Hops in the Shops

[Frothy]

Oh I do love hops. These are the latest adventure in my learning curve of brewdom. (Recipes currently using extract & some steeped crystal malt.) I hope to stick to the same recipes for a while and experiment with some different hops so that I learn about the flavours.

In a recent IPA I'm using:
Challenger (8%) - Bittering
Goldings (5%) - Aroma

It's a Palmer recipe and it gives the option to either place 1oz of Goldings in the last 5 minutes of boil for aroma or dry hop them in the 2ndary for ~ 3 weeks. I've chosen to dry hop in the 2ndary (which I believe is traditional for an IPA) the recipe already used a large quantity of 1.5oz + 2oz which is quite a lot for a 19L brew.

In a recent English Special Bitter I used:
Northern Brewer (11%) - Bittering
Goldings (5%) - Aroma
This was by far the best beer I've made so far - the hop flavour was sweet and mild, really fresh & drinkable.

Is there a major difference in foil wrapped & loose dry stored hops? Apart from the loose ones being about 1/2 the price?

Matt

[bitter_dave]

Is there a major difference in foil wrapped & loose dry stored hops? Apart from the loose ones being about 1/2 the price?

Matt

In my experience: yes. Hops lose their potency quite quickly if exposed to light and air, so I've read and I can believe it.

I used loose hops on my first extract brew and the hop flavour and bitterness were very disapointing. I had no idea about how to store hops, and kept the loose hops lying around for ages exposed to sunlight and in a non-airtight bag before I brewed. I guess if you buy them form a reputable shop, and pack them in airtight bags and store cold and use them quickly, perhaps this will help.

I'm never going back to loose hops - although I guess some may have different experiences

[Jim]

I couldn't agree more - there was a step change in the quality of my brewing when I went from loose hops in a plastic bag to vacuum-packed-in-foil hops.

I keep my hops in the freezer - I find it keeps them in excellent condition.

[steve_flack]

I keep my hops in the freezer - I find it keeps them in excellent condition.

Same here. I have a whole drawer in the freezer for hops.

[johnmac]

Vacuum packed hops in the freezer - is that just after they've been opened?
Presumably there's no point freezing them whilst they're still vacuum packed?

[Vossy1]

I keep my hops in a freezer, as soon as I get them...

Providing It's not too full of boilies

[tubby_shaw]

Vossy wrote:

Providing It's not too full of boilies

I told my wife that was normal

John

[steve_flack]

Vacuum packed hops in the freezer - is that just after they've been opened?
Presumably there's no point freezing them whilst they're still vacuum packed?

Some hops loose half their alpha acids in a year at room temperature. It doesn't matter if they're opened or not. The lack of oxygen only prevents oxidation, not loss of alpha.

[Vossy1]

I told my wife that was normal

Your avatar John.......if you can disclose....where's the beastie from, and what did it weigh

It looks a wee weighty beastie

From the photo maybe a good 20

[tubby_shaw]

I told my wife that was normal

Your avatar John.......if you can disclose....where's the beastie from, and what did it weigh

It looks a wee weighty beastie

From the photo maybe a good 20

Not quite a twenty 19lb 2oz that one
It came from a day ticket water called Coppice lake, in Dormston, Worcestershire on a freezing cold day in November last year

[Vossy1]

Not quite a twenty 19lb 2oz that one
It came from a day ticket water called Coppice lake, in Dormston, Worcestershire on a freezing cold day in November last year

That's a gr8 result considering the circumstances

[guest5234]

I told my wife that was normal

Your avatar John.......if you can disclose....where's the beastie from, and what did it weigh

It looks a wee weighty beastie

From the photo maybe a good 20

Not quite a twenty 19lb 2oz that one
It came from a day ticket water called Coppice lake, in Dormston, Worcestershire on a freezing cold day in November last year

I live next to Earlswood lakes, I can fish for nowt if I want but never have the time, it holds the record for a 5 hour match in the UK 475 Ib of carp up to 17 lb, but its not proper fishing as they would eat anything in that lake.

[tubby_shaw]

I started my carp fishing on Engine pool
I have progressed a little since then
Unfortunately for me Earlswood is the type of place that gives angling a bad reputation, noisy, foul mouthed drunken louts who leave litter all over the place and have no respect for the fish. It's a pity because it could be so nice
Rant over