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Post by brewbama on May 15, 2022 18:07:58 GMT -6
…I’ve adjusted most of my recipes so that I’m using full packages, and not sending leftovers to wither away for some undetermined amount of time. On the rare occasion that I do have to store a pack of hops (usually a bittering hops), I make sure that it gets used up quickly. Of course, I buy hops in 1 or 2oz packages, so I’m sure I’m paying more. I do this too. I know the IBU is a lie but I will add a full oz at an odd time (7 min, 13 min, etc) to use it up if the following beer doesn’t call for them. This last beer called for .8 oz. I realize I probably couldn’t tell if I used the whole oz. The remaining .2 oz will be used soon in another beer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by denny on May 16, 2022 12:17:51 GMT -6
Here's a case of a hop issue: I made an American Wheat with S-04. I hit it with about 25 IBUs of Loral at the start of the boil. It's supposed to be smooth and refreshing. Apparently my Loral is aging even though it's been vac-sealed and in the freezer. The 25 IBUs is tasting more like 15. It's not undrinkable but it's not what I designed. I could add some hops to a bag and drop it into the keg for a few days or just drink it. Even if you think you're storing your hops properly, getting old is a bitch! This is part of the reason why I have hardly any open packs of hops in my freezer. Currently the only open pack I have is Magnum, which will be burned up next weekend. I’ve adjusted most of my recipes so that I’m using full packages, and not sending leftovers to wither away for some undetermined amount of time. On the rare occasion that I do have to store a pack of hops (usually a bittering hops), I make sure that it gets used up quickly. Of course, I buy hops in 1 or 2oz packages, so I’m sure I’m paying more. I really enjoy the convenience of having a small homebrew store worth of hops on hand. Maybe because I live quite a way from my homebrew shop. I have found that if I reseal in a vac bag right after use and keep them in the freezer, a couple year's worth of storage doesn't really affect them. At least not more than the HSI would indicate.
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Post by Megary on May 16, 2022 12:36:57 GMT -6
This is part of the reason why I have hardly any open packs of hops in my freezer. Currently the only open pack I have is Magnum, which will be burned up next weekend. I’ve adjusted most of my recipes so that I’m using full packages, and not sending leftovers to wither away for some undetermined amount of time. On the rare occasion that I do have to store a pack of hops (usually a bittering hops), I make sure that it gets used up quickly. Of course, I buy hops in 1 or 2oz packages, so I’m sure I’m paying more. I really enjoy the convenience of having a small homebrew store worth of hops on hand. Maybe because I live quite a way from my homebrew shop. I have found that if I reseal in a vac bag right after use and keep them in the freezer, a couple year's worth of storage doesn't really affect them. At least not more than the HSI would indicate. I got you, and I have plenty of unopened packages of hops on hand. When they do get opened, they almost always get used in their entirety. I just can't be bothered with vacuum sealers, bags, and inventory management. For me, less is more. Keeps me sane.
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Post by denny on May 16, 2022 13:39:58 GMT -6
I really enjoy the convenience of having a small homebrew store worth of hops on hand. Maybe because I live quite a way from my homebrew shop. I have found that if I reseal in a vac bag right after use and keep them in the freezer, a couple year's worth of storage doesn't really affect them. At least not more than the HSI would indicate. I got you, and I have plenty of unopened packages of hops on hand. When they do get opened, they almost always get used in their entirety. I just can't be bothered with vacuum sealers, bags, and inventory management. For me, less is more. Keeps me sane. For me, inventory management consists of looking in the freezer before I set up a recipe. If the only thing I used the vac sealer for was hops, I'd agree with you, but I do more food storage than hop storage.
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Post by Megary on May 16, 2022 13:56:06 GMT -6
I got you, and I have plenty of unopened packages of hops on hand. When they do get opened, they almost always get used in their entirety. I just can't be bothered with vacuum sealers, bags, and inventory management. For me, less is more. Keeps me sane. For me, inventory management consists of looking in the freezer before I set up a recipe. If the only thing I used the vac sealer for was hops, I'd agree with you, but I do more food storage than hop storage. Then you agree with me.
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Post by denny on May 16, 2022 15:18:06 GMT -6
For me, inventory management consists of looking in the freezer before I set up a recipe. If the only thing I used the vac sealer for was hops, I'd agree with you, but I do more food storage than hop storage. Then you agree with me. Maybe...but I don't consider it a hassle compared to the value when used for food.
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Post by brewbama on May 16, 2022 17:32:10 GMT -6
Funny how we’re all different.
When I die I hope to have used the last of the hops, grain, and yeast on the previous brewday. I *try* to stock only what I need for the next three brewdays. …and I only do that because I get free shipping over $X.XX spent. I’d order just in time if it weren’t for that.
But I did buy a brick of yeast and have been whittling on it for a while.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by tommymorris on May 16, 2022 19:54:31 GMT -6
Funny how we’re all different. When I die I hope to have used the last of the hops, grain, and yeast on the previous brewday. I *try* to stock only what I need for the next three brewdays. …and I only do that because I get free shipping over $X.XX spent. I’d order just in time if it weren’t for that. But I did buy a brick of yeast and have been whittling on it for a while. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I have 80-100 pounds of grain (I just bought a 50 lbs. bag of 2-row), 3-4 lbs. of hops, and 6-7 packs of yeast on hand. I do regret the 3-4 lbs. of hops. I have hops from 2017 in the freezer. I have been mulling tossing a bunch of it and moving to smaller quantity hop buys. It’s just hard to pull the trigger.
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Post by gusso on May 17, 2022 6:06:18 GMT -6
I have around 100# of grain, at least 12 packs of yeast (mostly dry), and an obscene amount of hops.
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Post by brewbama on May 17, 2022 6:16:10 GMT -6
If you want to try to save it, you could look into isomerized hop extract I’d like to discuss isomerized hop extract. If you don’t have it can you make it? Could you: 1. Isomerize hops in vacuum sealed bag submerged in a 200°F Sous Vide water bath for a cpl hours 2. Place isomerized hops in a starter vessel filled with Everclear placed on a stir plate for X time. (stir for say… 20 min?) 3. Strain the alcohol from the plant matter first through a seive then a coffee filter 4. Place the tincture in the sun for an hour to rid it of chlorophyll 5. Evaporate the alcohol to produce the isomerized hop extract (or distill it for future dedicated reuse) I could also see an option to remove the lupulin from whole cone isomerized hops by using a sieve and dry ice. Then either use the lupulin powder as is or soak the powder in alcohol and evaporate it to make an extract. The beauty of an extract is it can be injected into a keg without opening it (risking O2 exposure).
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Post by tommymorris on May 17, 2022 7:28:44 GMT -6
If you want to try to save it, you could look into isomerized hop extract I’d like to discuss isomerized hop extract. If you don’t have it can you make it? Could you: 1. Isomerize hops in vacuum sealed bag submerged in a 200°F Sous Vide water bath for a cpl hours 2. Place isomerized hops in a starter vessel filled with Everclear placed on a stir plate for X time. (stir for say… 20 min?) 3. Strain the alcohol from the plant matter first through a seive then a coffee filter 4. Place the tincture in the sun for an hour to rid it of chlorophyll 5. Evaporate the alcohol to produce the isomerized hop extract (or distill it for future dedicated reuse) I could also see an option to remove the lupulin from whole cone isomerized hops by using a sieve and dry ice. Then either use the lupulin powder as is or soak the powder in alcohol and evaporate it to make an extract. The beauty of an extract is it can be injected into a keg without opening it (risking O2 exposure). Hmmm?! I decided not buy isomerized hop extract. Too expensive to save a small batch. But if I could make some…
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Post by denny on May 17, 2022 11:52:32 GMT -6
That isn't close to how it's made and will give you a far different effect. Not saying it couldn't work, but there's a lot of oxygen exposure in your method that doesn't exist in the real thing. There's a chance that putting them in the sun could skunk them, too. Same issue with your lupulin removal method. Too much oxygen exposure. If you could see how they're really made, you'd understand. Maybe hit Hop and Brew School in August.
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Post by brewbama on May 17, 2022 12:54:50 GMT -6
Great points. I had no idea about the O2 exposure being a concern.
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Post by Ken on May 21, 2022 8:39:10 GMT -6
Here's a case of a hop issue: I made an American Wheat with S-04. I hit it with about 25 IBUs of Loral at the start of the boil. It's supposed to be smooth and refreshing. Apparently my Loral is aging even though it's been vac-sealed and in the freezer. The 25 IBUs is tasting more like 15. It's not undrinkable but it's not what I designed. I could add some hops to a bag and drop it into the keg for a few days or just drink it. Even if you think you're storing your hops properly, getting old is a bitch! Okay, I'm going to slightly amend my comment: When I first grabbed a glass of this beer, my pour was on the weak side and I thought my CO2 tank was getting low. I went out to the fridge and grabbed a spray bottle of Starsan and sprayed around the keg and saw that the CO2 QD was not seated quite right and was leaking. I put it back on properly and tested it again. Good now. Then I was out of town for 5 days and last night I grabbed a glass of it. Much better. The "low hop" vibe was really more of a "low carb" gig. With a more crackling carbonation, the beer is actually exactly what I had in mind. Hard to believe that the balance of the beer would come down to that but then again, not really. Carbonation accentuates bitterness.
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Post by brewbama on Jun 14, 2022 6:31:47 GMT -6
Ck this out: ordered same day, same company, same harvest yr, but evidently different farms, or bales, or parts of a field, or something. This gives me great confidence in their QC. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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