One year old Styrian Goldings kept outside the freezer

[GeorgieV]

I found a vacuum pack of Styrian Goldings that I had forgotten about for nearly a year. They sat in a cupboard, not in the freezer. So I wonder are these hops any good and how can I tell if they are no longer good to use?

 

[An Ankoù]

If the vaccum pack is still sealed they'll be fine. If open and they look and smell "dusty" then probably best chuck them unless you're going to make a "heritage" recipe which often calls for old hops. Styrians are often used at the end of the boil and at flameoiut so, since it's the alpha acid content that tends to deteriorate with age, you might want to use some fresher hops for bittering, but, frankly, in my experience it doesn't make a great deal of difference as long as the hops look and smell sound when you open the pack- which they almost certainly will.

 

[foxbat]

Smell them. Bad hops smell musty or of nothing at all. Good hops have that fresh hop aroma.

 

[GeorgieV]

Thanks guys, that sounds encouraging. I'll have to think what recipe to brew with these hops.

 

[fury_tea]

If you feel they are past their best when you open them, they could be a good candidate for aging to be used in lambics, and maybe saisons etc