KristianL1 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Hi guys, silly question time: I've got a bag of Morgans fuggles hops in their original sealed plastic packaging. They're about four years old... should I use them or not? (I live in a remote location overseas and am about to put a batch down and can't get any soon but keen to add these hops if consensus is it should be fine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 53 minutes ago, KristianL1 said: Hi guys, silly question time: I've got a bag of Morgans fuggles hops in their original sealed plastic packaging. They're about four years old... should I use them or not? (I live in a remote location overseas and am about to put a batch down and can't get any soon but keen to add these hops if consensus is it should be fine). At worst they will not deliver the 'oomph!' you will get from fresh ones. Add 'em... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristianL1 Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 That's good enough for me So long as it's not going to ruin it I'll throw em in and get some freshies for next batch. Thanks again Journeyman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB7 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Found this thread @KristianL1 about some old hops https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=3099.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 2 hours ago, KristianL1 said: I've got a bag of Morgans fuggles hops in their original sealed plastic packaging. I'd bin them, they would have been stored on the shelf in the homebrew shop, not the freezer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Ben 10 said: I'd bin them, they would have been stored on the shelf in the homebrew shop, not the freezer. Yeah, but it's them or a long wait to get some more or a kit beer with nothing added. I'd use them - better than nothing as they have been sealed all this time. Of course if he opens them and a pile of mould spores fly out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Captain!! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Bin em or use them in a sour beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 What about as a bittering addition? It would of lost pretty much all of its potential AA due to improper storage and all you would do is add vegetal mass to your brew. After 6 months of sitting on a shelf somewhere, it has lost more than 25% of its potential AA, after 4 years it is just pellets that are not useful for brewing, but you can compost them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 12 months in a fridge in a vacuum sealed package or upto 5 years frozen is what i have read. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 If they were frozen, I don't think the package of Morgan's fuggles were handled with care on any of its stops. But I am assuming, so we know what that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 48 minutes ago, Norris! said: What about as a bittering addition? It would of lost pretty much all of its potential AA due to improper storage and all you would do is add vegetal mass to your brew. After 6 months of sitting on a shelf somewhere, it has lost more than 25% of its potential AA, after 4 years it is just pellets that are not useful for brewing, but you can compost them. But how about for flavour and aroma? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 The good chemicals in the hop would of dispersed over that time, if not stored properly, which can lead to off flavours. Which doesn't lead to good aroma or flavour. I picture a timer over the hops and their goodness wifting away, either slowly or really fast, with obvious difference in the release based on the storage method. Once that timer reaches 0, you are highly likely to get a bad flavour from that hop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 8 minutes ago, Norris! said: The good chemicals in the hop would of dispersed over that time, if not stored properly, which can lead to off flavours. Which doesn't lead to good aroma or flavour. I picture a timer over the hops and their goodness wifting away, either slowly or really fast, with obvious difference in the release based on the storage method. Once that timer reaches 0, you are highly likely to get a bad flavour from that hop. OK, but the problem I have is physics - in a sealed environment, to where would they disperse? If there are chemical changes occurring, I can understand but I'd bet they would be obvious on opening the packet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Environment and temp matter for hops if these are not kept inline then the hops lose their effectiveness. This is an old article but helps explain what I mean. http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/04/15/brewing-hops-storage-preserving-precious-hops/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 With all that said, brulosophy disagrees and says go for it. So there you go. http://brulosophy.com/2015/09/28/the-impact-of-age-hops-exbeeriment-results/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 10 hours ago, KristianL1 said: Hi guys, silly question time: I've got a bag of Morgans fuggles hops in their original sealed plastic packaging. They're about four years old... should I use them or not? (I live in a remote location overseas and am about to put a batch down and can't get any soon but keen to add these hops if consensus is it should be fine). Maybe you can team them up with some 4yr old lager cans from over in this thread... ...given your hops are from the same era, they should be a perfect match & make great beer according to some folk! Seriously, is there a deceased estate or something people are buying all this 4yr old stuff from?? Anyways, gotta go, I'm hungry & I just spotted a hunk of cheese behind the couch that looks like it's at least 4yrs old....... 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popo the Reprobate Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 I have been disappointed by old hops before. I wouldn't bother doing it again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSands Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 15 minutes ago, Popo said: I have been disappointed by old hops before. I wouldn't bother doing it again. It seems proper storage is the key factor - vac sealed and kept in a freezer. A couple of my LHBS just package their hops in ziploc bags and in store a fridge. This has been OK for high-turnover varieties but I've bought less popular hops from them that were completely lifeless. No aroma...no nothing. I now prefer to buy my hops from one store that I know vac seals and keeps them in freezer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popo the Reprobate Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Yeah, I'd agree @BlackSands. I should have elaborated a bit further. The hops in question had been vac sealed but stored for quite a while at ambient shop temps. I only buy from places I know store them correctly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Captain!! Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Truth be know, if they are nitrogen flushed then vac sealed in those special foil bags they can be left in a fridge. Once opened they then should be vac sealed and stored in a freezer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB7 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, Norris! said: Environment and temp matter for hops if these are not kept inline then the hops lose their effectiveness. I used some fresh hops flowers vs year old frozen flowers & yes the frozen showed degradation Clarification... both were cryo-vacced Edited May 30, 2020 by JoeB7 clarification 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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