coffee grounds in secondary?

Okay, I know there are a lot of threads addressing the addition of coffee to beer. But most (or all) that I can find recommend adding brewed coffee/espresso to the secondary. Has anyone skipped the brewing and just added grounds directly to the secondary? How much and how long? I'd prefer not to dilute the beer. Thanks!

im going totally on a whim here, but i would say a couple oz in a fine cloth bag for a few days before bottling might work

I'll try it if you will.
I'm thinking as much as 4 or 5 oz...but only for a day or so.

BigKahuna said:

I'll try it if you will.
I'm thinking as much as 4 or 5 oz...but only for a day or so.

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You have a deal! I'll do 6 oz. for 24 hours. Just brewed today so it'll be a few weeks before I can report results.

are you making buzz beer?

For my last coffee stout, I added 4oz of dark roast grounds to the 5 gallon primary after fermentation was complete. I didn't bother putting the grounds in a bag and they sank to the bottom within 3 days, at which time I proceeded to bottle/keg.

The beer had a noticeable coffee aroma (no bitterness) and I plan to use the same technique in the future.

I'm thinking my coffee addition will be to a pale ale. Everyone..including me...makes coffee stout...I'm gonna make a lighter version.

OK, so why can't everyone use freeze dried instant coffee for this coffee flavor in all these beers?

It probably just doesn't taste as good or fresh.

You'll want to use fresh ground of you can. I say this not from beer brewing experience, but coffee brewing experience. When making beer, splurge for the good stuff, it usually won't cost that much more, and will give WAY better results.

bsay said:

You'll want to use fresh ground of you can. I say this not from beer brewing experience, but coffee brewing experience. When making beer, splurge for the good stuff, it usually won't cost that much more, and will give WAY better results.

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But that's just it, what's coffee making got to do with brewing, other than the name?

I'm not trying to start an argument here, honestly. I just can't see how anything other than a hint of coffee flavor might be a good thing to a beer, and to that end, I can't see how grounds are going to be beneficial. Like oversteeped tea, how is leaving the beer on the ground not going to impart unwanted sour or bitter flavors that most picky coffee lovers avoid?

While I am by no means an expert brewer of either coffee or beer, I just can't imagine that if I really needed a coffee flavor in my stout I couldn't just add a couple tablespoons of instant coffee at, or near, the end of the boil for the proper effect.

Has it been tried? I just don't recall it being discussed before.

Sorry to threadjack, OP.

ma2brew said:

But that's just it, what's coffee making got to do with brewing, other than the name?

I'm not trying to start an argument here, honestly. I just can't see how anything other than a hint of coffee flavor might be a good thing to a beer, and to that end, I can't see how grounds are going to be beneficial. Like oversteeped tea, how is leaving the beer on the ground not going to impart unwanted sour or bitter flavors that most picky coffee lovers avoid?

While I am by no means an expert brewer of either coffee or beer, I just can't imagine that if I really needed a coffee flavor in my stout I couldn't just add a couple tablespoons of instant coffee at, or near, the end of the boil for the proper effect.

Has it been tried? I just don't recall it being discussed before.

Sorry to threadjack, OP.

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The bitterness goes away after about 1 month in the bottle and you get all the great earthy tones using fresh ground. I used some really good coffee from Africa and you taste the difference.

Think of it the same way fruit extract is not the same as real fruit. (if you think extract tastes the same then I will argue no further) But for those that can taste the difference use freshly ground coffee and be ready for something very enjoyable.

Sorry for delay in posting results. I became a father on 10/07 and haven't been back since!


I planned on adding 6 oz. of grounds to secondary. But I only managed to squeeze about 4 oz. into the carboy before it was full. And I had planned on only 24 hours exposure but the coffee addition did something to kick up some mild fermentation activity so I ended up leaving the beer on the coffee for 48 hours. Not sure if it was the introduction of some oxygen or if there was some nutrient in the coffee grounds that might have restarted fermentation? I can't imagine there's anything fermentable left in roasted coffee.

Anyway, I cracked my first bottle this evening and the coffee flavor and aroma is STRONG (but not overly bitter, fortunately). Not unpleasant by any means, but the beer flavor is pretty much completely masked by the coffee. Kind of tastes like drinking a cold glass of carbonated coffee. Hopefully the flavors will mellow out a little bit over the next few weeks.

Next time I will try about 2.5 or 3 oz. of coffee.

I just made a vanilla coffee porter, it clocked in at 8 percent. Coffee beans were added whole with no grinding into the corny at kegging approx. 1/4 cup that is what fit in my infusion ball, it floated by the way, and the next morning it was so strong that i freaked out. I pulled the ball out of the keg, and waited. Some friends came over that day so we tried it, and it had mellowed to half its strength in about 6 hours. It has been two weeks and is now just a slight background flavor and im thinking about giving it another shot. Also the vanilla was kirkland sig. vanilla extract added at 1 capfull. This beer is fantastic and Ive gotten my best reactions and reveiws from it.