How do you store bulk hop pellets after breaking the seal

[CA_Mouse]

How long is it safe to assume they're good in the fridge in a zip lock bag? Is two weeks safe? I've had some in the fridge for a week that I want to use next weekend. They're already stinking up the fridge which got me wondering. Id be happy spending a few bucks for new hops if there's any chance these would be bad already and ruin a batch.

Are they stinking in a bad way? If you mean that the fridge just smells of grassy hops, they should be fine to use. Best thing though, is to put them in the freezer. Even if you just put them in a ziplock sandwich baggie and squeeze out as much air as you can, they should still last 6 months in the freezer.

 

[CA_Mouse]

You're not adjusting your recipes for the AA value of your hops?
If you were, you'd know that recipes NEVER come out with even ounces, halves, or quarters.

Why would you be adjusting your recipes if you are buying in bulk? You already know the AA% so just measure them out before brew day. As I said, I have my brews planned usually 6 months in advance.

Not that it matters, but why do you have 4 gallons of frozen water?

Obviously you've never lived in the desert and been subject to major power outages that can last 6 hours. Frozen water keeps the freezer cold saving the hops and provides a way to keep a fermenter from overheating.

You do realize they make mason jar vacuum sealer attachments, right?

Again, why buy more stuff that I don't need?

 

[thadius856]

Why would you be adjusting your recipes if you are buying in bulk? You already know the AA% so just measure them out before brew day. As I said, I have my brews planned usually 6 months in advance.

Because your hop AA will probably be a bit different than the AA of the guy who wrote the recipe!

Unless you're just brewing the same few recipes of your own over and over. And the hops you get year-after-year have the exact same AA.

Obviously you've never lived in the desert and been subject to major power outages that can last 6 hours. Frozen water keeps the freezer cold saving the hops and provides a way to keep a fermenter from overheating.

Got me there. Nope, sure haven't.

Power is dead reliable here, even when it clears 100ºF in the summers.

Again, why buy more stuff that I don't need?

YOU BOUGHT A MYLAR SEALER.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Because your hop AA will probably be a bit different than the AA of the guy who wrote the recipe!

Unless you're just brewing the same few recipes of your own over and over. And the hops you get year-after-year have the exact same AA.

I create all of my own recipes. I haven't brewed someone else's recipe in 16 months. So, in that sense, I control the recipes and if I need to make any adjustments, most can be done with the addition times, rather then adjust the quantities. I buy my hops from the same seller every year and we discuss the AA prior to my purchase. Last year's crop of CTZ was 17.5 and this year it is 17.2, So I will adjust before I package them up.

YOU BOUGHT A MYLAR SEALER.

Bought before I started brewing and use for packaging meats and cheeses. Since we dry our own meats, fruits and vegetables, we buy those in bulk as well. I've had sealing units for the last 28 years. I didn't buy a sealer just for storing hops.

 

[Alcoholica]

I learned a lot here,Looks like I found the right group of people to ask about my hop scheduling...Being that I have a truck load of Cascade hops and English ale yeast..

Any suggestions on hop scheduling for a mildly bitter yet interesting brew with these ingredients with the addition of some moss
I know,

Should I do ;60 min-.33 oz Cascade for bitter,.20 min- .33 oz Cascade for flavor,5 min-.33 oz Cascade for aroma ?

-OR Should I switch it around and do this-;

5 min-.33 oz Cascade for aroma,20 min-.33 oz Cascade for flavor,60 min-.33 oz Cascade for Bitter ?

So many options..I guess a noob with a bag of hops can be dangerous under minimum supervision and with a lot of beer.
Have a good night

 

[brewcephus]

well, looks like I need to get with the program and finally start putting my 14# of hops in mylar bags/mason jars...

I have a food sealer and the jar attachment. plan on breaking open a couple of those pounds this weekend for my first homemade recipe. I'll post up the recipe if it turns out good

 

[Alcoholica]

well, looks like I need to get with the program and finally start putting my 14# of hops in mylar bags/mason jars...

I have a food sealer and the jar attachment. plan on breaking open a couple of those pounds this weekend for my first homemade recipe. I'll post up the recipe if it turns out good

After reading these comments, And researching google the freezers temperatures are what saves the hops. A bag inside another bag in a freezer bag seems sufficient for a little home brewer like me.
Mylar seems to be the most effective, But not the main factor.. I can see why Mouse uses Mylar though, It makes sense for him to do so..But I don't think it will be that important for me..I can just use Ziploc freezer bags and avoid buying something I'll never really use. I can reuse those Ziploc bags forever with hops that has a bag around it already..

I'm already in the habit of reusing Freezer storage bags, But only if it's storing other bagged or packaged ingredients that stays sanitary. Various bags of coffee beans it works well. As long as it seals and protects it from the freezer and it's sanitary.
I've been using the same 1 gal freezer bag for my pint size freezer bags of berries that I get from Sams club forever ,and it's fine for that as well. I mainly use it to keep stuff consolidated,only the pint sized ones gets thrown out after the berries are gone.. organization and it's double protection

 

[Cider123]

Food saver machines are more expensive than necessary. I just bought the Rival sealer on Amazon for $33 and it works great. I now use it for hop pellets and for my porterhouse and strip steaks.

 

[brewcephus]

well, I already have a foodsaver with some bags, but I will still probably use my mason jars and my foodsaver attachment. Storage is not an issue for me as I have my 2 refrigerators w/ freezers and a deep freeze dedicated to my brew hobby

One of the refrigerators doubles as my ferm chamber, and the deep freeze is about to become a keezer in the next month or so, but other than that... I still have lots of room for hops, which is probably why I currently have 14#

 

[masonsjax]

Look at Pump-n-seal. It's cheap and lets you vacuum seal jars or ziplock bags.

 

[Clonefan94]

I keep mine in the original bags, because they have that nice mylar packaging. I just fold the empty part of the bag, back over the bag itself. Then I put it in one of the Foodsaver bags and vacuum seal whatever is left over. I buy a pound of each at a time though and I just find this easier than breaking things down into individual packaging.