I'm new to home brewing and didn't know that hops need to be stored in a freezer. I brew an IIPA and made the mistake of leaving the hops at room temperature (74-78F) for about 4 weeks. Now, it's ready to be dry hopped and my question is: Should I throw the 4 oz of hops away and get fresh ones? Are they any good after all this time out ouf the freezer?
I would say no. There's a real chance the "fresh ones" have been stored just as poorly for a longer period of time. Lots of mis-handled hops in the business. Here's an interesting discussion: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/buying-2018-hops.631562/
Cold storage helps preserve food. Milk, fish, beer, hops. Food keeps longer when it is cold because everything slows down in the cold. But hops are antiseptic. They will not go bad, like milk or eggs. There is not much danger of bacteria overwhelming your hops. What does happen though is that the best parts are lost. The delicate oils and their aromas fade away. While some of the less desirable compounds do not fade, so those flavors and aromas become more apparent. Hop farmers go to extraordinary lengths to get the plant harvested and packaged as quickly as possible. 24 hours even. And then every handler along the way maybe keeps up their end. Or doesn't. Bottom line. Keep your hops in the freezer but don't lose sleep over it. 4 weeks is not a big deal really. Cheers
If you think you're going to really get into homebrewing, my advice is to get a vacuum sealer and buy your hops in bulk from a site like Yakima Valley Hops or Hops Direct. I'm still using hops from 2016 that smell and taste great, because they've been kept frozen and away from oxygen.
