How long are hops viable?

[Asalpaws]

I'm planning my first AG brew next Monday. I'm going to do a southwold summer ale recepie as it's fairly simple (like me ; ). I have some Golding hops 4.5% alpha, that I opened about 2 weeks age to use some for dry hopping a Wherry kit. I taped the bag back up and put them in the freezer.

Should I contemplate using these hops (about 60 g still in the pack). I don't want to waste ingredients but also I want my first AG to go OK?

 

[RobWalker]

They're fine.

You're looking at a few months before they turn ****.

 

[graysalchemy]

They do oxidise with time so firstly seal them up and try and exclude as much air a possible secondly put them in the freezer. Hops to be used for bittering will last longer, as it is the aroma which goes, and according to some books the alpha acids oxidise to beta acids which also play a part in bittering. They should last a good 6 months in the freezer.

 

[Darcey]

Go for it!

 

[dennisking]

I take care looking after my hops but also think back to when I started and bought my hops from a shop in London' they sold loose hops from a big cardboard container and weighed out into brown paper bags. No vac. packs, no freezer, always made good beer.

 

[Asalpaws]

Cheers guys, T minus 3 days to AG !

 

[dennisking]

Cheers guys, T minus 3 days to AG !

Good luck with that.

 

[BeerEagle]

I take care looking after my hops but also think back to when I started and bought my hops from a shop in London' they sold loose hops from a big cardboard container and weighed out into brown paper bags. No vac. packs, no freezer, always made good beer.

I bet that if you drank that beer today you wouldn't think so.

 

[evanvine]

I bet that if you drank that beer today you wouldn't think so.

Yes, I think those hops would be a little past their best now!

 

[dennisking]

I take care looking after my hops but also think back to when I started and bought my hops from a shop in London' they sold loose hops from a big cardboard container and weighed out into brown paper bags. No vac. packs, no freezer, always made good beer.

I bet that if you drank that beer today you wouldn't think so.

I know my taste buds may have altered over 30 odd years and the home brewing has changed a lot but my beer then was as comparable to pub beer then as it is today. In my own mind I find little difference until you start to use newer variates of hops.

 

[evanvine]

I know my taste buds may have altered over 30 odd years and the home brewing has changed a lot but my beer then was as comparable to pub beer then as it is today. In my own mind I find little difference until you start to use newer variates of hops.

When I first started AG home brewing, you struggled to get as good as pub beer, never mind better it.
These days even kit brews far excel pub beers.