So I was adding dextrose to the boil and after measuring it I noticed that plenty of it stuck to the measuring bowl. The thing is that I didn't clean the bowl and then measured hops addition in it as well, I poured a bit too much so I put a bit of hops back in the bag (and some dextrose as well). Hops are now in the freezer in a zip-lock bag. Could dextrose somehow harm the hops or I should be ok? Thanks!
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I don't see how some dextrose can affect hops, especially in a freezer. You're OK there.
Did you keep the original bag the hops came in?
Reason is, those bags are usually better, more airtight, than ziplocks. Just fold over the loose flap a few times and tape shut to the rest of the bag with some packing tape. While folding the flap, squeeze as much air out as you possibly can (or vacuum it). You could store that bag inside a ziplock freezer bag if you want, again with as little air as possible. Freezer storage is best, yes.
Many swear by using a vacuum sealer, but squeezing out as much air as possible is next best IMO. Never had any hop storage related problems that way.
Did you keep the original bag the hops came in?
Reason is, those bags are usually better, more airtight, than ziplocks. Just fold over the loose flap a few times and tape shut to the rest of the bag with some packing tape. While folding the flap, squeeze as much air out as you possibly can (or vacuum it). You could store that bag inside a ziplock freezer bag if you want, again with as little air as possible. Freezer storage is best, yes.
Many swear by using a vacuum sealer, but squeezing out as much air as possible is next best IMO. Never had any hop storage related problems that way.
Thanks, I'm less nervous now. I use a regular ziplock and yes I try to squeeze as much air as possible. Didn't think to keep an original packaging for some reason... This a good advise, thanks. Guess I need a special device if I want to vacuum seal, right?
Double up that ziplock with a heavy duty freezer one.
Before totally closing it, stick a straw in the very corner and suck the air out, then push down, and pull the straw while you finish the seal.
Yeah, you need a special vacuum sealer, and the special bags. Do some research on which are good and which to avoid, and where to get the bags. There are a few tricks to reuse the bags a few times. Check the For Sale forum, Craigslist, etc. Those sealers tend to go on sale at times, check or subscribe to HomeBrewFinds.com, they keep an eye out on many things brewing including vacuum sealers. That is, as long as you can resist to buy everything they list.
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If there is dextrose on the hops, it’s gonna boost your abv on the next brew where you use those hops. Well not really boost, it’ll be negligee.
I wouldn’t bother with the vacuum sealer. I use the ball canning jars...freezer safe, wide mouth ones. They’re reusable and I use labels to write what hops they are. When the hops change, I change the labels.
I wouldn’t bother with the vacuum sealer. I use the ball canning jars...freezer safe, wide mouth ones. They’re reusable and I use labels to write what hops they are. When the hops change, I change the labels.
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I guess I never really thought about it. Never had any problems with degrading hops using the ball jars.
Plus they are stackable and with the labels, can easily see which hops I need.
I imagine you could give it a shot of co2 before closing it up.
But then again, when I transfer from fermenter to keg, there is o2 present and the beer I brew tastes great, unfortunately it’s not less filling.
Plus they are stackable and with the labels, can easily see which hops I need.
I imagine you could give it a shot of co2 before closing it up.
But then again, when I transfer from fermenter to keg, there is o2 present and the beer I brew tastes great, unfortunately it’s not less filling.
You can get attachments for vacuum sealers that will suck most of the air out of canning jars. I have too many different types of hop to use jars. They would take up too much room. I use a FoodSaver vacuum sealer that I bought for freezing food probably close to 18 years ago. I then put the packages in plastic boxes in alphabetical order. Started this after getting sick of pulling almost every pack out to find the one I was looking for.
Why is it that if you have a bunch of packs that you have to look through, the one you want is always near the last one????
Why is it that if you have a bunch of packs that you have to look through, the one you want is always near the last one????
I guess I never really thought about it. Never had any problems with degrading hops using the ball jars.
Plus they are stackable and with the labels, can easily see which hops I need.
I imagine you could give it a shot of co2 before closing it up.
But then again, when I transfer from fermenter to keg, there is o2 present and the beer I brew tastes great, unfortunately it’s not less filling.
Cold freezer storage really slows down the oxidation process of the lupulin, which is what makes hops smell cheesy. The colder the storage the better.
Yeah, flush those jars! I flush my hop bags with CO2, specially with leaf hops. Then roll the flap while pushing as much air/CO2 out as I can, so they take up less space. I store the hop bags inside (shoe) boxes, so stacking bags is less of an issue.
There are much better ways to rack (especially) hoppy beers to a keg. Look up "100% Starsan pre-purging" of kegs. You then fill them through the liquid out post, the lid remains on.
There's also our LODO sub-forum, with plenty of good hints to prevent or severely limit O2 exposure.
Why would you look any further?
If I were to buy a vacuum pump, I want to be able to use it for more than just hops and food. I've been eying one up, but have trouble finding more applications for it. I do have a fridge that needs to be fixed, vacuumed and recharged. 
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How do the micro breweries keep their hops in storage?
Northern_Brewer
British - apparently some US company stole my name
It's the combination of oxygen and warmth that's the problem. Remove either one and you reduce degradation of hops down to ~20% from anything up to 80% per year when exposed to air at room temperature. Remove both factors and they still degrade at ~10%/year.
Since I have finite freezer space, I keep unopened bags of hops in the fridge and only put them in the freezer once they've been opened.
Commercial cold rooms tend to be fridge temperature, it gets more expensive and more hassle once you drop below freezing.
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