Coffee Stout: With Flavored Coffee?

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MikeRLynch

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Alright guys, I'm usually pale ale drinker, but for the winter months I want to try a few stouts.

I've done them before, and I like the roasty qualities I get from them. I also have been wanting to try a coffee stout for a while, with the cold press method, adding it at kegging.

My question is this, what about flavored coffee? I've wanted to try a raspberry porter, or some dark beer with fruit, but I recently got some nice blueberry coffee that might go well in a beer. Has anyone tried this? Does enough of the fruit character come out, or should I add extract before kegging along with regular coffee? Thoughts?
 
I would be interested to find out how this turns out. I would split up the batch and do a few test runs (but i have no problem bottling and that makes it fairly easy to do).
 
I'd be hesitant to use a flavored coffee. Often times, companies putting out flavored products use artificial flavorings and, as far as I understand, they don't play nice during fermentation. I'd use a plain coffee and add the fruit in secondary. Plus, why take shortcuts when making kick-ass beer?
 
I'd be hesitant to use a flavored coffee. Often times, companies putting out flavored products use artificial flavorings and, as far as I understand, they don't play nice during fermentation. I'd use a plain coffee and add the fruit in secondary. Plus, why take shortcuts when making kick-ass beer?

Well, my idea was to add the coffee at kegging, so there shouldn't be any play between flavoring and fermentation. I guess there's no precedent, I'll just have to try it and see! I think I'll try the Brew in a Bag system for a small batch, stovetop version. If anyone else has some ideas, drop them here!
 
I've used Gevalia Holiday Spice Coffee in my Christmas Stout. I will soon be doing a Chocolate Raspberry porter using their chocolate Raspberry coffee. Had no bad zigs yet.
 
I cant figure out why in the hell you would go and spoil a prefectly good beer with nastiness like coffee. May as well infect it on purpose.
 
I have done a coconut porter using flavored coffee.
Turned out pretty well. SWMBO drank most of it in less than a week... so I guess it was good. ;)
 
I want to do a chocolate coffee stout(Mocha Stout) with just a mild choc/coffee flavor. I was thinking of using my espresso machine for the coffee, could i just put in a few shots to the primary/secondary? Or to the end of the boil? Any idea how much I would need?

I was thinking I could get some chocolate infused coffee beans and kill two birds with one stone kind of deal.
 
I want to do a chocolate coffee stout(Mocha Stout) with just a mild choc/coffee flavor. I was thinking of using my espresso machine for the coffee, could i just put in a few shots to the primary/secondary? Or to the end of the boil? Any idea how much I would need?

I was thinking I could get some chocolate infused coffee beans and kill two birds with one stone kind of deal.

I've heard a few people say that cold pressing the coffee in a french press (no brewing, no heat, just steeping the grounds) is a better way to get the coffee flavor in the beer without the acrid or bitter tannins from the coffee brewing process. It makes sense to me, but if you find that the hot brewing method works, let me know.
 
I've heard a few people say that cold pressing the coffee in a french press (no brewing, no heat, just steeping the grounds) is a better way to get the coffee flavor in the beer without the acrid or bitter tannins from the coffee brewing process. It makes sense to me, but if you find that the hot brewing method works, let me know.

i've done coffee in beer many times, and yes, i DEFINITELY recommend "cold-brewing" the coffee. Typically, i will use about 10-12 oz. very coarsely ground coffee in a coffee pot filled with cold bottled water. it usually makes about 7-8 cups of really good non-bitter coffee. i usually do this 48-72 hours before adding to beer, and i do this in the fridge.
as for flavored coffee, i have done this with a coconut kona coffee and hawaiian spring water, and it turned out amazing! (actually came in 3rd out of 554 in a homebrew competition):rockin:
 
I cold brew coffee....In a growler.
The grounds settle out over night, and compact pretty tight at the bottom. I do this because none of my french presses will accomodate 1/2 # of coffee.
 
I cold brew coffee....In a growler.
The grounds settle out over night, and compact pretty tight at the bottom. I do this because none of my french presses will accomodate 1/2 # of coffee.

Just thought of something, what about sanitation? Leaving something like coffee around for a few days seems like it would get some bugs in it. You can cap the growler, so I guess that would work. I suppose it's about as dangerous as dry hopping, but it still makes me a little nervous.
 
I want to do a chocolate coffee stout(Mocha Stout) with just a mild choc/coffee flavor. I was thinking of using my espresso machine for the coffee, could i just put in a few shots to the primary/secondary? Or to the end of the boil? Any idea how much I would need?

I was thinking I could get some chocolate infused coffee beans and kill two birds with one stone kind of deal.


In listening to the most recent Basic Brewing Podcast last night. One of the runners up for the Sam Adams Long Shot Six Pack had an Espresso Porter or Stout. He had added 8 oz. of espresso directly to the secondary or keg, I can't quite remember. Not a whole lot of help, but it stuck out to me. You can find the Basic Brewing Podcasts on iTunes if your interested. I am getting ready to make Northern Brewers "Peace Coffee Stout Porter" this weekend. It looks like I'll be adding coarsely ground coffee to the secondary.
 
I cant figure out why in the hell you would go and spoil a prefectly good beer with nastiness like coffee. May as well infect it on purpose.

Don't knock it until you've tried it. I just kegged a oatmeal stout that I put coffee, choc powder, and choc extract in, it is very tasty especially with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. :ban:
 
I've done regular coffee in a stout. Hot brewed and either added to primary or secondary. Once in the boil with DME. I liked it best in secondary. Never did cold brewed.

Now I'm thinking of using this spiced rum coffee. I'll cold brew some to find out how the flavor is that way rather than hot brewed.

Any new thoughts on flavored coffee in beer?
 

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