Hop shelf-life

[sub333]

Hi,

Just did my first extract brew today - it needed four different hops, but I bought them in 100g vacuum-packed bag, as that was so much cheaper (relatively) than buying just a small amount.

Just wondered how long they will last, now that they're open?
I feel I should do a heavy-hopped IPA now, to use a lot of them up, because would be a pity of they lost their pungency/freshness.
Any thoughts?

[boingy]

Air, heat and humidity are the enemy. Ideally vac pack them and get them into the freezer or fridge. Alternatively squeeze out as much air as you can and tie the bag tightly. For big hop aroma and flavours use 'em as soon as you can. They will easily last a year if stored correctly but the aroma and bitterness does fall away with time.

[sub333]

Thanks.

The four are:
- Target
- Challenger
- East Golding
- Northdown

Do you know of any good IPA recipes that I could chuck these into?

[barney]

Try A Bengal Lancer clone,

[sub333]

Thanks, will do

[Rookie]

Properly stored hops can last a long time. Back when amarillo first came on the market very few shops carried them. When I found a place that did I ordered a large amount. I carefully repackaged them in two ounce packs and put them into the freezer. I used the last of them over five years later and they were still good.