Mylar Bags - How do you seal them?

[ChicoBrewer]

I bought mylar bags for hops storage. I quickly discovered that they don't draw a vacuum in my sealer because they don't have the little grooves like regular seal a meal bags. I have been trying lots of different tricks like using little pieces of seal a meal bag (the grooved side) but nothing is really effective. anyone have any tricks?

 

[Nosybear]

No clue - mylar isn't a thermoplastic so usual methods, fusing and so forth, won't work.

 

[ChicoBrewer]

it fuses fine it just doesn't draw a vacuum because both sides are smooth. Ever wonder why the vacuum works on a bag that is clamped tight? It's because there are little grooves on the inside that let the air escape until the heat seals them.

 

[J A]

I'm pretty sure you need a special set up to use mylar bags.

 

[ChicoBrewer]

Well I figured out a way. It's a hassle but it works . . .

I probably won't buy Mylar bags again unless I figure out something easier.

Step one: Cut a strip from a roll of Seal a Meal Bag. Cut it to length so it fits in the bag. Keep both sides (smooth and grooved)

Step two: Lay the strip inside the lip of the mylar bag thusly.

Step three: Put the bag in the sealer keeping the strip in place and seal.

Step 4: Push the bag in just a tad and re-seal. This ensures a good no shenannegans seal. Do it again if it makes you feel safe.

Here is the final product.

Cool factor = 11

 

[Nosybear]

I was thinking something along those lines but just using a short tube of the normal seal-a-meal bags, the kind that come on a roll. Just enough to seal the bag.

 

[Head First]

Great idea @ChicoBrewer ! When opening an 8oz. or 16oz. bag of hops I hesitate to separate them into smaller portions as lots of the hops we use are whole leaf. By using this method there is no need to break up the compressed hops other than what you need. Then just vacuum seal up in original bag and toss them back in the freezer.

 

[thunderwagn]

Well, that's pretty creative! I haven't "technically" resealed hops in mylar. The hops I've purchased already in mylar, if I have any left over, I have just placed in a regular foodsaver bag. Seems to work, double bagged I guess and probably defeats the purpose...

 

[Ward Chillington]

What purpose does the mylar serve over normal plastic seal a meal or the other vaccum seal bags??

 

[ChicoBrewer]

Light. Probably does't really matter though. Just me over thinking again. I do like head first idea and I'd probably try it if I hadn't already broken up my shipment into 1 oz bags...

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

What purpose does the mylar serve over normal plastic seal a meal or the other vaccum seal bags??

Light. Probably does't really matter though. Just me over thinking again. I do like head first idea and I'd probably try it if I hadn't already broken up my shipment into 1 oz bags...

Light, yes. But mostly oxygen. The meal saver and food saver bags allow for oxygen ingress which destroy hops in a fairly short period of time, several months by some accounts. Mylar reduces or eliminates oxygen ingress and hops can be stored in the freezer for several years if they have been flushed with nitrogen before sealing. It's always best to use them fresh, but once in a while when your going through the freezer and you find a bag of Simcoe you forgot about, BONUS! If it's in mylar, double BONUS!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I have about 50 pounds of hops stored in aftermarket bags in the freezer, some for years and they always look and smell fresh when using, these are pellets and are sealed immediately, so far no issues should i be changing?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H0WLQAS/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

so far no issues should i be changing?

Not if it works for you. If I buy hops, I try to get them in mylar, which most vendors use anyway. I try to use them as quickly as I can after opening, and I just vacuum seal a meal saver over the mylar.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I remove the hops and vacuum seal mine in 1 ounce bags each then add to a 1 gallon baggie and store in a deep chest freezer so when I need one all bags are sealed except what I take out

 

[Hawkbox]

That would explain why the one time I tried resealing one it didn't do much.