Adding Coffee To a Beer

advisabledata · Aug 10, 2015

hey guys has anyone added coffee to there beer to get the coffee flavored ale, and when would the best time to add also what coffee style to add to kits???

pintofmild · Aug 10, 2015

Hi, you would be better off using chocolate malt.
Regards

rodabod · Aug 10, 2015

Works well in some stouts, especially imperial stouts.

Added as a late addition, even just before bottling. The aroma oils are volatile, a bit like with hops.

beechwood · Aug 10, 2015

I've only done it once, added a jug of Americano filter coffee to a stout kit (can't remember which one) added it to the bin at the start of fermentation. Anyway all I can remember is it wasn't enough, couldn't taste it. :? Would think you would have to add quite a lot.

glynb · Aug 10, 2015

My friend is a head brewer and he makes a really nice coffee stout. I'll ask him when he adds it and report back. I seem to recall though that you make a strong black coffee in the normal way and add it, but I'm not sure at what stage. I'd probably say flame out stage whilst the wort is still hot if anything?

advisabledata · Aug 10, 2015

Well I have a ground coffee machine so all I drink is ground coffee. I was thinking about just putting a Muslim bag with so much in at a stage of the brewing process.

Niman · Aug 11, 2015

Mmm poor Muslim

Niman · Aug 11, 2015

From memory I thought cold soaking way to go to extract flavour and remove bitterness

brisboy · Aug 11, 2015

I know Mikkeller recommends just a normal French press coffee I think added late in the ferment. I think I'd do a cold brewed coffee personally. I've also read that adding whole beans to the fermenter as you would a dry hop yields good results. All that is to say there's a variety of opinion I guess. Probably unhelpful. Let us all know how it works out.

Covrich · Aug 11, 2015

Niman said:
From memory I thought cold soaking way to go to extract flavour and remove bitterness

You referring to a cold steep? I am going to try my first stout and was going to try this method.. I hear it is a good suggestion

rodabod · Aug 11, 2015

Possibly not possible for a lot of people, but I think I may try adding espresso at home when I get a chance. It has the advantage of emulsifying a lot of the oils in the bean (hence the crema) which is why it does taste different. The smoothest flavour in my opinion comes from filter (or Aeropress).

Most important thing though: fresh beans. Up to one month post-roast date is a good start.

glynb · Aug 11, 2015

Just looking at Greg Hughes' coffee stout recipe and he states 500ml of fresh coffee after 4 days..

cheshirehomebrew · Aug 11, 2015

glynb said:
Just looking at Greg Hughes' coffee stout recipe and he states 500ml of fresh coffee after 4 days..

Which brewery is he at Glyn?

have added coffee to a stout I did, put it in too early in that case as couldnt taste it

advisabledata · Aug 11, 2015

i might buy a coopers IPA or Stout and find out buy adding either a muslin bag of Ground Coffee or buy adding a cup full of expresso out of my coffee machine

glynb · Aug 11, 2015

cheshirehomebrew said:
Which brewery is he at Glyn?

have added coffee to a stout I did, put it in too early in that case as couldnt taste it

Not sure if Greg Hughes owns a brewery but he's an author of brewing books. I know he owns (or partners) brewuk.co.uk.

I spoke to my friend today and he says he does cold coffee and ads it when racking into the FV. He says cold coffee has a less bitter taste in the final product. Trust me, I've tasted it. It's good :)

advisabledata · Aug 13, 2015

What does racking mean (I know might be a newbie question)

rodabod · Aug 14, 2015

advisabledata said:
What does racking mean (I know might be a newbie question)

Transferring from one vessel to another. It's often done to get the beer transferred minus any trub (yeast).

DoctorMick · Aug 18, 2015

brisboy said:
I know Mikkeller recommends just a normal French press coffee I think added late in the ferment.

That's what I was about to suggest, recently read that in the mikkeller book and he said the suggestion came from another brewery so sounds like it could be a fairly common method.

Mjgclutch · Aug 20, 2015

Interesting stuff. So what would be the advantage adding to secondary for 5 days instead of immediately before racking? I'm going to add 500ml espresso to a 25L brew!!

rodabod · Aug 21, 2015

That's quite a lot of caffeine.

Adding Coffee To a Beer

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