Recently, a reader of Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine asked us the following question:
Some of my club members are doing a bulk buy of hops. What is the best way to break them up and store them, and how long will they last?
You can certainly save some money by buying hops in bulk, especially if you have a few friends who can split the purchase. The downside, of course, is what to do with several pounds of hops you may not be able to use immediately.
The first thing you want to remember is that heat, light, and oxygen are all enemies of fresh hops. Heat and direct sunlight will break down many of the chemicals in hops more rapidly, both reducing their alpha- acid content and impacting their flavor. Oxygen accelerates the aging process, as well, which is why you find most commercial hops packaged now in foil barrier packages that are often purged with an inert gas such as nitrogen. The form of hops also matters. Whole-leaf hops, being loose and more exposed to oxygen, will not fare as well as pellet hops, which are compressed.