Kahlua Stout Recipe

This will be my 4th brew and I did not mean to make a recipe. But, one thing lead to another and here I am. I have always enjoyed a pint of Guinness with a shot of Kahlua in it, and I am trying to replicate that taste with this recipe.

Forgive the format is it's not in line with standard, but here is the recipe:

Newb Brewer's "Kahlua Stout" (updated)

Malt Extract:
Grain Bill:
Hopping Schedule:
Additional:
Yeast:

The 1 cup coffee was 1 cup coffe grounds added to 3 cups water and left over night in the fridge. The grounds were then strained out and the liquid added to the wort.

I think it's pretty straightforward. The Kona Blend coffee is a stronger blend, but not to the point where it's motor oil. I want to add it toward the end of the boil so as not to boil off too much flavour, but still make sure any lingering bacteria or what not is boiled off.

I'm hoping this comes out thick, smooth, not bitter with hints of chocolate and coffee.

Any thoughts?

Ran the recipe through Beersmith, and it looks like a good recipe (as far as style #s coming out OK)! A little light on bitterness, but I'm guessing you're going for more of a sweet stout, so that's ok.

Questions: Where are you planning to get your chocolate flavor from? If your answer is the Chocolate malt, I am sad to say that it doesn't taste like chocolate, it's only a reference to the color.

Are you adding brewed coffee or grounds? I've never added coffee before, but I'm curious to know more about the process.

Happy Brewing!

P.S. I don't know much about grain theory, but I've heard people say that 120L isn't the best to use in a stout. Maybe someone with some grain experience will chime in here.

I think that it would be best to use light extract instead. Use the grains for your color and roasted flavors.

Crystal 120 is supposed to be pretty potent stuff (I have never used it myself) that will give you a lot of dark fruit flavours. I think that it would be okay to use a bit less and then put in some lighter form (40 or 60) as well.


Edit: Many people will add the coffee to secondary.

bsay said:

Are you adding brewed coffee or grounds? I've never added coffee before, but I'm curious to know more about the process.

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I just put cold brewed coffee in a stout, it's delicious, much less bitter than the traditionally brewed kind. Let the coffee sit in some water for a day or two and then strain the ground out with a coffee filter.

All the good taste, none of that bitter/burnt taste you get with hot-brew after it cools down. I actually might start making my coffee this way.

bsay said:

Questions: Where are you planning to get your chocolate flavor from? If your answer is the Chocolate malt, I am sad to say that it doesn't taste like chocolate, it's only a reference to the color.

Click to expand...

This is actually fine with me. All the stout recipes I read had Chocolate Malt, which yes I thought would add some chocolate flavour, and that was why I went with it in this recipe. But, I really don't need chocolate flavour as much as coffee flavour, so I think that's okay.

bsay said:

Are you adding brewed coffee or grounds? I've never added coffee before, but I'm curious to know more about the process.

Click to expand...

Again, from what I've read, there is no standard way of adding the coffee. It can be done at almost any point and using either grounds, beans or brewed. I plan on getting some nice Kona beans, grinding them at home and making a basic pot of coffee, in my coffee maker, using bottled water. Then, just taking two cups from that pot and tossing it in to the wort.

bsay said:

I've heard people say that 120L isn't the best to use in a stout.

Click to expand...

How about half 120L and half 60L?

Also, just to confirm, "lactose" is not regular milk or cream or condensed milk, right? It is something specific I can get at my local homebrew shop, right?

newbbrewer said:

How about half 120L and half 60L?

Also, just to confirm, "lactose" is not regular milk or cream or condensed milk, right? It is something specific I can get at my local homebrew shop, right?

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I am just guessing, but maybe 4 oz. 120L and 6 oz. 60L.

And you are right, it is not just milk. Correct me if I am wrong anyone, but lactose is the sugar in milk. You could get it at your LHBS.

+1 on using the lighter extract

newbbrewer said:

This is actually fine with me. All the stout recipes I read had Chocolate Malt, which yes I thought would add some chocolate flavour, and that was why I went with it in this recipe. But, I really don't need chocolate flavour as much as coffee flavour, so I think that's okay.

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You are correct, most stouts do have chocolate malt in them. I'm just making sure you didn't expect it to taste like chocolate. (Common misconception)

bsay said:

You are correct, most stouts do have chocolate malt in them. I'm just making sure you didn't expect it to taste like chocolate. (Common misconception)

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And it was one I had, so thank you!

I have updated the recipe to have more of a lighter extract, which should, if I understand this right, mean less dark fuity flavours. Which is good.

How does it look now? Oh, and I should have asked, the 1lb lactose will give it a creamy flavour, yes? Should I use more lactose? Less?

Thanks everyone!

Update on this recipe ... using Beer Calculus, the estimated OG should have been between 1.064 to 1.074. When I made this batch over the weekend, I measured and got an OG of 1.054, which to me seems rather low.

Any thoughts as to why? My first thought was I added to much water, but it was a normal 5 gallons.

newbbrewer said:

Update on this recipe ... using Beer Calculus, the estimated OG should have been between 1.064 to 1.074. When I made this batch over the weekend, I measured and got an OG of 1.054, which to me seems rather low.

Any thoughts as to why? My first thought was I added to much water, but it was a normal 5 gallons.

Click to expand...

...any reactions to how this drank please?