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==Aged Hops==
In [[lambic]] brewing, '''aged hops''' refers to hops that have been aged for 2+ years in non-refrigerated conditions, and in burlap sacks or some other oxygen permeable bag <ref>[http://jesterkingbrewery.com/home-for-our-aged-hops "Home for Our Aged Hops". Jester King's blog. Retrieved 11/18/2016.]</ref>. It should also be noted that "aged hops" can refer to any sort of hop aging (especially in scientific literature), including short term hop aging (1-6 months, for example) in refrigerated or non-refrigerated temperatures. Much of the information below references hops that have been aged in warm conditions for shorter time periods than what hops are aged for in lambic brewing. The additional aging of hops that are used in lambic brewing or similar beers might have different effects than what has been studied in hops that are aged for shorter periods of time.
Aging hops leads to oxidation of acids and oils. Generally brewers seek to avoid this to preserve the aromatic and bittering properties of their hops; however some beer styles make extensive use of aged hops. Aged hops still retain some antimicrobial properties and can be used for microbial inhibition. In addition to their antimicrobial activity aged hops contribute important flavor and aroma compounds and precursors to beer.