Leaf hop supplies

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JonA
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Leaf hop supplies

Post by JonA » Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:03 am

Back in the UK after living and working abroad for the last 4 years, so I need to get brewing again!

Can anyone tell me of a supplier of leaf hops who do pack quantities larger than 100g. I used to buy 250g and 500g vac packs from CopperKettle in Northants but it looks like they've stopped trading.

Brewers Select will sell me 5kg bails but that's a bit too big :)

Thanks for any info.

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vacant
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by vacant » Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:33 am

The Homebrew Company does 1Kg packs

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Mashman
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Mashman » Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:54 am

https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/onlin ... c112263082

These do various quantities. I have used them many times
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MashBag
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by MashBag » Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:28 pm

Jon. Does it have to be leaf? I have found it easier to use what is most available.

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Eric
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Eric » Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:29 pm

MashBag wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:28 pm
Jon. Does it have to be leaf? I have found it easier to use what is most available.
For me it mostly is, but am I alone in finding the shelf life of pellet strictly limited compared with whole cone hops?
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

Rookie
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Rookie » Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:45 pm

Eric wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:29 pm
MashBag wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:28 pm
Jon. Does it have to be leaf? I have found it easier to use what is most available.
For me it mostly is, but am I alone in finding the shelf life of pellet strictly limited compared with whole cone hops?
I can't comment about all hops, but I had a fairly large pack of amarillo pellets that were still good at the (almost) five year mark. Properly stored hop pellets last quite a long while.
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JonA
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by JonA » Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:22 pm

Thanks for the info guys. I don't think my setup isn't right for pellets, debris removal etc so I prefer to stick to whole hops for now.

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Eric
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Eric » Thu Jun 09, 2022 6:50 pm

Rookie wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:45 pm
Eric wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 3:29 pm
MashBag wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 2:28 pm
Jon. Does it have to be leaf? I have found it easier to use what is most available.
For me it mostly is, but am I alone in finding the shelf life of pellet strictly limited compared with whole cone hops?
I can't comment about all hops, but I had a fairly large pack of amarillo pellets that were still good at the (almost) five year mark. Properly stored hop pellets last quite a long while.
Thanks, that's good to learn. I tend to keep a stock of more than 20 different varieties and accordingly some get quite old. I've found 3 years old pellets provide little aroma and are not easily distinguished from one another except for bitterness. On the other hand, a current beer made with 2016 WVG and a few other bits and bobs is comparatively distinguished. My main kit works with cones and the small gear doesn't, but pellets are becoming more popular and am wondering about future stock levels.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

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MashBag
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by MashBag » Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:15 pm

I vac pack and freeze pellets. Seem to be OK. I have just used some 2017 mandarina bavaria that were fine. I do find you use a bit more for the same effect extra 5g ish. So perhaps they fade... But 5 years is OK by me and they most certainly had not gone over.

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MashBag
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by MashBag » Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:18 pm

Just bought 5kg of a single variety, so reasonably confident.

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Eric
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Eric » Thu Jun 09, 2022 9:01 pm

MashBag wrote:
Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:15 pm
I vac pack and freeze pellets. Seem to be OK. I have just used some 2017 mandarina bavaria that were fine. I do find you use a bit more for the same effect extra 5g ish. So perhaps they fade... But 5 years is OK by me and they most certainly had not gone over.
That's good to hear. Will also top up pellets with the next order.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

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FUBAR
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by FUBAR » Fri Jun 10, 2022 5:21 pm

I recently brewed using a pack of the malt millers Citra pellets that where best before 2017 , perfectly OK in all ways . I only use pellets now , just so easy to store (when I was using leaf , my stock occupied a lot of freezer space but not now) weigh out etc .
I buy my grain & hops from here http://www.homebrewkent.co.uk/


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MashBag
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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by MashBag » Fri Jun 10, 2022 6:43 pm

Can I also recommend these chaps..

https://englishhops.com/collections/t90pellets

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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by Meatymc » Mon Jun 13, 2022 11:27 am

FUBAR wrote:
Fri Jun 10, 2022 5:21 pm
.......using leaf , my stock occupied a lot of freezer space......
My problem but as I grow my own, I'm stuck with sweet talking the wife into running a 2nd freezer in the garage - getting more and more flak with the costs spiralling!

Plus 1 for crossmyloof as suppliers but don't think they do leaf.

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Re: Leaf hop supplies

Post by JonA » Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:06 pm

Well I hope that whole hops will continue to be readily available, but what would I need to change in order to be able to use pellets? At the moment I have a stainless strainer which is basically like a large sieve that sits on the bottom of the boiler to catch the hops and the wort drain is in the bottom of the boiler. If I used pellets the fragments are much smaller so don't know if the setup would need to change.

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