Quick Hop Storage Question

[brewingnewbie]

about to open my only 44# bag of hops (low alpha acid) that i store it in the walkin freezer.

i was wondering what my best bet is as to how to store the bigger quanity and keep it fresh.

would just a rubbermaid container be alright and keep it in the freezer?

thanks

[gitchegumee]

If you're in & out of the bag frequently, then the hops will be exposed to oxygen. My best method for varieties we use often is either: buy them in 5kg bags; Or open the larger bag once, and fill used, empty mylar hop bags with a month's worth in each so that you can reseal the mother bag without too much disturbance. Nitrogen flushing is another option we could, but don't use. Good luck.

[beauxman]

I haven't done it but what about breaking down a 44# box into smaller sizes and then buying one of those kitchen vacuum bag sealers and seal them up, throw them in a freezer?

[Moonlight]

I like to use the spring clips to seal the bags. Roll them tightly and fold over a couple times and clamp shut. Seems to be plenty sufficient.
I am far more concerned about moisture absorbing into the hops than oxidation. If they are stored in a damp place I would think it worthwhile to repackage them. If the older pellets seem as firm and tight as when they were new, I wouldn't worry.

[scott isham]

Try to find some Gamma Seal Lids. I get mine from U.S. Plastics. They will turn any bucket into an airtight container. The lids just screw right on and off. Flush the buckets with CO2 before you close them up and you have a great storage device.

[beertje46]

Hop Storage Thread

from Feb 2008: Good stuff here 2 pages. I'm always thankful for the easy to use search function on this board.

[Woolsocks]

I haven't done it but what about breaking down a 44# box into smaller sizes and then buying one of those kitchen vacuum bag sealers and seal them up, throw them in a freezer?

That's what I do -- $100 for the machine vs. $1000 worth of hops in that 44# bag.

[Woolsocks]

Another way is to put them in a cornelius keg and purge the air out with CO2. I like this method for whole hops, as the vacuum sealing is more difficult.

[brewingnewbie]

makes sense to get a sealer.
would just a regular food vacuum sealer be ok?
anyone recommend a good brand they;ve worked with.

[Woolsocks]

I find that a household Foodsaver brand sealer works well. We've replaced it once over the 3 or so years we've had it.

[Moonlight]

Does anyone know of proof of how long it takes for pellets in air to oxidize perceptibly if they are kept cold and out of moisture? One of the two greatest features of pellets is that the insides are protected from air by the tightness of the pellet. Whole hops I would be more concerned about.

[Moonlight]

Further, is there anyone here who can taste the difference in final beer from stored pellets open less than a month or so?

[wildcrafter]

I thought that when hops are pelletized, the heat generated causes some degradation of alphas- which would not have happened with whole hops. Whole hops are kiln dried (it's a volume issue) and this kiln heat also causes degradation. So, kiln dried whole hops made into pellets start with a degradation factor from the original flower. I thought heat was the major driving factor in degradation. But is it?

To suck down your opened bags of hops-
Shop vac, broken fishing pole, duct tape, vac sealer, nitrogen, CO2, ziplocks.

1. Choke down the shop vac tubing with stiff tubes ending in the hollow fishing pole tip. Use the duct tape. Major suction power.
2. Weigh the hops to usable volumes in ziplocks. Suck it down to a block. Put the block in the ziplock in the seal-a-meal type bag ( now the zip fits in the seal bag). Purge the zip with CO2 two times(let it absorb, squeeze it out, do it again). Fill with the nitrogen. Vac suck/seal the bags.

I do this with herbs and hops. 2 year old bags of hops sealed this way in the freezer, cool basement, and warm bedroom all smell as fresh as the day they were packaged- regardless of temp. I haven't tested for a difference with chemistry analysis, but they sure brew and smell as fresh as the day packed.

One thing is, I air dry my hops slowly on big screens and do not kiln dry- yet.
Maybe that makes for a difference.

Pelletizing makes the volumous hops flowers smaller for storage. If you suck down bags of whole hops flowers with the above method, the bags get REALLY small (especially if you suck down with the seal-a-meal and squish the bag before it seals). They will become a block that fits nicely in the freezer if you help the bags squish flat.

I would imagine that bags of pellets will have more air space between the pellets than the fully squished and sucked whole hop flowers.

[SRB]

......
To suck down your opened bags of hops-
Shop vac, broken fishing pole, duct tape, vac sealer, nitrogen, CO2, ziplocks.

1. Choke down the shop vac tubing with stiff tubes ending in the hollow fishing pole tip. Use the duct tape. Major suction power.
2. Weigh the hops to usable volumes in ziplocks. Suck it down to a block. Put the block in the ziplock in the seal-a-meal type bag ( now the zip fits in the seal bag). Purge the zip with CO2 two times(let it absorb, squeeze it out, do it again). Fill with the nitrogen. Vac suck/seal the bags.
...........

What is the horsepower of the shop vac you are using for this?

What type of seal-a meal device are you using? Costco style?

What are you using for C0-2 purge? Nitrogen fill?

Thanks for the details wildcrafter....we are going to have a BUNCH of whole hops to process and store in our walk in.

cheers and happy harvesting

matt g

[wildcrafter]

What is the horsepower of the shop vac you are using for this?

What type of seal-a meal device are you using? Costco style?

What are you using for C0-2 purge? Nitrogen fill?

Thanks for the details wildcrafter....we are going to have a BUNCH of whole hops to process and store in our walk in.

cheers and happy harvesting

matt g

I use a 5hp shop vac, but I think a lower hp unit will work just fine.

I have a few vac sealers. Ease of use is an isssue in chioce. I had to learn the details of our Vacmaster to get good seals. Don't work too fast- overheating of the element affects the seals.

CO2 tank with valve, nitrogen tank with valve, "T"-ed together. Flush with CO2 twice, fill with the N2, then suck it down.

Glad to hear you're to get a nice harvest. Same here. Real busy. Halfway point-woohoo!

Get 'er done!