HopUnion Packaging

[Guido]

I'm surprised you said that about Hopunion packaging.

Not sure what you mean there... the OP was questioning whether the new packaging eliminated the need to keep hops cold, which I don't think it does. Hops should still be kept cold.

From Hop Union's site:

As with all of our products, quality is our top priority. Each of our home brew packages is carefully packed and sealed in a nitrogen flushed, light resistant, oxygen barrier N2 HopPackâ„¢ and then stored in a temperature controlled atmosphere to avoid heat related degradation. This packaging system ensures that every package of Hopunion hops is maintained in an ideal storage environment.

Thanks, so into the freezer they go!

[spiderwrangler]

Refrigeration is probably sufficient, but freezing should be fine too.

[Stinkfist]

Refrigeration is probably sufficient, but freezing should be fine too.

the colder the better....

[mtyquinn]

I used to buy my hops from a LHBS that left all the hops in a box on the floor (nitrogen sealed). When I switched LHBS's and went to a place that cold stored them - it was night and day. Cold storage keeps the hops fresher and smelling delicious.

[Tom from Raleigh]

I've found a few recent pellet pkgs weren't as tightly vac'd as I'd have liked. I bought a couple of oz of Galaxy and they were loose in the package. They smelled fine, still I'd like the package to be tightly compressed to know all the air is out.

[Stinkfist]

I've found a few recent pellet pkgs weren't as tightly vac'd as I'd have liked. I bought a couple of oz of Galaxy and they were loose in the package. They smelled fine, still I'd like the package to be tightly compressed to know all the air is out.

if they are the hop union bags they are nitrogen filled so they do not need to be vacuum sealed...so no issues...the space is filled with nitrogen not oxygen so therefore not oxidation

[spiderwrangler]

It seemed like when HU first started putting them out in these packages, they were all vacced, and don't see that much any more. As Stink said, they flush the bags before sealing, so oxidation should be negligible. What I would check is if you squeeze the bag and it deflates, it obviously is not sealed correctly. I've seen this in a couple bags of cones, usually where a cone got in the way of the sealer and prevented a complete seal.