I feel like a drug dealer

[kombat]

My local homebrewing club recently organized a bulk pellet hop buy. The total order was just under 900 lbs. My share was 11 lbs (cost: $105). I got my portion a couple of weeks ago, and they've been sitting in my fridge in ziplock baggies.

Last night I finally set to work portioning them out and vacuum-sealing them in individual 1-ounce packages. My FoodSaver(TM) got a good workout.

I didn't finish, but I got through 7 pounds of it. It was so tedious, cutting the pouches from the rolls of packing material, sealing the edges, then weighing out exactly 1 ounce over and over, and filling, sealing, and labeling each one. Ugh. I felt like a drug dealer.

I'm hoping to get through the remaining 4 pounds tonight. On the bright side, I have enough hops to brew all the beer I could possibly want. Is there anything sweeter than opening your freezer and seeing dozens and dozens of little 1-ounce vacuum-sealed pouches labeled Simcoe, Amarillo, Warrior, Centennial, and Cascade?

 

[chinaBIGREDbrewer]

Sounds pretty sweet to me! Wish we had that kind of buying power in China!

 

[NathPowe]

Nice work on the bulk buy. For future reference, you might consider getting some mason jar and the jar attachment for your foodsaver. Just throw your hops in a jar and vacuum 'em. When you need some pop it open, measure out what you need, and then just vacuum the jar again. For me at least, this is simpler than a bunch of little packages and it makes less waste.

Just a thought. Enjoy all the delicious hops.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Why bag in 1oz increments? That 's a LOT of work. I'd just bag in pounds. Any time you need some, use what you need, and re-seal.

MC

 

[CadillacAndy]

Why bag in 1oz increments? That 's a LOT of work. I'd just bag in pounds. Any time you need some, use what you need, and re-seal.

MC

+1 to this. I started bagging in 1oz too and then got wise and started bagging by the pound. I weigh out what I need and reseal the rest.

 

[FATC1TY]

I bag in 2 and 3 ounce vac bags. If you use one huge bag it gets shorter and shorter each time until you need a new one. The smaller bags I normally use all of or short of 1 ounce or less left. It's labeled and easy to seal the left overs up.

Works faster too and waste even less.

 

[kombat]

I basically wanted to be able to just grab the hops I needed on brew day without having to break out the scale and vacuum sealer every time. I figured I'll get it all over with up front, then I'll have a nice supply of individually-packaged hops to last me several months.

 

[Pratzie]

yo dude, meet me at that place with the stuff...

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I know the feeling. I live in BFE Colorado but have a local hop farm and a local malting company. When I want malt I make a call, leave an envelope of cash at the brew pub, & collect a sack! Similar set up with the hop farm and setting up a meeting spot to pick up a pound of dank, sticky Cascade!

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

I basically wanted to be able to just grab the hops I needed on brew day without having to break out the scale and vacuum sealer every time. I figured I'll get it all over with up front, then I'll have a nice supply of individually-packaged hops to last me several months.

What happens when the recipe calls for a bunch of half oz increments??

Just an FYI also, i know those foodsaver bags are expensive, after spending 105 on 11pds and what mayb 30$ in bags?
Did you make any "profit", i can get most of the hops u listed for around 10-14 a pound
I just think its funny that youll now have 176 (1)oz packets in the freezer!!
Any room left for food??

Good luck!!
Cheers

 

[FATC1TY]

I basically wanted to be able to just grab the hops I needed on brew day without having to break out the scale and vacuum sealer every time. I figured I'll get it all over with up front, then I'll have a nice supply of individually-packaged hops to last me several months.

You don't do any additions that are 1.5 ounce, or 1.25, .75 ounce?

I have to pull out a scale anytime I brew for water additions and hops, and days before to build a starter. Never thought any different.

The bags get pricey, so look for the ziploc ones if you find them, they work just as well for half the price of the foodsaver

 

[negativereaction]

Nice work on the bulk buy. For future reference, you might consider getting some mason jar and the jar attachment for your foodsaver. Just throw your hops in a jar and vacuum 'em. When you need some pop it open, measure out what you need, and then just vacuum the jar again. For me at least, this is simpler than a bunch of little packages and it makes less waste.

Gotta +1 that. I have 1lb bags of hops I keep in the freezer. Once I have to break a bag for a brew day, I split the hops into whatever wide-mouth mason jars I need to store the remaining amount. So easy to seal it up with the vac attachment and toss back into the freezer. I do see the upside of pre-packaging into 1oz increments, but I rarely use an even ounce of anything in a beer, and I'd prefer not to round up or down just for the sake of laziness or not wanting to leave a small fractional ounce floating in the freezer forever.