Smithwicks Homebrew Challenge

[armedcor]

I wonder how the hops have been stored. Will need to do some AA adjustment.

[Leann ull]

They were all floppy and loose certainly not vac packed, I put them straight in the bin as yep I don't know how they were stored either and you could be badly out with your calcs

[pob]

At least your hops had a sticker, saying what they were, AA%, harvest year, etc

[DEMPSEY]

Still trying to understand the reason why this hop is a requirement but anything else goes.

[molc]

Here's the bag I got in the post from Smithwicks. Youngs, so at least they are a known brand, but it's a big puffy bag and not vac sealed. 2013 as well, so I wonder how it will be for bittering.

[Tom]

I was chatting to a certain HBS over the weekend, and the competition came up. They said that somebody recently ordered about 100 bags of Admiral, then another 50. Their curiosity piqued, they followed this up, and found out about the competition. They also said that because it was all going to one address they only stuck stickers on some of the bags. Can't say who, obviously, but perhaps the unlabeled hops are 11%aa from 2013. Just perhaps.

[Will_D]

Mine have just arrived, Hard vacuum packed, no label on pack, 4 entry label tags but NO entry number that I can find!!

[Dr Horrible]

Still trying to understand the reason why this hop is a requirement but anything else goes.

If I was going to bet I'd say they have a shed load of Admiral sitting at the back of their warehouse and were wondering how to get rid of it. So while two year old hops might not give you the best beer it might well be very close to what the final beer will use.

[brenmurph]

its all very strange, they want admiral but dont say they actually want admiral charactor. We can use a list of other hops. If I was making an ale for a comp with a 1000 prize id be using my own target from the hop vine in my garden, not old blown 2013 youngs packaged hops.

Recently I cought from HBS. of 6 pks 3 were blown and one had a hole in it. On complaint they said that all hops are vacpacked but as they age they can ferment slightly with yeast or bacteria and thats how the bag is like a baloon rather than a vac-packed rock

Do I want to use them....I dont think so

[Tom]

Seems bloody unlikely though. Maybe that HBS bought their vac-packer from Lidl!

[imark]

Recently I cought from HBS. of 6 pks 3 were blown and one had a hole in it. On complaint they said that all hops are vacpacked but as they age they can ferment slightly with yeast or bacteria and thats how the bag is like a baloon rather than a vac-packed rock

That's a poor answer from the HBS in question. The hops should be flushed with nitrogen and stored cold so there should be F-all reason for 'fermentation'. Doesn't explain the hoe either 

[brenmurph]

 So anybody know what causes the blown bags if its not yeast or bacteria as stated by the supplier. they did clearly apologise and state they should not have been sent out...obviously they still are according to the admiral reports

the pics a bit big...scroll to see the bag that went through the wars. i put the good bag in the pic for comparison when i sent it off with my complaint

[brenmurph]

Recently I cought from HBS. of 6 pks 3 were blown and one had a hole in it. On complaint they said that all hops are vacpacked but as they age they can ferment slightly with yeast or bacteria and thats how the bag is like a baloon rather than a vac-packed rock

That's a poor answer from the HBS in question. The hops should be flushed with nitrogen and stored cold so there should be F-all reason for 'fermentation'. Doesn't explain the hoe either 

Nitrogen flush may be good but there are anaerobic bacteria, cold stored we would be lucky if that were the case 

[LordEoin]

my guess is that there are pinholes in the bag wall or in the heat seal.
The 'hops fermented in the bag' excuse sounds like bollox and if it's true then you should get a refund/replacement.
If the pack's going in the bin anyway I'd submerge it in water and give it a squeeze to see where the leak is (just for curiosity's sake)

[brenmurph]

The shop in question refunded without quibble and apologised.

Pinhole in bag would mean it cant hold pressure some bags are pressurised so it has to be some sort of gas building up in them?

Someone explain?  and then we get back to why diagio is sending us old blown hops to brew a great beer with !