Checked on last year's Hallertau after picking this years. I keep them in the basement next to my dehumidifier. Can I ask how they look even though the lighting stinks?
Picture of aged hops
- Thread starter Kent88
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They look good. How do they smell?
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They really don't. If I couldn't smell lunch so well when I was checking these out, I would wonder about my health.
No hop aroma, and no cheesy funk that I've heard can develop.
I would still use them, at least for bittering. It reminds me I need to harvest my hops. They have had a rough year, too much heat.
Ridenour64
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They look normal to me. I don’t think you can smell them too much as is. Try squeezing and rolling one between your fingers while smelling it. A lot more potent then.
Rub one using your fingers. Smell hops? If so = OK. Smell cheese = don't use.
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I set these aside for use in a sour. I thought a little cheesy was ok for sours.
Sorry as I missed the sour part.
I do know some brews use old hops. Unsure if cheesy is wanted.
I do know some brews use old hops. Unsure if cheesy is wanted.
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Sorry I forgot to explicitly say that they're for a sour. I thought I had.
Fresh hops are intended to be used, well, fresh. These are normally called "wet hops". After drying some of the aroma that we so love is gone.
Based on the initial photo it appears to me that natural drying has occurred.
Based on the initial photo it appears to me that natural drying has occurred.
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Yep, I think I read that aroma and alpha acid deteriorate pretty quickly at room temperature. My Hallertau doesn't produce much, so I figure that I'll just age what I get until I get more than 12oz for a year. 5oz wet might be enough for a small batch of light lager, but I'd like more.
Besides, it's easy to buy good Hallertau pellets, but I don't have a good source of aged hops.
Besides, it's easy to buy good Hallertau pellets, but I don't have a good source of aged hops.
There is a factor to figure in when using fresh hops to account for the wet vs dry.
Last Summer I had plenty of Columbus hops. So much that I brewed a wonderful Columbus Pale Ale. It is a great beer. Finishing up my last 5 gallons.
This Summer, actually this Spring, we had warm temps, hops were up. Then freezing temps for weeks and hops died back down to the ground. I cut off the dead bines. Then warm. I have hops this year, but nowhere near enough for a repeat of the Columbus Pale Ale.
Last Summer I had plenty of Columbus hops. So much that I brewed a wonderful Columbus Pale Ale. It is a great beer. Finishing up my last 5 gallons.
This Summer, actually this Spring, we had warm temps, hops were up. Then freezing temps for weeks and hops died back down to the ground. I cut off the dead bines. Then warm. I have hops this year, but nowhere near enough for a repeat of the Columbus Pale Ale.
