Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
I've just discovered 5 x 100g packs of vacuumed sealed Citra from the 2015 harvest in my garage. They would have been there for about two years and the garage can go to -5C to 30C+ throughout the year. Will they be alright for dry hopping? I'm brewing kits at the moment so I can't use them for bittering.
I fear they'll make the beer just taste grassy rather than floral.. any advice appreciated! I wish I had put them in the freezer!
I fear they'll make the beer just taste grassy rather than floral.. any advice appreciated! I wish I had put them in the freezer!
Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
The only way to tell is to rub them in your hands and sniff, if they smell ok, they are ok to use. Any deterioration is likely to present itself as a cheesy aroma. Making a hop tea might be a safer way to do it, at least you can ditch it if unsure.
Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Good advice - thank you
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Depending on which variety they could be used in lambic.
I'm just here for the beer.
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Or you could split off a gallon or less in to a DJ and dry hop that, then you will wish you had done the whole batch or glad you only done a gallon
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
If they've been out of the light they'll be fine. As already mentioned give them a rub and a sniff. Citra is too expensive to waste!
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Can't be arsed to keep changing this bit, so, drinking some beer and wanting to brew many more!
Sir, you are drunk! Yes madam, and you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober! - WSC
Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
That's good to hear! They came vacuum packed in silvery reflective plastic and have been in a dark garage ever since so fingers crossed, I'll open one up tomorrowscuppeteer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:49 amIf they've been out of the light they'll be fine. As already mentioned give them a rub and a sniff. Citra is too expensive to waste!
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Even vacuum packed, without refrigeration there'll be deterioration. Use them for bittering, and assume 30% loss of alpha.
The biggest expense in home brewing isn't ingredients, it's your time. Don't waste your time for some measly hops.
Hops can grow, and will continue to grow long after you're gone. Don't waste your time.
The biggest expense in home brewing isn't ingredients, it's your time. Don't waste your time for some measly hops.
Hops can grow, and will continue to grow long after you're gone. Don't waste your time.
Secondary FV: As yet unnamed Weizenbock ~7%
Bulk aging: Soodo: Grocery store grape juice wine experiment.
Drinking: Mostly Canadian whisky until I start brewing again.
Bulk aging: Soodo: Grocery store grape juice wine experiment.
Drinking: Mostly Canadian whisky until I start brewing again.
Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
I agree with Lari - for dry hops you need to use the best.
Old hops are OK for bittering if you're desperate, but will have lost a lot of bittering power depending on how old they are and how they've been stored.
Old hops are OK for bittering if you're desperate, but will have lost a lot of bittering power depending on how old they are and how they've been stored.
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
A few years back I found a pack of hops in a drawer, they had been there for about 10 years. Gold solid pack.
Thinking they would be down in AA, I used the WHOLE 100g in a brew.
...
It took SIX MONTHS to get to the point where it was drinkable, way too bitter.
My 2015 hops are in the freezer so will still be good to go when I use them, but what can I use 2Kg of Admiral in - sensible answers please.
Thinking they would be down in AA, I used the WHOLE 100g in a brew.
...
It took SIX MONTHS to get to the point where it was drinkable, way too bitter.
My 2015 hops are in the freezer so will still be good to go when I use them, but what can I use 2Kg of Admiral in - sensible answers please.
Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Of course there is always going to be a best practice, use the freshest of hops. However, why discard 500g of Citra without evaluating whether they will give a satisfactory result? As mentioned, dry hopping a couple of litres isn't going to do much harm.
Did brewers in the 1850s use the freshest of hops in every brew, and store them below freezing in vac packs?
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Did brewers in the 1850s use the freshest of hops in every brew, and store them below freezing in vac packs?
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
If you want to have a ball park figure of alpha acid potential, I've always found this calculator useful.
Of course, we never really know the age of the hops, just the commercial year of sale etc.
http://brewerslog.appspot.com/HopAlphaCalc
Of course, we never really know the age of the hops, just the commercial year of sale etc.
http://brewerslog.appspot.com/HopAlphaCalc
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author in
Handbook of Alcoholic Beverages: Technical, Analytical and Nutritional Aspects, 2 Volume Set, 1204 pages, edited by Alan J Buglass
**OUT NOW**
To find out more and buy online, go to
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
Thanks for all the advice. I opened a packet today and they smelt wonderful! I made hop tea from a few pellets and it was too bitter to taste on it's own. Once fermentation dies down I'll take a small sample and dry hop it for a few days and see what it's like.
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
30% loss is excessive for only 2 season old hops Lari.Laripu wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:20 amEven vacuum packed, without refrigeration there'll be deterioration. Use them for bittering, and assume 30% loss of alpha.
The biggest expense in home brewing isn't ingredients, it's your time. Don't waste your time for some measly hops.
Hops can grow, and will continue to grow long after you're gone. Don't waste your time.
They can grow, but whether or not they still flower is a different matter!
Dave Berry
Can't be arsed to keep changing this bit, so, drinking some beer and wanting to brew many more!
Sir, you are drunk! Yes madam, and you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober! - WSC
Can't be arsed to keep changing this bit, so, drinking some beer and wanting to brew many more!
Sir, you are drunk! Yes madam, and you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober! - WSC
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Re: Can I use old hops stored in the garage for dry hopping?
It's the lack of refrigeration that makes me think that.scuppeteer wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:15 pm30% loss is excessive for only 2 season old hops Lari.Laripu wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:20 amEven vacuum packed, without refrigeration there'll be deterioration. Use them for bittering, and assume 30% loss of alpha.
The biggest expense in home brewing isn't ingredients, it's your time. Don't waste your time for some measly hops.
Hops can grow, and will continue to grow long after you're gone. Don't waste your time.
They can grow, but whether or not they still flower is a different matter!
Let us know how it turns out, and good luck. I hope it works out.
Secondary FV: As yet unnamed Weizenbock ~7%
Bulk aging: Soodo: Grocery store grape juice wine experiment.
Drinking: Mostly Canadian whisky until I start brewing again.
Bulk aging: Soodo: Grocery store grape juice wine experiment.
Drinking: Mostly Canadian whisky until I start brewing again.