Coffee in an Irish Red?

So i just got my Northern Brewer Irish Red Ale kit, and for some reason I REALLY want to add coffee to it. Not sure why, maybe it's just my odd twist on an "irish coffee" Has anyone ever tried it? Anyone care to guess on it's success?

I've been reading up on how to do it and plan on using cold extraction to get the coffee prepared and then adding to the secondary. I want a slight smooth coffee flavor, nothing overpowering. Just a hint.

I'm not sure I want to do a full batch this way, so was also wondering what the best way was to split up a batch? I have 2 buckets (fermenting and bottling bucket with spigot) and also a 5 gallon carboy. My usual process is ferment in the spigotless bucket, rack to carboy for secondary, rack to bucket w/ spigot to bottle, but was thinking this time I would ferment in the spigotless bucket, then rack most of the brew into the carboy and about a fourth into another container and only add the coffee to that. Obviously I would be needing another airlock, but what kind of container do you think I should use? my LHBS sells one gallon glass growlers, would that be okay?

Based on one gallon of beer, how much coffee should I use, and in how much water for the cold extraction?

Final question, should I back off on the bittering hops a little bit as well since the coffee may add to final bitterness?

Thanks in advance!

Go for it! That's the beauty of this hobby and you might find something fantastic.

And your process sounds pretty good also. The one gallon growlers will work well also. Regarding the hopping, I would go for a very light hop profile. Coffee and hops do not do well together. If the red has very little hops already, I would leave it. You don't want it to be overly sweet. If you post the recipe, we can probably take a guess of whether its too much or just right. Also, don't forget, the other 4 gallons will want the hops.


Sounds like a good plan, let us know how it tast

I would do it too. Irish red really loses out on taste vs other styles, so something fun in it might help.

here's teh promash recipe report NB posted on their site:

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
92.3 6.00 lbs. Northern Brewer - Gold America 1.035 7
3.8 0.25 lbs. Special Roast Malt America 1.033 40
1.9 0.13 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
1.9 0.13 lbs. Chocolate Malt Great Britain 1.034 475

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
0.50 oz. Galena Whole 13.00 29.1 60 min
1.00 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.10 10.3 30 min


You're right though... I don't want the non-coffee beer to suffer. I was considering cutting back the hop boil time on the Galena to 45-50min. anyway to keep this recipe within the style guidelines. BeerSmith had it at just a bit too bitter.

Also, for those who may want it, here's my beersmith file for Northern Brewer's Irish Red Ale.

http://www.thatjoshguy.com/NB_Irish_Red_Ale.bsm

Anyone have any additional input on how the coffee will blend with the hops if I leave the recipe as it is, or should I cut back on the hops just enough that the non-coffee beer is still good, while the coffee-beer blends better?

Did you ever try this? I want to try coffee in an Irish Red, but am hesitant since I can't seem to find anyone who actually did it. I want to add cold coffee to the bottling bucket when there is only enough beer for about 10 bottles. I've never seen anything other than java porters and stouts... perhaps that's for a good reason...

Cheers!