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Post by denny on Oct 9, 2021 14:26:17 GMT -6
Having used home extracted terpenes, I'm not sure that's a great solution. Well, it’s better than brewing with them as is 😂 Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk I'm not sure of that either
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Post by denny on Oct 9, 2021 14:28:04 GMT -6
Maybe this is a good spot to put some ideas about what to look for when you first open a package of hops and also what to do with your hops once the package is opened. When I first open the bag I look closely at the hops and take a big whiff. A fresh aroma is the first key to me. Having the hops be vibrant green is important too. Sometimes the hops can be kind of soft and squishy... is that a good sign? I'm talking pellets only here, btw. Assuming that hard, dried pellets might be old, I assume that softer, stickier pellets are a good sign. Seems like a sign of freshness. Anything that looks a more pale green bordering on yellow and anything that seems dried out and hard as a rock seems like an issue. If all of those indicators are good, then just vac-seal them back up so they're good for a long time and you're gold. My guess is that you guys will come up with more ways to know the hops are good. Soft squishy pellets are a bad sign. So are pellets with shiny surfaces. That means they were extruded at too high a temp.
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Post by tommymorris on Oct 9, 2021 15:06:50 GMT -6
In my recent case the hops had a nice green color. They just lacked aroma. I allowed myself to think “Well, maybe it’s the double nitrogen flush of the can. Maybe that’s normal.”
They were 2019 hops. I think they were just bad somehow.
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Post by tommymorris on Dec 1, 2021 22:42:52 GMT -6
I recently made a porter with Centennial hops. When I pulled the hops from the freezer I noticed they were 2016 crop year. They were from Hop Heaven and i had never opened the original package. I opened them up. Smelled great and looked great. So, I used them! That beer is off the hook. I really like the pine flavor in a porter, so I had turned up the late hops additions. I turned it up a little more because the hops were old. End result- a new beer style I am dubbing Porter IPA PS. This porter is also my first batch with Verdant IPA yeast. Tastes like a keeper.
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Post by cliffs on Dec 2, 2021 9:29:01 GMT -6
Alot of Galaxy is contracted out for futures. The galaxy thats left for us lowly spot buyers is often not the best. Another reason to find a hop supplier that you trust (for me its hop heaven, Ted seems to simply not offer bad hops) and just stick with them.
As far as Denny's point to shiny hop pellets being a bad sign due to being extruded at too high a temp, I've also been told that it can also simply be a function of the equipment itself, some extruders are so coated in hop resins that they leave a waxy shell on pellets.
I learned years ago that the smell I associated with character of imported HMF and Saaz wasnt the hops themselves, it was the smell of hop degradation, and that when I switched to domestic hops exclusively and never looked back.
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Post by denny on Dec 6, 2021 13:23:42 GMT -6
I have noticed through use and various comments that Galaxy does not seem to be holding up. I am not sure if we have the same issue where we had with Citra where so much new was planted or what but I have had lots of bad Galaxy beers and had some lots of hops that were not "galaxy" to me. I used them but blended with a bunch of stuff to cover it up. In closing, I agree with the Maxim 100% ETA - I have even heard of a few commercial breweries that are off galaxy till it gets back to what it was. Interesting. I blamed the can. I guess it’s the Galaxy. Maybe, maybe not.
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Post by denny on Dec 6, 2021 13:25:10 GMT -6
Alot of Galaxy is contracted out for futures. The galaxy thats left for us lowly spot buyers is often not the best. Another reason to find a hop supplier that you trust (for me its hop heaven, Ted seems to simply not offer bad hops) and just stick with them. As far as Denny's point to shiny hop pellets being a bad sign due to being extruded at too high a temp, I've also been told that it can also simply be a function of the equipment itself, some extruders are so coated in hop resins that they leave a waxy shell on pellets. I learned years ago that the smell I associated with character of imported HMF and Saaz wasnt the hops themselves, it was the smell of hop degradation, and that when I switched to domestic hops exclusively and never looked back. If the equipment isn't being cleaned well, that's a bad sign, too.
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Post by Ken on Mar 29, 2022 11:24:39 GMT -6
Ordered more hops today, all from YVH. Mt. Hood, Sterling, Mandarina Bavaria, Tettnanger and Hallertau Mittelfruh. I believe my current bag of Mt. Hood pellets came from MoreBeer/Artisan and they're "fine" but not great. My Sterlings are almost gone and I had no MB, HM or Tett in the brewery and lager season is coming.
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Post by tommymorris on Mar 29, 2022 12:44:24 GMT -6
My little brewery is overflowing with Lager hops. I think I may start trying them in my Pub Ales and blondes.
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Post by Ken on Mar 29, 2022 14:39:31 GMT -6
My little brewery is overflowing with Lager hops. I think I may start trying them in my Pub Ales and blondes. My one Pub Ale got Northern Brewer and another one got Goldings. My latest blonde got Liberty. I feel like Liberty could be a lager hop without too much trouble.
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Post by Ken on Mar 30, 2022 11:59:23 GMT -6
Ordered these hops yesterday (Tuesday 3/29) at 10am. They arrived today! I have never, ever seen hops ship and arrive that fast. Insane. Cheers to YVH! Oh but jeers to YVH because in their haste they sent me TWO ounces of Hallertau Mitt instead of the EIGHT ounces that I ordered. I emailed them about it and hopefully they'll send the rest out.
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Post by Leftympfrmde on Mar 30, 2022 14:23:27 GMT -6
Ordered these hops yesterday (Tuesday 3/29) at 10am. They arrived today! I have never, ever seen hops ship and arrive that fast. Insane. Cheers to YVH! Oh but jeers to YVH because in their haste they sent me TWO ounces of Hallertau Mitt instead of the EIGHT ounces that I ordered. I emailed them about it and hopefully they'll send the rest out. That sucks- but YVH has top notch customer service- they will make it right, I'm sure.
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Post by Ken on Mar 30, 2022 16:18:15 GMT -6
Ordered these hops yesterday (Tuesday 3/29) at 10am. They arrived today! I have never, ever seen hops ship and arrive that fast. Insane. Cheers to YVH! Oh but jeers to YVH because in their haste they sent me TWO ounces of Hallertau Mitt instead of the EIGHT ounces that I ordered. I emailed them about it and hopefully they'll send the rest out. That sucks- but YVH has top notch customer service- they will make it right, I'm sure. Knowing them they'll send 8 more ounces, not 6. Just guessing.
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Post by cliffs on Apr 1, 2022 15:19:07 GMT -6
My little brewery is overflowing with Lager hops. I think I may start trying them in my Pub Ales and blondes. My one Pub Ale got Northern Brewer and another one got Goldings. My latest blonde got Liberty. I feel like Liberty could be a lager hop without too much trouble. Liberty was bred to be a HMF replacement so it works great as a lager hop
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Post by brewbama on Apr 1, 2022 16:02:13 GMT -6
My one Pub Ale got Northern Brewer and another one got Goldings. My latest blonde got Liberty. I feel like Liberty could be a lager hop without too much trouble. Liberty was bred to be a HMF replacement so it works great as a lager hop +1 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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