Hop Pellet Shelf Life

[durand532]

How long do you think you can keep hop pellets in the freezer after they've been unsealed? I've keep leftovers from a handful of different batches (1/2 oz or so) in ziplocs in my freezer, but don't want to risk using stale pellets.

 

[Nightshade]

I would repackage them in a vacuum sealed bag like a seal a meal type setup and it should be decent

Here is a calculator for hop degredation that may help

http://www.brewerslair.com/index.php?p=brewhouse&d=calculators&id=cal16&u=eng

I have always just figured at 6 months is max storage for accurate numbers but I have some hops that are just over a year in my inventory that I have vac sealed and I also calculate based on average loss.

 

[ocluke]

It depends on what you intend to use these hops for. If purely for IBUs, calculators do a good job of showing you degradation over time (assuming cold stored, free from light, and air tight). If you want aroma/flavor character from the hops (0 minute/dry hop additions), I would smell the hops at the time you are intending to use them. If they don't smell fresh and have the character you're looking for, I'd toss them. I know, it feels like a waste to do that, but your beer (and those drinking it) will thank you for using fresh hops.

 

[patthebrewer]

I usually seal any leftovers I have, and at the end of the year, I'll brew my Regular House PA with whats left. So in theory there are some that are just about a year. Has made for some interesting flavors. This years is called "2012Brewers Reserve Pale Ale" nice way of say everthing but the kitchen sink. Anyway I have found that hops definitely degrades in both Bitterness, and taste over time (Not a scientific just apparent). I think what will help preserve hops is vac. sealing, keeping them in the freezer, and away from the fish (yes i have done it:cross. Really anything more than 6-10 months is pushing it....IMHO...as always your results may vary.

 

[unionrdr]

Well,without looking,my NZ hops have been in a zip lock freezer bag since July I think. I use packing tape to seal unused pertions of hops in their packet. Fold over the open end tightly,then packing tape & back into the freezer bag. I also have this little shelf above the ice maker where my 1G bags of hop packets go,a pound of them. They keep rather nicely for several months this way. but the open ones get used next brew,which is to say the next month.