Anyone use FoodSavers? what model? any other brand/model recommendations?
While they all talk about how great they are for steaks and fish; I’m also looking do direct the purchase for something that would be good for portioning-out bulk hops.
Do you vacuum seal specialty grains? I was just thinking a paper bag in a dry container would be good enough…
I have a cheap foodsaver that i’ve used for about 4 years. works great. Use it for hops only, but i have gotten so lazy I don’t even portion out the bags into small amounts, just one big bag that I cut open, pour, measure, and reseal/vacuum.
I’m not sure how much if any benefit you would see from vacuum sealing specialty grains.
I’ve had a V2460
http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Advanced-Design-Vacuum-Sealer/dp/B000F9PNF8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419881353&sr=8-1&keywords=foodsaver+v2460
for at least a few years. I prefer this configuration over the vertical units, because they waste less bag material.
I use mine for hops exactly like Pietro described. In theory it seems like removing oxygen from stored grain would be helpful to slow staling, but I’ve never tried it myself. Probably not worth it when you consider the price of the bag material against the price of a pound of specialty grain.
The V4840
http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Sealing-Retractable-Handheld-Heat-Seal/dp/B00DI342IW/ref=sr_1_8
is interesting me because it can also do zipper bags. I was thinking I could put the hops in the zipper bags, portion-out what I need for a brew, then reseal it. So I’m glad to hear that’s how others work.
It just seems like there are so many models; it’s difficult to tell the differences.
JMcK that’s the model I have and it works excellent. I have sealed small amounts of grain if I don’t plan on using them for awhile (say black patent or dark roasted barley) as it can’t hurt and doesn’t use too much bag. If you store them well and plan on using them then I wouldn’t worry about it.
I have the food saver mini that works with the smaller quart sized bags. I typically buy 5 or 6 lbs of hops per year and store them under vacuum seal in large bags once they are opened. If using this method, be sure to cut your bags on the large end due to cutting and resealing in the future. I only vacuum seal pellet hops due to freezer space.
