Lawrence Brewers Guild

Generally, how long will hops last in the freezer? I have both pellets and flowers - if I keep them in ziplocks and frozen, how long are they good for? At what rate do they depreciate alphas, etc.?

What is the best way to store hops?

What happens if you use old (not yellow) hops?

Anything else sort of related that I'm missing?

Thanks,

Your pellets will last the longest because of sufrace to air ratio, compared to that of flower hops.

A deep freeze is much much better than a regular frost-free fridge. Keeps the hops solidly frozen till needed.

The best way to store hops for the homebrewer would be with a FoodSaver and their freezer bags. They seal tight and have minimal oxygen transfer.

Hops stored in a jar, flooded w/ co2 (I know joe, I know) and a good sealing lid on top is not a bad answer either. They can even be left in their baggies if wanted.

There are many sites avail on the web, also most brewing programs like ProMash, that have alpha-loss charts based on time and storage methods. The goodness is still there, just at lower levels-- meaning you'll have to use more.

Especially old hops can also be used for many lambic styles where the protective qualities of the hops are wanted but not the bitterness.