Hops and malt extract Storage? Refrigerate?

[lorne17]

Hello there,

I just got two extract hits for dead ringer IPA from northern brewer. Holy Hops batman!! 5oz per recipe! Plus barley wine has 3 oz.

I am not gonna be able to brew IPA until mid Dev and barley wine won't be for a couple months. Do I need to refrigerate my hops and malt?

Thanks,
Lorne

 

[Helper]

Definitely freeze the hops. Preferably keep the extract refrigerated if you have the space. If you don't have room in a refrigerator then try and keep the extract jugs in a cool, dark, dry place (basement).

 

[kh54s10]

Definitely freeze the hops. Preferably keep the extract refrigerated if you have the space. If you don't have room in a refrigerator then try and keep the extract jugs in a cool, dark, dry place (basement).

Agreed. Make sure the hops are in a pretty airtight package. The original packaging should be good if unopened.
And refrigerate the malt extract.

 

[lorne17]

So if I freeze the hops, how long do I need to defrost them?

Malt is in the fridge! What's the shelf life of frozen hops and refrigerated malt extract?

 

[Helper]

You do not need to defrost the hops. Just throw them into the boil/whirlpool/dry hop. Time is of the essence but I am going on 2 years with vacuum sealed frozen hops. The aroma is present but not as pungent as fresh hops but for the most part the bittering capabilities are still there. I would say for the best results try and use everything within 4-6 months. The nice thing about Northern Brewer is that their malt extract is very fresh so I would capitalize on that and use it as soon as possible for the best results. The same goes for the hops. In short, the sooner the better.

You don't really want to see how long you can go before using them. I suggest brew them and see how long you can age the barley wine instead. The IPAs should be drank early to maintain the hop freshness.

 

[aviator01]

Frozen hops, in a sealed mylar bag, should last a long time. Probably a year or two if necessary.

Liquid malt extract (LME) will darken with age. If kept cool it probably won't spoil for quite a long time. I recently bought a bunch of miscellaneous beer making items off craigslist, including three cans of LME that were dated 2012. I used them in a wheat wine experiment, so I'll let you know if few months is there were any good.

 

[lorne17]

Thanks for the tips. The IPA is my first batch and a lot of my friends don't love IPA. Maybe I'll cut 1oz of hops out so people like it cuz I will have 100 bottles! Gotta drink fast for that freshness.

I appreciate everyone's help and insight!

I'll tell you how it goes.

Lorne