Exploding hops?

[wetmk]

I have a pound of Cascade from Yakima Chief. It's been in the freezer unopened since I got it. It's also blown up like a fresh yeast smack pack. Anyone ever see something like this?

 

[day_trippr]

Not here, and I go through a lot of pounds each year. Interesting. I wonder what's driving the inflation?

I have occasionally received metallized mylar bags that had lost their vacuum, either due to a strig poking out or mishandling, but those were "flaccid", not inflated. In fact today I received two pounds of 2022 EKG, one of the bags had an obvious pencil-diameter passage through the defective heat sealed edge (courtesy of Northwest Hop Farms ) but again, not inflated, just limp.

Cheers!

 

[Alan Reginato]

Open and smell/taste how it is. Might just some kind of weird gas physics occurring.

 

[wetmk]

I heard from Yakima Chief, a respectable response. Short version.... I shouldn't worry about it.

If they smell fine when I open them I'll use them.

 

[Dog House Brew]

New one on me, I can say that’s a first.

 

[tdf]

I heard from Yakima Chief, a respectable response. Short version.... I shouldn't worry about it.

If they smell fine when I open them I'll use them.

What’s the long version? Did they have an explanation?

 

[MikeCo]

I have to admit I'm curious about the cause too. I've never seen this.

 

[MaxStout]

If the "long version" is that there's some bug generating the gas, the boil would kill it off. I wouldn't use them for dry hopping.

I would think YC would want to check the lot # and see if something went wrong with it.

 

[mac_1103]

Something got in there and generated gas. If it was a strictly chemical process then I suppose it might not have damaged the hops all that much. If it was a biological process then who knows what kind of bug it was? And while boiling will kill the bug it might not inactivate everything that the bug produced. So unless the long version was very specific about why this is nothing to worry about, I'd be worrying about it. If this was a bag of peanuts or dried fruit, would you eat it?

 

[MaxStout]

Upon further thought, and the good point @mac_1103 brought up, maybe it would be safest to contact YC and ask for a replacement.

I mean, would you eat soup that came in a swollen can?

 

[day_trippr]

What kind of soup?

 

[mac_1103]

Primordial

 

[MaxStout]

What kind of soup?

I think vichyssoise would be a the perfect soup for a self-test.

 

[PCABrewing]

Something got in there and generated gas. If it was a strictly chemical process then I suppose it might not have damaged the hops all that much.

Hopefully it is not a mouse that got packaged, that would probably affect the hop aroma...

 

[ba-brewer]

@Op did the pouch swell after being put in the freezer or after you removed it?

I have received hop pouches that were not compact/vacuumed seal tight to the hops before but that was like that out of the mail and dont think they changed after being put in the fridge. Always thought it was a operator error.

 

[PCABrewing]

@Op did the pouch swell after being put in the freezer or after you removed it?

I have received hop pouches that were not compact/vacuumed seal tight to the hops before but that was like that out of the mail and dont think they changed after being put in the fridge. Always thought it was a operator error.

The picture the OP provided shows a balloon.
Something seems to be generating gas in there.

 

[ba-brewer]

but did that happen while frozen or after being removed from the freezer?

 

[PCABrewing]

The picture the OP provided shows a balloon.
Something seems to be generating gas in there.

I prefer the way YVH packages them.

 

[PCABrewing]

but did that happen while frozen or after being removed from the freezer?

I get your point but that seems to be much more than just temperature difference.

 

[ba-brewer]

yes and should of puffed up while in transit to OP if some frozen gas got packaged at the factory/plant. Mostly just curious.

 

[PCABrewing]

but did that happen while frozen or after being removed from the freezer?

Yeah if that gas was generated at freezing temp that is shocking.

 

[ba-brewer]

keep a camera on it to see if there is a alien moment.

 

[PCABrewing]

keep a camera on it to see if there is a alien moment.

And don't open it in the house...

 

[mac_1103]

Pull out and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[Miraculix]

Maybe a slug inside?

.... Just saying, worth a try maybe!

 

[McMullan]

I have a pound of Cascade from Yakima Chief. It's been in the freezer unopened since I got it. It's also blown up like a fresh yeast smack pack. Anyone ever see something like this?

Most likely packaged with a little trapped freezing nitrogen from the processing.

 

[DuncB]

Nitrogen vaporises rapidly once above it's boiling point.
The package would have been fully inflated at the time it arrived not inflating in the freezer during storage.

 

[McMullan]

Nitrogen vaporises rapidly once above it's boiling point.
The package would have been fully inflated at the time it arrived not inflating in the freezer during storage.

Unless it’s trapped and escapes later?

 

[mac_1103]

Trapped where?

 

[DuncB]

Trapped where?

Trapped in a pressurised cylinder of nitrogen that then develops a slow leak when exposed to freezer temperature.
Concealed in the packet of hops.
Seems likely!!