How long do hop pellets last?

Hops are the most expensive and most perishable ingredient in beer. Refrigerate them as soon as you get them and 'if' they're in good condition to start with you should be good for at least 6 months, but it all depends on what you get. I've been to some very busy home-brew stores and found old cheesy hops. The there's always the year's crop, which will vary. Look for pellets that are tight, without cracks, and deep green - they can be lighter green, or darker green, but the color should be deep.

If it's from a kit I wouldn't worry. Unless it was put together by a home-brew shop they're probably just average to begin with anyway. And you could always just buy an extra ounce or so for a late-kettle addition or dry-hopping if you want to brighten it up a bit.

 

What kind of packaging? If you don't know, what's the source/brand? Vacuum sealed or Nitro flushed is best. And frozen is also best. Packaged and stored properly, I'd say you have at least a year before they start to go bad, even if they will have lost some potency.

 

Leave em in the fridge and use em for sours in a few years. I have so much cascade that friends gave me (pellets) that I never could use...should be good for lambics down the road.

 

Is there a reason people are saying put them in the fridge, rather than the freezer?

 

Freezer > Fridge
Colder Freezer > Not As Cold Freezer

 

Hops have three enemies: Heat, oxygen, and light . . . best to eliminate as much as possible. To make it interesting, each variety loses potency at a different rate . . . search for "Hop Storage Index" for the worst offenders. As they fade you can expect a loss in both acid and oils which is manageable by increasing quantity. At some point they turn from dull to nasty . . .

Even though you bought your kit in October your hops are from the 2013 crop and well over a year old. So you've left them un-refrigerated for 3 months and who knows how long they were left out for the previous 12 months. I suggest tossing and getting some new, give your first batch a better chance. We are in the annual cross over time, make sure your supplier has the 2014 crop . . . if they won't give you a straight answer keep looking. While you're at it, check the expiration date of the yeast, if close to expiring and/or it's been left out of the fridge consider replacing also. Respect your Beer.

 

I disagree with PortLargo in tossing them... and I quote stealth "Leave em in the fridge and use em for sours in a few years". I used to have a fairly large amount of old hops that I used for sour beers. Well, I used them all !!!

My other point would be that you're brewing from a kit, so how bad can it be?

"Time reveals all".