more" in the sense that it takes up more volume, but does 1 oz of whole hops = 1 oz of pellet hops, regardless of the size of the material?

Pic attached

 

[MedicMang]

I'm not sure of the pellet to whole hop ratio, but that picture is one of the sexiest things I've ever seen. I would get another one to use as a pillow.

 

[WhiskeySam]

I wasn't expecting the delivery. It was like christmas. Smells awesome.

I have enough hop material to last me through 2013.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

yeah, normally people say you need "more" meaning several cups instead of a Tablespoon. The AAU is based on % weight though so as long as you know the AAU you can still use weight.
Often people use more with homegrown hops because you don't get as high of AAU without the attention a dedicated hop farmer puts in.

I 2nd MedicMang's comment, that is one phenomenal way to start a Friday, makes me drool just looking at it

 

[kaconga]

So jealous right now. Standard practice is you get 10% less ibu from whole vs pellet. I think it is so small as to not need adapting unless you are only doing a bittering addition or trying to remake a recipe exactly. Be prepared to lose a small amount of wort to your hops as well.

 

[tre9er]

that picture is one of the sexiest things I've ever seen.

I want to rub it on my face and smell it and use it for soap.

 

[nhwrecker]

It would have been priceless if you opened up that package in a busy post office - I'd have loved to see the face of everyone as you pulled out 5 bricks of compressed green leaves!!!!Especially if your buddy was from Hawaii!!

Can you drive around Texas this afternoon with those in your front seat just to see how long it takes to get pulled over?

Great score, and yes, an ounce is an ounce - but you may want to use a bag when you boil them depending on your system, as it could create quite a bit of extra trub.

 

[Xpertskir]

I think your safest course of action is sending half to me for studies. I will report my results and save you the trouble of thinking.

 

[neko]

Like it was said above they say you get 10% more with pellet, but I can't tell the difference between 50 and 55 ibu.

 

[TyTanium]

...a dozen hop bricks...

It's fairly awesome.

!!!!!
Understatement of the year. Nice connection there! What kind of hops are they?

The hop farmer guy says to treat them as "whole hops". The software I use (iBrewMaster) does not change the IBU calculation between 1 oz pellet cascade v. 1 oz whole cascade.

I'm curious if I just need to use the same weight of material as I would as a pellet hop. ...but does 1 oz of whole hops = 1 oz of pellet hops, regardless of the size of the material?

Yeah, roughly the same. Generally assumed 10% more utilization from pellets (i.e., use ~10% more whole hops), but most software will automatically correct for that.

 

[Ben58]

I was invited to a Hop Rub at my friends brewery and HopsDirect was the company putting it on. The place was filled with brewmasters and 5lb bricks of hops for smelling / rubbing / tastings and there were SMaSH beers made for each hop variety on hand. Man, breaking those bricks apart and scrubbing between your hand for a big wiff as one of those memorable expiriences I won't soon forget. so, enjoy those bricks and I do envy you.:rockin:

 

[WhiskeySam]

What kind of hops? Oh gesh, now I have to brag.


Centennial
Goldings
Columbia
Horizon
Sterling
Liberty
Nugget
Willamette (2 bricks)
Perle
Mt Hood
And Cascade

Like I said, I have enough hops to last me through 2013.

 

[FATC1TY]

It's probably the cut out they use to test the moisture content of the hops.. That said, it's pretty awesome to get free hops!

 

[brewingmeister]

It's fairly awesome.

Fairly awesome indeed.

 

[najel]

Nice! How are you going to store them? Sounds like you will need a dedicated freezer for that amount.

 

[Herky21]

By weight beersmtih only adjusts the IBUs marginally between whole hops and pellets. I think what you're thinking of is Harvest Ales made with fresh flowers instead of dried ones. That's when you need a ton more to get the right flavors, like 7 oz. instead of one. I think those are commonly referred to as wet hops.

 

[WhiskeySam]

Nice! How are you going to store them? Sounds like you will need a dedicated freezer for that amount.

Each brick is in a ziplock bag in the freezer. I've got a "beer fridge" for my hobby / vice, so I've got the space.

Each brick is approximately 3 oz. So I'm getting the idea of what brewers mean when they say that non-pelletized hops take up more volume for equal weight/IBU.

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to run out a Blonde Ale recipe from this forum with Centennial and Cascade hops with some of these hop donations.