Will this recipe have any drinkability?

[fezzman]

I've got a few ounces of Hallertauer 6% that are left over from a bulk purchase 3 years ago. They've been freezer kept but the bag has been opened numerous times over the years...surely the aroma/flavor has dwindled to poo. While at the LHBS last night I grabbed a few things with the intention of making a bland BMC-ish brew that will use these hops, where they are simply to balance it's uber lightness. The adjunct selection was almost as empty as my wallet. The goal was a cheap excuse to use expired hops. Will this even be remotely drinkable as a session?

4.5 gallon batch, 3 gallon boil
3 lbs Pilsen Light DME
1 lb Crystal 10 - steeped
1.5 lbs Brown Rice syrup extract
.5 oz Hallertauer 6% @ 60
.5 oz Halertauer 6% @ flameout
Windsor yeast (they were out of Notty )

Should I add a full ounce of Hall. at flameout? Add the rice syrup late or early? Reduce batch size to 4 gallons? Is this a waste of time? Thanks

 

[wildwest450]

Why go through the trouble to brew with sub-par ingredients? Do your beer a favor and get some fresh hops.

 

[fezzman]

Why go through the trouble to brew with sub-par ingredients? Do your beer a favor and get some fresh hops.

I just like to brew and couldn't bring myself to throw them away. I used these hops in a brown in November and it actually didn't turn out half bad...

I know, I should just ditch the buggers..........................

 

[jdc2]

I just like to brew and couldn't bring myself to throw them away. I used these hops in a brown in November and it actually didn't turn out half bad...

I know, I should just ditch the buggers..........................

I think it would be more informative if you just brewed it and then told
us how it came out. How bad could it be?
Jim

 

[fezzman]

I think it would be more informative if you just brewed it and then told
us how it came out. How bad could it be?
Jim

I've dumped batches that were 'serious' recipes compared to this experiment. At the very least, I'll have used brown rice syrup for the first time and then dump it. lol One way or another, I'm prepared to say your signature line out loud.

When I got home and saw how much the rice syrup cost, I should have just gotten another pound of dme. Then again, i wanted it to be 'light'.

 

[Bob]

Whether or not the hops are "useless" depends on what form they are and how they were stored.

If they've been frozen, with only momentary removal from the freezer to remove a portion, they're probably okay.

If you don't have a stinky freezer, they probably haven't picked up much nastiness.

If they're whole-flower they're probably okay for bittering but much of the aromatic qualities have been lost.

If they're pellets they're probably fine for any purpose.

I say brew the beer and drink the beer. No matter what happens, you'll at least have a datum to record.



Bob

 

[fezzman]

They are pellets, in the original barrier bag, stuffed inside a freezer bag. The freezer they are kept in is strictly for grains and hops.

They stay cold when I'm not dipping into them.

I guess I'll just go for it. Not completely set on my hop schedule and I may add a bit of orange blossom honey for giggles.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Drinkability???WTF?

Even my most horrible batch was better than bud lite.

 

[electric_beer]

Maybe get a new bittering hop and use the Hat as aroma?

 

[Bob]

They are pellets, in the original barrier bag, stuffed inside a freezer bag. The freezer they are kept in is strictly for grains and hops.

They stay cold when I'm not dipping into them.

I guess I'll just go for it. Not completely set on my hop schedule and I may add a bit of orange blossom honey for giggles.

Then I really wouldn't worry about it. Pellets last a long time, especially under the conditions you describe.

Bob

 

[fezzman]

I think it would be more informative if you just brewed it and then told
us how it came out. How bad could it be?
Jim

I kegged this last night and was very pleasantly surprised by the sample I took. It almost instantly reminded me of Slim Chance, which always kind of reminded me of soft pretzles.

I'll have to check my notes but I believe I slightly toned down the bittering hops to 1/3oz. I also only did this as a 4 gallon batch, so I never racked to secondary because of excess headspace...clarity seems to have suffered for that. The rice syrup was done as a late addition.

At this point I think I'll definitely brew this again for my BMC friends, though adjusted for 5 gallons and racked into secondary. I just wanted to post my results. I can't wait until it is carbed.