Hops have that freezer smell

[bobeer]

I got an ounce or so of home grown hops last summer from a local kid in town. I had just welcomed my 2nd born and didn't get around to brewing for a while. They were still kind of moist anyway, and didn't have much of a hop smell, so i stashed them in the freezer. Now, a year later almost, they're dry and have a nice hop smell when you crack open a cone. The only thing is when you open the bag and take a whiff it smells like freezer. You know that smell?? Yea, that one. It smells like freezer.

I'm nervous about dry hopping with them because of the freezer smell. I'm on the fence about using them though because, like i said, if i break a cone open it smells nice and resiny. I was thinking about breaking all the cones open before i toss them in the keg but I'm still worried about the freezer smell/taste coming through also.
Should I dry hop and hope for the best? Or use some store bought hops?

 

[Calder]

1 ozs, toss them.

Don't save by using products you have questions about. Saving a $ on a batch ..... is it worth the gamble. It is not just the cost that goes into the batch, but your time and effort.

 

[derekcw83]

I'm guessing they weren't vac sealed?

 

[bobeer]

1 ozs, toss them.

Don't save by using products you have questions about. Saving a $ on a batch ..... is it worth the gamble. It is not just the cost that goes into the batch, but your time and effort.

It's not really about the cost associated with using or not using home grown hops. I want to use them because theyre locally grown and do smell nice once i break them open. I just dont know if the freezer smell would be able to come through in the beer or not.

 

[bobeer]

I'm guessing they weren't vac sealed?

No, they were just in a zip lock bag. I was busy with a new born and a 2 year old when they were given to me so i tossed them into the freezer and sort of forgot about them.

 

[Callacave]

How were they stored? Were they vacuum sealed?

If they were wet hops when you got them, then 1 oz is basically about the equivalent to 0.2 oz of pellets, so really not worth it. I doubt you'll get any contribution from them in a beer.

Best to just use a light beer, and pop a couple of cones in it for a little added flavor and aroma.

 

[derekcw83]

Toss em

 

[bobeer]

How were they stored? Were they vacuum sealed?

If they were wet hops when you got them, then 1 oz is basically about the equivalent to 0.2 oz of pellets, so really not worth it. I doubt you'll get any contribution from them in a beer.

Best to just use a light beer, and pop a couple of cones in it for a little added flavor and aroma.

No, not vacuum sealed... just in a zip lock bag. They were mostly dried when i got them but not 100%

I weighed them out and its pretty much an ounce.

I'll toss em even though it bums me out haha. I dont want that freezer burn smell in my beer.