marked improvement in my beer quality

[BOBTHEukBREWER]

All I changed was to buy my hops from a local microbrewery - I was using hops 15 months old. The aroma as I bottled the beer was superb and an early tasting indicates I have brewed a winner.

 

[Clonefarmer]

All I changed was to buy my hops from a local microbrewery - I was using hops 15 months old. The aroma as I bottled the beer was superb and an early tasting indicates I have brewed a winner.

Congrats! It's amazing how much difference fresh ingredients make.

 

[El_Exorcisto]

Bob, I buy mine from Hopsdirect right after the harvest. They smell really fresh, and you can really feel it in the beer. It's wicked cheap too, buying a lb at a time. Just get a vacuum sealer and buy a year's supply at one time.

 

[kpr121]

Bob, I buy mine from Hopsdirect right after the harvest. They smell really fresh, and you can really feel it in the beer. It's wicked cheap too, buying a lb at a time. Just get a vacuum sealer and buy a year's supply at one time.

Do you notice a falloff on the last brew of the "year"? Do you keep the hops in the freezer? I just bought a couple lbs of hops and a foodsaver and I threw a bunch in the freezer. I agree that the hops are much better fresh, from my last IPA!

 

[joety]

bump, I do the same and have wondered how they fare in the freezer over a year or two.

 

[Clonefarmer]

bump, I do the same and have wondered how they fare in the freezer over a year or two.

If you vacuum pack them they will hold up well.

 

[El_Exorcisto]

Vaccuumed and frozen, I don't find any deterioration. I also find whole hops to just be better than pellets. It could be all in my head, but pellets just don't feel right to me.

 

[markg388]

i'm still finishing up last year's crop of magnum pellets myself, also vacummed and frozen and they still taste great. granted, i use them exclusively for bittering so it would be pretty tough to tell if they've gone south or not.

 

[lowlife]

aroma seems to fade in mine which are vacuumed sealed and stored at -10 F

 

[weirdboy]

I used some vacuum packed and frozen 2008 hops in a brew recently and they still smell awesome. However, I *do* increase the quantities my additions for older hops.

 

[kanzimonson]

Yeah, I have some hops that are 1yr old and I just increase the amount by 25%... it tastes about right though I obviously haven't measured

 

[joety]

If you vacuum pack them they will hold up well.

I do.