Hop Hoarder? Why am I saving hops?

[permo]

I brew 10 gallon batches and I am sitting on around 20 pounds of 2011 harvest hops. Some really good ones too......chinook, amarillo, columbus,centennial, willamete, cascade...etc..etc........

Here is my issue. I find myself opening a pound or two, and then brewing beers, using just those two or three hop varietes until they are gone. For some reason I am afraid to crack a new pound of hops, for fear of them degrading.

Is my fear based? Should I be "painting with a full pallete" so to speak and opening up pounds of hops based on recipe/need?

I have a recipe coming up this weekend that could use 6 oz of amarillo, but then I have 10 oz sitting around?

I think I have a problem

 

[Lennie]

Your fears are unfounded. I wouldn't necessarily open all of them but definitely have several open and make various blends. Amarillo is great stuff in a blend.

 

[permo]

I store my extras in 4 oz glass jars in a freezer. I am assuming they should last for at least 2-3 months in that kind of environment.

That settles it. Time to open up some hops

 

[cjb]

Get a foodsaver, then you can vacuum seal them back up until the next time you want to use them.

 

[spenghali]

I hoard hard-to-get hops when I spot them in the LHBS, even if I have no plans to use them, muahahahaha.

A good thing to invest in for those pound bags is a vacuum sealer, sometimes you can find them at goodwill for cheap. Then when you open a bag for just a few ounces, you can vacuum it back up.

 

[ScottSingleton]

I open my one pound bags as soon as I get them then repack 'em in 2oz vac-sealed pint bags.

It definitely clutters up the freezer a bit more but I have this (perhaps misguided) theory that the ones I don't get to for 6 months will still be just as tasty

 

[BigRob]

Don't even need a foodsaver, in sealed jars (I use 500ml jars) in the freezer they will last at least until next years crop. You can take the extra step of flooding the jars with CO2 each time you open them, to prevent oxidation, but pellet hops are so compressed they don't oxidize much.

You bought the hops to use em, you might as well do it. I for one am kind of proud each time I empty a jar, or use up the last of a sack of grain. If I find a variety I just don't enjoy, I'll use it for bittering a lawnmower beer or something.

 

[pm5k00]

I have 4 different 1 lbs packages of hops that I simply keep in a large zip lock bag. I squeeze most of the air out and store in my keezer at 32*F, there has been very little noticable difference in quality in them over the last year. I do however now like to get my hops from farmhousebrewingsupply.com as the sell in 4oz packs, so if I order a pound I have 4 different sealed bags of hops, and long term storage is less of an issue.

Edit: Virtually all pellet hops, only exception is my stash of El Dorado.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Mylar zip-lock bags work pretty good for storing hops in the freezer. I don't know if vacuum packing them with regular plastic bags are better than mylar zip-locks.

Mylar vacuum packing machines are mondo expensive, this much I know.

 

[Ramitt]

I store Lbs in quart mason jars after I open them and use a foodsaver attachment to create a vacuum.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Don't even need a foodsaver, in sealed jars (I use 500ml jars) in the freezer they will last at least until next years crop. You can take the extra step of flooding the jars with CO2 each time you open them, to prevent oxidation, but pellet hops are so compressed they don't oxidize much.

You bought the hops to use em, you might as well do it. I for one am kind of proud each time I empty a jar, or use up the last of a sack of grain. If I find a variety I just don't enjoy, I'll use it for bittering a lawnmower beer or something.

+1

I wrap them really tight with rubber bands in the o2 barrier bags. place them in mason jars in the freezer, no problems for months & months.

 

[cabron99]

Hope these pix come through. Pretty self explanatory. Flood with c02, purge and re-flood. Throw 'em in the freezer. Could use plastic jars with bigger openings.

 

[Blackmuse]

Quick question... I have some Hallertuar pellet hops in the fridge that I ment to use about 5-6 weeks ago but forgot all about them! They were opened but put in a plastic ziplock bag and kept in the fridge (not the freezer)... like I said, they have been in there for 5-6 weeks. Should I use them this weekend or just toss 'em? It's only about an ounce.

 

[Blackmuse]

Quick question!

Just found about an ounce of Hallertaur pellet hops in the fridge - ment to use them about 5 -6 weeks ago but forgot. They are in the opened foil wrap inside a ziplock bag.... Should I use them this weekend? Like I said about 5-6 weeks in the fridge - oops. Use 'em or throw them out?

Double post!! Sorry. Can't figure out how to delete it...

 

[rvklein]

You need to semd me some chinook, amarillo, columbus & willamete

 

[bwomp313]

I bought a Kenmore vacuum sealer for like $8 off ebay. The bags aren't cheap but I think they're worth it. All about several pounds of random pellet hops in the freezer. Wife's not too thrilled but I think she's used to it by now.

 

[brewski08]

I hoard hard-to-get hops when I spot them in the LHBS, even if I have no plans to use them, muahahahaha.

A good thing to invest in for those pound bags is a vacuum sealer, sometimes you can find them at goodwill for cheap. Then when you open a bag for just a few ounces, you can vacuum it back up.

ahh, so you're the assho...reason why there's a 4 oz cap on simcoe at my LHBS.

 

[permo]

You need to semd me some chinook, amarillo, columbus & willamete

I opened the Amarillo this weekend! 6 ounces are gone and I decided to use the rest in my attempt at something inspired by hopslam.