im in the middle of an expresso stout ...

This is where in at im almost to the point of the flavoring . See I was going to add instant expresso to the batch. Could I siphon some of the beer out to mix cold to the instant expresso so I don't disturb the cake and add back to the primary or just add the instant expresso mixed with some water to add into a secondary fermenter ? Then siphon the beer from primary to secondary... Thanks guys!

If you're going to add instant espresso, I'd make it up with water, boil it, and leave it covered to cool. (You can speed that a bit with a water bath in the sink, or something.) Then just pour that into your fermenter gently.

As a sanitation rule-of-thumb, once the wort is cool, you want to avoid taking any of it out and then putting it back in the fermenter with the rest of your batch. Too many chances for contamination! The coffee will diffuse on its own given time, and especially if you're racking it any time soon, that's guaranteed to mix it thoroughly.

Oh and the reason im using instant expresso is well I don't have an expresso machine

Should I just keep it in the primary and forget the secondary?

I would probably just add the powder to the secondary and rack on top of it. My thoughts being that it would mix the same way your priming sugar would.

Unless you are concerned about the powder not dissolving. In that case I would boil some water then as it is cooling, add the powder to the water, then either add it to the secondary or gently into the primary.

decibelz said:

Oh and the reason im using instant expresso is well I don't have an expresso machine

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Don't need an espresso machine as its better to use cold brewed for beer. Hot water will bring unwanted tannins and oils out of the beans. Lots of posts here on cold brewed coffee, but just mix purified cold water with course ground beans, mix and let sit overnight. Then press with a French press or pour through a coffee filter and add to primary or secondary after primary fermentation is complete. Doesn't take much. 12-16 ounces is plenty b

dnslater said:

Don't need an espresso machine as its better to use cold brewed for beer. Hot water will bring unwanted tannins and oils out of the beans. Lots of posts here on cold brewed coffee, but just mix purified cold water with course ground beans, mix and let sit overnight. Then press with a French press or pour through a coffee filter and add to primary or secondary after primary fermentation is complete. Doesn't take much. 12-16 ounces is plenty b

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+1 It's quality in quality out. I am a coffee snob as well as a beer snob. I would get some Illy Espresso beans. Get a grinder, I don't like the bladed ones but it would work to in a pinch. Grind it yourself fresh and cold brew as the previous poster mentioned. As a plus the french press will make you awesome coffee. You want fresh coffee for a fresh beer.

Cheers