Storing Ingredients

[Robbo100]

Hi All,

I am just getting into AG, having made my equipment and currently awaiting for my first AG ingredients to arrive.

I love the idea of making clone beers initially, and then making some of my own concoctions Hi All,

I am just getting into AG, having made my equipment and currently awaiting for my first AG ingredients to arrive.

I love the idea of making clone beers initially, and then making some of my own concoctions as I better understand the process and how the ingredients and timings impact on the beer flavour!

For AG1 I am going to try to make a Summer Lightning Clone, for which I have ordered the ingredients as an AG starter kit from BrewUK, but for later brews I plan to source the individual ingredients individually to keep the costs down, and to give me more choice of beers.

Looking online, I have found some recipes for things like Fuller's London Pride clone, which require very small amounts (10-15 g) of 3 different types of hops, as well as a mix of different malts.

So my questions are (finally):

1) How do people store these ingredients without loosing flavour (the hops clearly come vacuum packed for a reason!) - noting that I am not going to be buying any expensive packaging equipment.

2) How long can I keep the ingredients without degrading the quality of my brews?

3) Are there any suppliers that will sell me all the ingredients by exact weight at a pro-rata price without it costing a fortune, such that I don't need to store it myself.

Thanks all

Robbo100

 

[PD]

hops are usually sold in amounts of 100gms and the best are vacuum packed. kept in a fridge they will last months. in the freezer over a year.

 

[Robbo100]

hops are usually sold in amounts of 100gms and the best are vacuum packed. kept in a fridge they will last months. in the freezer over a year.

Thanks piddledribble

Once I have opened the vaccum packet that they are supplied in, is it best to split into smaller bags (say 10 g) and then freeze them. In these non-vaccum packed bags, will they still last 1 year frozen?

What about the grain, can that be kept in sealable food boxes? If so, how long will that keep (kept cool in the garage for example).

Thanks

Robbo100

 

[tazuk]

just rember if you going to put in 10g bags keep in one bag ie i have 16 differnt hops :shock: in my freezer now by the time you been in to A/G your hops will grow in freezer :thumb:

hops are usually sold in amounts of 100gms and the best are vacuum packed. kept in a fridge they will last months. in the freezer over a year.

Thanks piddledribble

Once I have opened the vaccum packet that they are supplied in, is it best to split into smaller bags (say 10 g) and then freeze them. In these non-vaccum packed bags, will they still last 1 year frozen?

What about the grain, can that be kept in sealable food boxes? If so, how long will that keep (kept cool in the garage for example).

Thanks

Robbo100

 

[PD]

yep some folks buy vacuum sealers just for that...I fold the top of the bags over....

 

[DirtyCaner]

I just fold top over on vaccum pack (like PD) and then put in a sandwich bag which I tie (stops the freezer getting filled with loose hops)

Grain lasts years if kept in cool dry place.

 

[Dieseljockey]

Some guys are using the blue screw top mango barrels for grain...I've been thinking of doing the same.

 

[Robbo100]

Thanks all.