Nuh uh, YOUR vacuum sealer sucks!

[7Enigma]

Chriso,

How did you get the hops to sit in the bottom of the bags in that picture. I just used the Foodsaver today on ~2oz of hops in 2 separate bags. In both cases the hops spread out like a pancake (instead of at the bottom in a tight pouch) and it makes for a lot of wasted space in the freezer. I cut the bags to just slightly larger than needed for the hops so that the lip could go in the foodsaver to vacuum out the air so it's not like I had wasted space in the bag?!?

It is pretty incredible how little these buggers weigh. I used a large colander to weigh and my 2 racks of dried cascade hops weighed in at a whopping 1 3/4oz. Fortunately that was only the first 2 pickings, there are a TON left on the vine, and I still have another rack drying in my bedroom! I'm hoping (but doubtful) I'll get 1oz of Nugget this year after seeing just how many hops it takes.

 

[7Enigma]

I use a Food Saver but store all my Hops in Ball Jars using he attachment that came with Food Saver. I recover small quantities of Hops without wasting a bag.

Paul

I'd be concerned about losing the freshness when using those jars. They are great for short term storage of foods and liquids to prevent oxidation, but they do not create a perfect vacuum. The bags, however, do easily remove all the air inside and are probably a better choice for something like hops that you may have in storage for many months.

 

[chardo]

Great idea, I have lots of canning jars!

 

[LayMeister]

I'd be concerned about losing the freshness when using those jars. They are great for short term storage of foods and liquids to prevent oxidation, but they do not create a perfect vacuum. The bags, however, do easily remove all the air inside and are probably a better choice for something like hops that you may have in storage for many months.

I have the better part of a pound of Cascades in a Jar for over 5 years. I used some a couple of weeks ago and the beer tastes great.

I have never checked the vacuum level in the jar but have to think the oxygen transmission rate of the plastic bags in greater than the glass jar. I do try to keep the jar sized to the amount of hops in the jar.

Paul

 

[pen25]

to get a tight packon the bottom you just need to flatten the bottom, fold over , pull a vacuum, hold but dont seal, lay over and pull second vacuum and seal.

for me though i like to flatten and level as possible. allows for more air extrication and allows for easier packing.

 

[anderj]

I work in a grocery store and I had the idea of asking the meat guys if I could put my hops (from the thread "I got lucky as well") in their vacuum sealer. It worked great, I bet if you go to a small independent grocery store and ask they might help you out. Probably best to ask later in the evening when the managers are gone and promise them a few beers.
-ander

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I just bough a Food Saver V1040 with expnasion kit at "Tuesday Morning" for $50.00. It's an older model to be sure but tit does have the bells. It also came with a bag cutter, some canisters, and a bottle stopper.

 

[billtzk]

Another option is to use foil covered mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and a hot jaw heat sealer, all available from Sorbent Systems. They have many sizes and thicknesses of bags. A 50cc oxygen absorber in a quart size bag or smaller, or a 100cc oxygen absorber in a gallon sized bag would do the trick. I think this might be a worthwhile method of preserving large quantities of hops in your freezer. For long term storage get at least a 4.5 mil bag.

But I really like the canning jar idea for smaller amounts. Coupled with a 50cc oxygen absorber, it would really keep your hops in an oxygen free environment.

 

[LayMeister]

But I really like the canning jar idea for smaller amounts. Coupled with a 50cc oxygen absorber, it would really keep your hops in an oxygen free environment.

Good tip. I'll check to see if the ship to Canada.

P

 

[Homercidal]

Another option is to use foil covered mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and a hot jaw heat sealer, all available from Sorbent Systems. They have many sizes and thicknesses of bags. A 50cc oxygen absorber in a quart size bag or smaller, or a 100cc oxygen absorber in a gallon sized bag would do the trick. I think this might be a worthwhile method of preserving large quantities of hops in your freezer. For long term storage get at least a 4.5 mil bag.

But I really like the canning jar idea for smaller amounts. Coupled with a 50cc oxygen absorber, it would really keep your hops in an oxygen free environment.

Can't be sure, but I think I've actually used the hop bags from the LHBS in the seal-a-meal without any problems. I'll be one could save their old bags and reuse them, or maybe even purchase them in bulk new.

 

[Homercidal]

Sorbent Systems makes a large variety of packaging that looks like it would be the bees knees for sealing hops and other stuff:

http://www.sorbentsystems.com/vacuum_bags.html

 

[7Enigma]

Just wanted to post I've now bagged ~3oz of dried hops using the foodsaver. Took a time or two to understand just how much they will compress and how to properly get them to settle before vacuuming, but it's worked out great. I've got those 3oz in the back of my freezer awaiting my next brew.

Also harvested my largest single picking yet, looks to be a good 2oz once dry. And there are still probably hundreds on the bine. So for a first year cascade, this sucker is really putting off a lot of hops! I'm hoping for a good 1/2 pound final harvest when all is said and done.

 

[Baron ken]

I just got this last night. It's a hand pump vacuum (um, no, not this!).

It was <$4 from Walmart. It came with 3 1qt. size bags. I used 2 bags for around 8 oz of whole leaf hops and it seemed to worked really great. I will have to see if the bags hold a vacuum or not though. Will update later.

 

[TCHDNSD]

I just got this last night. It's a hand pump vacuum (um, no, not this!).

It was <$4 from Walmart. It came with 3 1qt. size bags. I used 2 bags for around 8 oz of whole leaf hops and it seemed to worked really great. I will have to see if the bags hold a vacuum or not though. Will update later.

That's what I'm using also. So far it's holding the vacuum just fine. I can fit 2 - 3 oz. in the quart size bag and vacuum it right down. For the money I'm not disappointed.

 

[springer]

I use Space Bags. I have the really big ones and have 8-10 lbs of grain in them, I use the shop vac to create the vacuum and they stay for months. I have smaller ones for hops and they work great too. A little trick to keep the hops from being sucked up is to put them in a regular HDuty zip lock bag and poke some holes in it and put the whole thing in the vacuum bag . Air is sucked out but the hops stay put. I do this with the grains also.


The grain ends up being like those coffee bricks hard as a rock so make sure you have them in the shape that works in the frige or freezer

 

[pen25]

Sorbent Systems makes a large variety of packaging that looks like it would be the bees knees for sealing hops and other stuff:

http://www.sorbentsystems.com/vacuum_bags.html

thats one of the nice things about a vacuum sealer is you can use these bags, and use your sealer. they are great for light sensitive products. they have oxy products that will absorb oxygen ensuring good storage for long periods of time. if one was to want to store items for years it can be possible with the mylar bags and the absorbent. http://www.survival-center.com/foodfaq/ff17-oxy.htm

 

[Brickhouse]

I have that, and the bags don't hold their seal.

I've found the same thing. Bag's blow (er - suck?) and it's often difficult to get the bag and sucker to mate properly.


(something's just really wrong with what I just said - I can't put my finger on it though.)

 

[PUD]

i got that zip lock thingy too

 

[DutchK9]

Use a foodsaver for venison. Works great! Well worth the $.

 

[Baron ken]

I just got this last night. It's a hand pump vacuum (um, no, not this!).

It was <$4 from Walmart. It came with 3 1qt. size bags. I used 2 bags for around 8 oz of whole leaf hops and it seemed to worked really great. I will have to see if the bags hold a vacuum or not though. Will update later.

Over a month now and the vacuum is still tight!

 

[7Enigma]

Just wanted to update to say I finished harvesting my first year hops. All told I got close to 10oz from the Cascade and ~1/2oz of Nugget (light blocked by a tree most of the day). The Foodsaver worked fantastic and now I have a nice section of the freezer clogged up with the frozen vac bags. I've been having some basement water issues which has stopped me from brewing for the last several months, but I'll be brewing up something in the next month or two with some of my own hops!

 

[Surly]

I wasn't sure if this should go in hop growing or equipment/sanitation, so I'm sticking it here. With the impending hop harvest, people will be wanting something to store their precious hop cones in. Sandwich bags work alright for storage but removing all the air is even better!

I've been looking to get a vacuum sealer like a foodsaver, but most that I've found have been in the range of $200 or more. Back before The Unpleasantness I had a Deni vacuum sealer that cost $20 and it didn't work so well. The suction was poor, baggies didn't seal all the way sometimes and the baggies themselves were hard to deal with. So I ask you, O HBT residents. What kind of sealers do you have, how happy are you with it, and how much did it cost? As I don't actually have a yard for hops yet, I'll be using mine for more general purpose stuff like for bulk meat and other grocery items, and for storing items for my zombpocalypse survival kit.

I am in the market for a vacuum sealer and thought I would bring this old thread back. I am wondering if you may have different machines to talk about now, and what your experience is.

 

[johnnyc]

But seriously I got a foodsaver at xmas and its awesome. The wife uses it to split up large packs of meat and I split up my hops with it.

 

[SkiSoloII]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00869943000P?keyword=food+vacuum+sealer

I got this one. There was a Foodsaver model on the shelf next to it for an additional $30, and I couldnt' tell the difference.

Dave

 

[Synovia]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00869943000P?keyword=food+vacuum+sealer

I got this one. There was a Foodsaver model on the shelf next to it for an additional $30, and I couldnt' tell the difference.

Dave

well, Kenmore doesn't actually make anything, so theres a chance it IS a foodsaver.

 

[BigHefty]

well, Kenmore doesn't actually make anything, so theres a chance it IS a foodsaver.

The picture looks IDENTICAL to the Foodsaver I have.

 

[Rhoobarb]

So, when you open a bag up to use some hops, are you able to vacuum reseal it? Or do you have to put the remaining hops into a new bag and start from scratch?

I just ordered four pounds of hops and will be ordering more in a few more weeks. I've always kept my hops in a dedicated chest freezer in Ziplok bags. One of these may come in handy.

 

[SkiSoloII]

If you originally package it with a bit of extra room on the sealed end, and you cut the pack straight, you can reseal. Otherwise, you won't be able to get the opening to the vacuum chamber. Probably takes and extra ~3/4". Get the rolls, not the pre-made bags. I use the 11" rolls and can make 2 bags side-by-side.

Dave

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

If you originally package it with a bit of extra room on the sealed end, and you cut the pack straight, you can reseal. Otherwise, you won't be able to get the opening to the vacuum chamber. Probably takes and extra ~3/4". Get the rolls, not the pre-made bags. I use the 11" rolls and can make 2 bags side-by-side.

Dave

Yup. I start with an oversized bag to allow for content reduction, cutting and resealing. Works like a charm.

 

[weirdboy]

I bought a Rival Seal-A-Meal at Target, which was sitting right next to the Foodsaver and cost less than half of what they wanted for the brand name. Takes all the same attachments (I have several Foodsaver attachments that I use regularly), and mine has been working like a champ for months.