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Storing Hops

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by wizard78
This link is to a thread on aussiehomebrewer posted by a reputable hop grower down here in Victoria on storing hops. Thought I might share the link for those interested.
I have been storing my hops in the freezer after reading a post quite some time ago recommending it. I may have to change my ways.
Cheers
Last edited by wizard78 on 06 May 2011, 12:06, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #2 made 13 years ago
by stux
I think that if you are planning to keep your hops for months/years, then it is more important to stop the degradation, than it is to avoid freezer burn

So, if you are going to use your hops quickly, then perhaps keep them in the fridge, but if you aren't, then freeze them.

I freeze my pellets... I measure out frozen pellets, and I then return the still frozen remainder back to the fridge... often re-vacuum packing the barrier bags

I also have a maybe 4 KG of hops frozen... no way am I using those up in a few weeks.

Plus, I do have that nice freezer above my keg fridge... which is a good place to store my hops, away from SWMBO :)

Oh, other nice thing is my keg fridge/freezer doesn't have auto-defrost... so the hops are burried inside a little frost drift in the top freezer cabinet :)
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #3 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
This is an interesting one. Great find wiz!

Just reading through the thread now looking for the logic of not freezing them. I'll quote what I find of interest...

From 'Ellerslie' (Vanessa)
Just like freezing your meat and food in a freezer, it takes the moisture out. Just like freezing a steak etc, you will never have it the same as to when you have it stored in a fridge and cook it up. Same goes for hops.
From 'Feldon'
FYI - There is a detailed article from 'Brewing Techniquies' magazine available online at http://www.brewingtechniques.com/librar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... aretz.html ://http://www.brewingtechniques.com/li...6;/garetz.html on hop storage. http://www.brewingtechniques.com/librar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... aretz.html

"For optimum preservation of hops' valued qualities, they should be stored
as cold as possible (30 to -5 degrees F, or -1 to -21 degrees C) and away
from air."

There are hyperlinks within the article to tables on alpha acid loss for a wide range of hop varieties (incl. PoR) at various storage tempertaures, and mathematical formulae that can bbe used used to predict alpha acid loss.

References provided are:

(1) J.S. Hough, D.E. Briggs, R. Stevens, and T.W. Young, Malting and
Brewing Science, Vol 2 (Chapman and Hall, London, 1982).
(2) R.N. Skinner, R.P. Hildebrand, and B.J. Clarke, "The Effects of
Storage Temperature on the Stability of the Alpha-Acids Content of Baled
Hops," J. Inst. Brewing 83, 290-294 (1977).
(3) S.T. Likens, G.B. Nickerson, and C.E. Zimmerman, "An Index of
Deterioration in Hops (Humulus Lupus)," American Society of Brewing
Chemists Proceedings (American Society of Brewing Chemists, St. Paul,
Minnesota, 1970). 68-74.
(4) ASBC Methods of Analysis, 8th ed. (American Society of Brewing
Chemists, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1992).
(5) Gail Nickerson, personal communication, 1993.
(6) C.P. Green, "Kinetics of Hop Storage," J. Inst. Brewing 84, 312-314
(1978).
(7) A.J. Rehberger and L.H. Bradee, "Hop Oxidative Transforms and
Control for Beer Bitterness," MBAA Technical Quarterly 12 (1), 1-8
(1975).
(8) Hop Variety Specifications (Hopunion USA, Yakima, Washington,
April 1993).
(9) J. Wain, C.D. Baker, and D.R.J. Laws, "Deterioration of Pelleted Hop
Powders During Long-Term Storage," J. Inst. Brewing 83, 235-240
(1977).

Over to you Vanessa.
This link has a lot more in it than I thought it would. A good read wiz.

:interesting:
PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 06 May 2011, 22:16, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #4 made 13 years ago
by BobBrews
I have started to do (what most of you probably have been doing all along) is mark the bag with the date. I have purchased hops on a whim or when on sale. When I sort out the container in the freezer I find two or three packets of the same hop. Are they just bought? Are they old? Do I have to use them quickly? Now I just keep a pen near the freezer and add the date to the bag! I brew with the oldest with "no worries"

I feel dumb that I have never done this till recent. I do the bags of specialty grains as well! Cheers!
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Post #5 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
BobBrews wrote:I feel dumb that I have never done this till recent. I do the bags of specialty grains as well! Cheers!
Same here :lol:

Thanks Bob. It's always the simple things :roll:
Last edited by PistolPatch on 06 Jun 2011, 21:35, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #6 made 12 years ago
by olaboss
I heard a Podcast about hops with some subject matter expert (Gerard Lemmens). The podcast was basic brewing radio and it was very interesting. I am not sure, but I think this is the link: http://www.basicbrewing.com/radio/mp3/bbr09-01-05.mp3
If not search ITunes for it (September 8, 2005)
I learned that I should bring out my hops from the freezer 24 hours before use. He also talked about a technique where he brewed a tepid tea(<75 degrees Celcius)with hops and added that to the beer after the fermentation (dry hopping) instead of putting hops in the beer. Anyone tried this method? Sounds like a good idea to me.
Copying from a single source is called plagiarism, copying from multiple source is called research

Post #8 made 12 years ago
by stux
I use a French Press (Coffee Plunger) to add intense hop aroma if I deem it necessary.

You add your hops to the press, add boiling water, stir for a minute, then plunge and pour in, then you add more boiling water and stir for another five minutes... then pour in.

This seems to get two different charges of aroma, with no vegetal flavours or hop debris.

the theory is that if you do it after high krausen less aroma is blown off

I know someone else who has been experimenting with then boiling up the 'spent' hops to extract extra bitterness too ;)
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #9 made 12 years ago
by BobBrews
olaboss,

Check this out! http://www.stempski.com/hop_vodka.php

I also save the hops to use in bittering. The aroma my be lessened but the bitterness is not released until it's heated. Actually if your extracting the aroma and essence of a hop it probably isn't a bittering hop anyway. It's just that someone who is enamored with BIAB is the type of person with will use something until it's gone. Like a beer!
Last edited by BobBrews on 22 Nov 2011, 23:03, edited 5 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #10 made 12 years ago
by olaboss
Bob that link was really interesting! Is that you? Do you add just to the glass when drinking it or do you add to the whole batch sometimes? I always have a lot of vodka in my freezer. I am a swede you know and we do that self-medication when the sun goes away for 4 months. Have you tried citron vodka or you prefer plain?
Happy turkey day all!
Ola
Copying from a single source is called plagiarism, copying from multiple source is called research

Post #11 made 12 years ago
by BobBrews
olaboss wrote: Do you add just to the glass when drinking it or do you add to the whole batch sometimes? Have you tried citron vodka or you prefer plain?
Happy turkey day all!
Ola
I have done it all. I keep a bottle in with my beer so it is always there if I need it? I keep the first run hop vodka for adding a little to "marginal" beers. You can make a Dudweiser taste palatable? Not that I would have "mega swill" in my house but I brew plain amber ales for the "Unbelievers" and I may need to "hop it up" for myself on occasion.

I use the weaker (last run) hop vodka to add to a keg if I am bored with a beer. I have usually used cheap vodka because I use a lot of the stuff for mixing drinks or in airlocks! I noticed that after I put an airlock on my plastic fermenting bucket that when I lifted it the shape of the bucket changed and it caused a vacuum and pulled some water out of the airlock into the bucket! So now I use vodka in the airlock. I drink it right out of the airlock when done. I have brain cells to spare so why not?

I also have a standing request to bring hop vodka to Brew club events. Some of the members like to drink it straight to show how tough they are? I think they drink it just to kill the taste of my beers?

Happy Thanksgiving. I am off to watch my Green Bay Packers stay perfect and move to 11 wins and 0 losses. (I hope)
Edit ( they won 27 - 15 ) Now I will spend the next day reading about the team ( and drinking beer )
Last edited by BobBrews on 24 Nov 2011, 21:01, edited 5 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
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