Hop Age

[rack04]

I've got some vacuum packed hop pellets that have been stored in a -2 degree F freezer for 3 years. Should I just age these hops and adjust the recipe accordingly or just replace them?

 

[Gameface]

I've got some vacuum packed hop pellets that have been stored in a -2 degree F freezer for 3 years. Should I just age these hops and adjust the recipe accordingly or just replace them?

I don't have any 3 year old hops but I've wondered the same thing.

Does anyone around here adjust for age of hops?

 

[Yooper]

If they've been well stored, I haven't noticed any degradation of bittering ability or flavor or aroma.

I used some 2007 hops about 6 months ago. I was worried about it a bit, but they were flavor hops in pellet form (crystal hops) and I did not adjust anything and they were fine. I'm not sure they would have been so great for 60 minute hops, but I would have chanced it based on the way they looked and smelled.

I have a few hops from 2012 now, and they seem fine (although only not quite two years old).

 

[Beezer94]

I tend to use BeerSmith 2's 'Hop Age Tool' just to try for some accuracy, but I tend to brew IPA's where the change from 80 IBU's to 70 IBU's does not mean much. I have lots of 2011 & 2012 hops in my deep freezer that still smell fantastic so I have no problem using them.

I've learned just to use my eyes and nose with the hops I have. If it doesn't look brown and smells good than I have no problems using them. If they look bad or smell bad, then they go in the trash regardless of what year they are because it's not worth using.