hops and age

[Darrin Smith]

I have a couple of bags of opened hops in the freezer inside a zip lock bag that are about 4months old.  What are they likely to do if I brewed them?  one is high alpha about 12% and other about 5%.  I want to use them for a Belgian strong ale.

[denimglen]

What are they likely to do if I brewed them?

 

Make wort.

 

But really, I've heard AA% loss/degradation in pellets in the freezer is very little, even for multiple years.  I'd use the AA% they were when you bought them.  Crush a few pellets in between your hands, let them warm up and smell them.  As long as they smell like hops, ie not stale or cheesey, then go ahead and use them.  

 

Ideally though you want them stored cold in inert gas purged or vacuum sealed bags.

[Stu H]

And if they're stale and cheesy, think about brewing a wild belgium beer - they're all about stale hops!

[Darrin Smith]

thats what theyre goin in Stu- a belgian strong ale

[Stu H]

Hah, yeh I didn't read your post properly before getting in there! I don't know whether the Belgians use aged hops in their "strong ales".

 

I know though that brewers of lambics in Belgium use "aged" hops (6 months - 3 years)... The point being the Alpha Acids have broken down by then, and don't bitter the beer as much, though still retaining their preservative qualities. Also the "aged" flavour/aroma are meant to be part of the character of lambics.

 

Though the only reason I know this shit is because I recent bought and read "Wild Brews", which is all about the freakier beers from Belgium.

[denimglen]

Actually stale and cheesy shouldn't be used for Belgian wild ales.  The hops they used are ages beyond that point and actually have little aroma/flavour and AA left, mostly just beta acids.

 

As per BJCP Lambics and gueze shouldn't have any hop aroma or flavour, including the cheesy character.

 

A Belgian strong should use fresh hops though.

[Reviled]

"The hops they used are ages beyond that point"

 

Arent they also supposed to start going brown?

[denimglen]

Not too sure on that.  Everything I've read says age them until they have no aroma, but yeah possibly they could go brown.

[Darrin Smith]

but should not be a hop styled beer - meaning bitter

[JoKing]

Don't you want to brew your Tall Poppy clone anymore?

[JoKing]

Or your Epic Clone for that matter?

[Darrin Smith]

done and drukn half of it - mate loved it so much we are putting a batch down for him using NZ cascade

[Darrin Smith]

its on the list.  its got some hops that are hard to get currently (simcoe and colum,bus) its the next brew I want to do after the BSA.  I just wanted to do the BSA to use up those hops and im curious about Hi alc beer.  spent alot of money on wyeast 1762 liquid yeast as well.