11 replies to this topic

[weave]

I was digging around in the back of my chest freezer yesterday and came upon about 6oz of homegrown Saaz hops. They were still tightly packaged. Double wrapped in plastic wrap and sealed in a ziplock bag. They have been in the freezer packaged like this for about 3 years. I guess they got lost back there. They still look like they are in decent shape so I am thinking of putting them to use. So, 2 questions:1. Packaged well and stored like this are they old and stale or are they likely to be in pretty good shape?2. Ideas for uses? Recipes?

[ncbeerbrewer]

My thoughts on the quality and I was told this a long while ago but if they smell good and still are green then I think the quality should be fine. If they are browned out good then I would avoid them too. Being homegrown and not having a measured AA% I would suggest using them as late addition hops. My first thoughts would be a Bohemian Pilsner if you can do lagers or maybe a nice Belgian style of your choice Blonde, IPA, Tripel. I used Saaz in an IPA and Tripel and was pleased with them as well.

[stellarbrew]

I have no personal experience using aged hops, but I was reading in "Designing Great Beers" that some people will deliberately age nobel hops before using them, because of the spicy profile it gives due to certain hop components becoming oxidized.

[Genesee Ted]

Lambic!!!

[Slainte]

Take some cones and rub them in your hands and smell them. If they smell cheesy at all, throw them in the trash.

[Jimmy James]

I'm second Doobah here - according to one text I have you want to age hops for lambics by just putting them in a brown bag somewhere warm and dry like a closet or an attic. You could try aging them a bit more or if they already are pretty odorless maybe they're good to go for a lambic.

[weave]

I've never brewed with bugs other than yeast. Might be an experiment looming here.I was wondering about other Belgian styles. More ideas?

[DubbelEntendre]

I've never brewed with bugs other than yeast. Might be an experiment looming here.I was wondering about other Belgian styles. More ideas?

Czech Pils, Any of the Abbey Beers, Ordinary Bitter.

[3rd party JKor]

Is this in a real chest freezer or a dispensing "freezer". If they've been stored at <20F for 3 years, they're probably in reasonably good shape. You can use them for late additions without issue. If they smell bad, then not.

[weave]

Chest freezer. I haven't opened the bags yet. I need to do that before I make any plans for them. They are still very green in color tho.I was hoping to hear someone say they will be fine for late hop additions as my first choice was to make an alt with them.An Abbey beer is a tasty idea tho.

[HatTrickBrew]

Have you ever had Bell's Oberon? It's a nice summer wheat ale.I recently brewed a clone and used a couple of ounces of Saaz. It turned out great.

[DaBearSox]

Have you ever had Bell's Oberon? It's a nice summer wheat ale.I recently brewed a clone and used a couple of ounces of Saaz. It turned out great.

yea i just brewed one up close to that as well...hallertauer and SaazI have seen clones that use all saaz for flavor/aromaSaaz is great in wheat beers so if they are still viable this might be a nice quick turnaround brew for ya