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Purging the hop freezer..


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#1 Bklmt2000

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 07:54 AM

We're picking up a stockup order at our local grocery store tomorrow, and assuming they have most (all?) of what we ordered, we'll need extra freezer space.  And, I'd been putting off looking thru my hop inventory, purging what needs to go, and reorganizing things, for far too long.

 

My lagering fridge has a top freezer/bottom fridge layout, and I keep all of my pellet hops in the shelves on the freezer door, with the whole hops sitting in the main freezer area itself.  All are vac-sealed in Foodsaver bags, but some of the hops in my freezer have been hanging around for a long time.

 

So, today was purging day, mainly with my bags of whole hops.  Some had lost their vac seal, and when I opened them up and took a sniff, they were clearly ready for the bin.  A few others are getting tossed, as I recall that some of them had a lot less bittering/aroma when I last used them, so IMO they're past their prime and need to go. 

 

I came across a few bags of hops that I thought i'd run out of a while back, but apparently still had, just buried under newer hops.  Some of them were not in great shape.  :covreyes:

 

Ended up freeing up a good half of my freezer (no pellets got tossed, but a few need their bags revac'd/sealed), so now we have more freezer storage, which I actually hope we'll need.

 

And I still have a good 10-12 lbs of hops post-purge, which ought to last me a while yet.



#2 HVB

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 08:19 AM

I did this last brewday and will do it again.  The last batch of my house beer (chinook,simcoe, citra) was off.  I think it was old citra so all the old ones are going as I just bought a fresh pound.  I will give them all a sniff before I chuck them.  If some smell OK I will just use hot side. 

 

I know I have 4-6#'s of leaf I should use up.  They are not opened yet but are taking up a LOT of space.



#3 jayb151

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 09:03 AM

I don't normally keep more than 4lbs on hand at a time. I was about to open a new pound when I was brewing last week, then I saw I had just enough of some old stuff to bitter my Bitter with. I figure, hot side, I'd never notice so I threw in the old stuff and kept my new bag sealed.

 

I'll be doing some IPAs soon too so I'll free up even more space!  :D



#4 Bklmt2000

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 09:27 AM

This exercise has also reinforced, speaking only for myself, the importance (maybe need) to be more selective and less wasteful about what hops I buy.

 

Instead of buying a whole lb of something I may not use that much, maybe I should buy a half/quarter/eighth lb, and not spend money on hops that end up sitting around until they're no good anymore.  Smaller quantities may cost more per oz, but if they get used in a timely manner and not end up in the trash, I see that as a net positive.

 

I also noticed (looking at what I bought and when) that I've gone back mainly to pellet hops, which are a lot easier to store and seem to hold up better over time than whole, and I personally find easier to work with.

 

Not giving up on whole hops necessarily, (still have 2-3 lbs in the freezer that were salvageable, including a 3-yr old lb of Amarillo which still smelled/looked great).



#5 positiveContact

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 09:48 AM

I have some really old homegrown Cascades I should toss.i can't imagine they are any good now. Also some really old styrian Golding.

#6 3rd party JKor

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:09 AM

I have a lot of old hops.  

 

Can you even buy new hops now or have all the suppliers been cleared out by hoarders?



#7 Poptop

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:11 AM

I mainly purchase 8 ounce bags of the more exotic stuff but pounders for things like Hallertau, Tettnang, Hood, Cascade, Amarillo and the like. I’m sitting on enough and luckily most all of it I still enjoy.

#8 denny

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:15 AM

That was kinda my motivation for today's brew.  Rye IPA grist , but using found hops.  Veteran's Blend bittering and whirlpool, and some Cascade and Centennial bale cores for dry hopping.



#9 Poptop

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:18 AM

I have a lot of old hops.

Can you even buy new hops now or have all the suppliers been cleared out by hoarders?


Most remain available afaik.

The newest one out, HBC -T.P. flew off the shelves haha

#10 HVB

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:18 AM

I have a lot of old hops.  

 

Can you even buy new hops now or have all the suppliers been cleared out by hoarders?

 

You can still buy pounds of galaxy .. hops are out there.

 

https://www.yakimava...alaxy2019-1.htm



#11 Poptop

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 11:49 AM

This begs the question. If supplies did lessen, I’d say most if not all of us would be fine. But if you had to choose let’s say 6, what would they be? I know this is so open ended.

I’d probably want Hallertau, Celia, Crystal, Cascade, Columbus and...... Simcoe.

Edited by Poptop, 28 March 2020 - 11:49 AM.


#12 HVB

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 12:18 PM

This begs the question. If supplies did lessen, I’d say most if not all of us would be fine. But if you had to choose let’s say 6, what would they be? I know this is so open ended.

I’d probably want Hallertau, Celia, Crystal, Cascade, Columbus and...... Simcoe.


Hallertua, Citra, Simcoe, chinook, Apollo and sterling

#13 Bklmt2000

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 12:35 PM

This begs the question. If supplies did lessen, I’d say most if not all of us would be fine. But if you had to choose let’s say 6, what would they be? I know this is so open ended.

I’d probably want Hallertau, Celia, Crystal, Cascade, Columbus and...... Simcoe.

Cascade, Cent, Magnum, EKG, Hallertau, and Columbus.  That would cover the bases/basics of 95% of the beers I brew.



#14 Poptop

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 01:28 PM

Amen. Got both sides of the coin. Nobles and “exotics”


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