I've been finding it harder and harder to find pre-packaged 1 ounce hip packets with packages dates on them at my LHBS. So I am thinking of buying bulk via a large supplier like Yakima Valley. Just wondering if others have had positive/negative experiences with online hops and also, when will this years harvest be available? Trying to buy as fresh as possible.
In addition to finding dated packets, I find many suppliers storing their hops horribly which leads to even bigger problems. A few years ago I switched to Yakima Valley . . . buying in bulk twice a year (international hops are released later than domestic). They sell in 16/8/2 ounce packets, vacuum sealed, and they assure me they store sub-zero until shipping. Have been pleased with the results. The eight ounce packet (or 16) will give you some savings over the 2'er. If you bite the bullet and get a Food Saver sealer you will not be a slave to "use what you opened". Here's how I re-package opened hops for future use:
The harvest starts in late August, Centennial is the first harvested. After the aroma hops are done, the Alpha bittering hops are mature, Warrior is usually the last. The hops are picked,dried, and baled. Whole cone hops from 2019 are showing up for sale now. The pelletizers are fired up around the first week of September, so there is a lag on when pellets become available. The European hops have to be harvested and shipped, clear customs, and then be processed. Those show up around the Holidays.
Yakima Valley Hops Hops Direct Farmhouse Brewing Supply Hop Head Farms Hop Heaven (eBay store) Are the places in the US to buy hops in bulk if you’re gonna do so Yakima Valley Hops already has 2019 Strata, BRU-1, El Dorado pellets for sale. Hops Direct already has a bunch of 2019 leaf available. As has been stated you’ll need a vacuum sealer if you’re gonna do it. That being said just cause it’s fresh doesn’t mean it’s gonna be good. As homebrewers we still tend to get the stuff that doesn’t get selected by the pros and you’re still likely to find some crap that needs to be thrown away instead of landing in your beer. It might be fresh but Amarillo that smells like a tire fire is still trash. The best hops I’ve found lately are the Bell’s Select. It’s their hand selected lots that they then repackage. It’s the best Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe I’ve found maybe ever. They’re not cheap but IMHO well worth it as you’re not going in blind.
Home brewer's have to get lucky to get good hops. Most Brewery's go to the fields and chose the lots they want and we get the left overs.There's a HBS i visit that opens a pound of hops and puts them in 2 oz bags without vacuum sealing or flushing. I just smh and don't buy them. I like the Cryo hops. They have a strong aroma.
My LHBS hops peeve is that some of them store them in a fridge (along with yeast) and not in a freezer.
LHBS won’t be around in 5 years. Hops and yeast are typically old, outdated... prices can’t beat online, and convenience of driving 30+ mins round trip versus ordering ingredients to be dropped at your door. I shop Yakima Valley Hops and love it. Great hops for great price, ships quick and short transit. Same hops from my LHBS would be 1.5-2x the cost.
Greatly appreciate everyone's feedback. The fact that my LHBS refrigerates hops instead of freezing them is something that I never thought twice about. I've been watching Yakima Vakima Valley's site as well and see the 2019 harvest hop variety slowly growing. Plan to invest in vacuum packing machine here soon. Fresh hops....just the next step in my attempt to brew a quality IPA (or APA).
That's what I use for my home grown hops. It's a good investment, you can use it for everything. I use mine for venison, fish, etc. Sealer bags are expensive, so get the rolls and make your own.
I love my LHBS but I don't buy hops for hop forward beers anymore there. YVH hops are the truth, and the LHBS ones are musty/cheesy/astringent. They're in a fridge, but also I don't think they turn them over very frequently
There is a 200 year old hop farm in England that has started advertising in Zymurgy. Their marketing spin is that "homebrewers get a raw deal" so they market hops direct to homebrewers. https://stocksfarm.net/shop/ Fresh 2019 hops, vacuum packed in silver foil bags, leaf or pellet in either 100g/3.5oz & 500g/ 17.6 oz. I think I am going to buy a bag or two and see how they compare to what I can get here. Should be a nice final touch to a cask bitter.
@JackHorzempa shipping charges, available via the calculator on their checkout page, varies somewhat by leaf, pellet, sale hops (older) and state/zip code. Looks like the fee is constant regardless of quantity.
