☕ Coffee ☕: Ingredients, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing, and Tasting

[Schmoogdaddy]

Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.

 

[jammin]

@Schmoogdaddy i have. My suggestions would be to use a low acidity variety, preferably something low grown. A Hawaiian would be a great choice as would a Brazil. I’ve always wanted to use a Yemen as think it would be the ultimate buts it’s rare and can be spendy. The former(s) tend to have solid milk chocolate notes and have little acidity. This could give you the option of roasting a bit lighter & perhaps showcasing some of the “terroir” of the coffee. The latter has flavor descriptors that pair well with stouts best IMHO. Anywhere from Cedar, oak, holiday spice type flavors etc. It also stands up well to a darker roast so you can use it to add roast flavor to your beer.

 

[jschm19]

My Behmor showed up today, and it looks like my beans finally made it to the post office. Might have to find some other beans to break in the roaster

 

[pshankstar]

I received my sweet marias order today and I did an 8lb sample pack and the Honduran in there has everything smelling like bell peppers. I can't see myself liking a coffee that tastes like bell pepper. Yuck

Interesting... I wonder if that’s common or not? I just started getting into roasting myself and I’m contemplating on getting a sample pack like this and some other varieties. Are you happy with the selection that arrived?

 

[TallDan]

I've had some coffee that smelled like bell pepper. Don't remember which one, but it was noticeable in the green coffee and if memory serves, also in a light roast, but lost it in a full city roast.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Yeah those bell pepper coffees must be taken to the second crack. I feel the same way with Sumatra... I've tried the lighter roasts on Sumatra many times but there's just too much mushroom. Take it to second crack and you get a nice blend of mushroom, moss, and walnut. The Forest Floor as I call it.

 

[passedpawn]

Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.

Not yet, but maybe over christmas. There's a local beer called Last Snow that is off the charts good. It's a toasted coconut coffee porter.

My Behmor showed up today, and it looks like my beans finally made it to the post office. Might have to find some other beans to break in the roaster

I know what you're doing this weekend.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.

I've done a couple now, using Brazil and Colombian beans. For me the coffee got buried pretty good in the roasty stout and bourbon flavors. I did do a Caramel Latte Porter once, where I made caramel, added lactose, and added cold brew to the fermenter...that was actually pretty delicious and had a strong coffee flavor.

What I've been contemplating is a Coffee IPA, using some Guatemalan or Kenyan beans to compliment some citrusy hops.

 

[TallDan]

I've done a couple now, using Brazil and Colombian beans. For me the coffee got buried pretty good in the roasty stout and bourbon flavors. I did do a Caramel Latte Porter once, where I made caramel, added lactose, and added cold brew to the fermenter...that was actually pretty delicious and had a strong coffee flavor.

What I've been contemplating is a Coffee IPA, using some Guatemalan or Kenyan beans to compliment some citrusy hops.

Mikkeller made a coffee IPA that i had several years ago. It's going to be a tough one to balance, but doable.

 

[Inkleg]

Hmmm.......I think I'll cold brew some coffee and try adding different measured amounts to my IPAs on tap to see what might work. I'll keep notes and let y'all know what works and doesn't.

 

[TallDan]

Hmmm.......I think I'll cold brew some coffee and try adding different measured amounts to my IPAs on tap to see what might work. I'll keep notes and let y'all know what works and doesn't.

You can also cold steep a glass for a few minutes. I was surprised how much coffee flavor you can get that way. You'll have to use much more coffee than you would with a longer steep, but it should give you a clue as to how the flavors will work together.

Pour a glass of beer, put some ground coffee in a filter and twist the top of the filter tight and maybe hold it closed with a clothespin, then just put the filter (with coffee inside) into the glass and let it steep for 5min or so.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I'd like to get some of your opinions.

I'm gifting and selling a Christmas Blend this year. In many cases this means the coffee will not be consumed for 10+ days...which sort of sucks. On my labels I have a note that says something to the effect of, "this is best between 2 - 14 days of it's roast date". I put this on there because people have a tendency to save it for a special occasion, but then it's not as good.

So the question:
-Do you think I should remove this 2-14 day suggestion because most people will be getting the coffee toward the 10+ day mark?
-Or leave the 2-14 day note to suggest them to drink it as soon as they can?

 

[pshankstar]

I would leave it on there and maybe type up a note that you can print out and include with them easily. Something simple about why coffee should be consumed fresh. Just my opinion on how I would do it if I were in your shoes.

Good luck and great idea for Christmas!!

 

[Inkleg]

Agree, leave the day information with some extra information to please enjoy now.

I roasted 5 pounds in 1/2 pound batches and took them to thanksgiving to give to new family on my sons girlfriends side. Not knowing how everyone bought their coffee I left the beans whole and had them in 8oz coffee bags.
After finding out who wanted coffee I'd ask if they bought whole bean or ground. If the answer was ground the next question was how did they make their coffee...drip, pour over, espresso....all were drip so I set my grinder and ground it for them. I poured it back into the bag and handed it to them. I ask them to enjoy the aroma before they sealed the bag and let them know that was the freshest it was ever going to get and the clock was ticking on its best by date. From the feedback I've gotten nothing lasted past the following weekend and a grinder has been put on at least one Christmas list.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

See that's fantastic. Show people the potential in coffee and they are changed forever

 

[Inkleg]

See that's fantastic. Show people the potential in coffee and they are changed forever

No sh*t and I'm holding y'all personally responsible especially that @jammin fellow for my current state!

 

[applescrap]

You can also cold steep a glass for a few minutes. I was surprised how much coffee flavor you can get that way. You'll have to use much more coffee than you would with a longer steep, but it should give you a clue as to how the flavors will work together.

Pour a glass of beer, put some ground coffee in a filter and twist the top of the filter tight and maybe hold it closed with a clothespin, then just put the filter (with coffee inside) into the glass and let it steep for 5min or so.

Heard a person who won espresso maker of year award (sp?) say up to three weeks so I think leave it and agree with special occasion issue. I would say best between 3 and 21 days freeze for prolonged use. [emoji85] [emoji3]

I'd like to get some of your opinions.

I'm gifting and selling a Christmas Blend this year. In many cases this means the coffee will not be consumed for 10+ days...which sort of sucks. On my labels I have a note that says something to the effect of, "this is best between 2 - 14 days of it's roast date". I put this on there because people have a tendency to save it for a special occasion, but then it's not as good.

So the question:
-Do you think I should remove this 2-14 day suggestion because most people will be getting the coffee toward the 10+ day mark?
-Or leave the 2-14 day note to suggest them to drink it as soon as they can?

 

[Ruint]

highly recommended...take 5 or 6 coffee beans of your favorite roast (more if you are serving more than 1 person), grind at a setting that will produce a fine powder, sprinkle generously over some plain old vanilla ice cream.....Enjoy!!!

 

[jimyson]

I'd like to get some of your opinions.

I'm gifting and selling a Christmas Blend this year. In many cases this means the coffee will not be consumed for 10+ days...which sort of sucks. On my labels I have a note that says something to the effect of, "this is best between 2 - 14 days of it's roast date". I put this on there because people have a tendency to save it for a special occasion, but then it's not as good.

So the question:
-Do you think I should remove this 2-14 day suggestion because most people will be getting the coffee toward the 10+ day mark?
-Or leave the 2-14 day note to suggest them to drink it as soon as they can?

I just read someone make a comment about “the rules of 15”. Green beans last 15 months, roasted coffee lasts 15 days, and ground coffee lasts 15 minutes.

You may want to put something to the effect of, “Do you want to know more about coffee freshness? Ask me about the rules of 15”. It not only gets the point across that there is more to Coffee in regards to freshness, but also gets them to engage with you.

 

[TallDan]

highly recommended...take 5 or 6 coffee beans of your favorite roast (more if you are serving more than 1 person), grind at a setting that will produce a fine powder, sprinkle generously over some plain old vanilla ice cream.....Enjoy!!!

Or add some milk, put it in a blender, and enjoy a fantastic milkshake.

 

[applescrap]

Its my understanding green coffee stored right will last years, roasted at least 3 weeks for top quality and ground one minute or two. As a barista champ was talking she threw a shot out. She said to a lot of us that would seem weird but she used a banana and how quick it deteriorates as an example. I would personally not throw out a shot if it sat 2 minutes, but I would if I was serving a serious critic.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.

I make a big 13%abv ris that gets coffee and bourbon soaked cacao nibs. I used a Tanzanian peaberry one year and that was fantastic. Some people like to add a cold brew, I do not, it thins the beer when you add enough to get the flavors to come through. My best success was with a 2/3 blend of Guatemalan and Tanzanian. Low acidity like @jammin stated, it has a heavy body to match the beer, and lots of rich chocolate and raw sugar flavors. Instead of adding brewed coffee to the beer, I add very coarsely cracked beans directly to a keg that I use as secondary and keep at fridge temps. I let that sit for a week, but start pulling samples at day 4 to check progress, but 7 days has been the magic number for me. I use 1lb of coffee for a 5 gallon batch. Some people and commercial breweries (Surly comes to mind first) don't even crack the beans, they add the whole bean to secondary.

 

[jimyson]

Let’s see if my order from Happy Mug last night gets delivered before my Cyber Monday order at Red Beard. Heck, I’ll go one step further to say that it may arrive before Red Beard puts it in the mail!

Well, my Happy Mug order did come first. Boy did it have a tough ride. That or @Inkleg cat got a hold of the box before it made it to my house.

 

[TallDan]

Ouch! Did you weigh it yet? Lose much?

 

[jimyson]

I haven’t checked yet. My scale only goes to 12 lbs so I need to split it up. If I were to guess, somewhere between 1-3 lbs lost.

It was 18 lbs. so maybe Happy Mug needs to evaluate their packaging procedures with higher weight orders.

 

[jimyson]

I just split it up and measured.

Surprisingly, the loss was minimal for the amount of damage, at >.25 lb. That’s also a guess because I measured 18 lb 6 oz which is over my 18 lb order. But, I’d say I lost that carrying the package in the house and opening it. I’m not sure how much extra they put or how out of calibration my scale is.

It’s an inexpensive bean too. Colombia Reserva Del Patron. Not too much lost.

 

[TallDan]

It was 18 lbs. so maybe Happy Mug needs to evaluate their packaging procedures with higher weight orders.

Maybe, but to me that looks more like a package handling issue than a packing issue.

I just split it up and measured.

Surprisingly, the loss was minimal for the amount of damage, at >.25 lb. That’s also a guess because I measured 18 lb 6 oz which is over my 18 lb order. But, I’d say I lost that carrying the package in the house and opening it. I’m not sure how much extra they put or how out of calibration my scale is.

It’s an inexpensive bean too. Colombia Reserva Del Patron. Not too much lost.

OK, that's not bad then. Based on the pictures, i expected you to say that you ordered 18 pounds and received 13.

 

[jimyson]

Likewise. There were multiple holes on the bag inside and the gaping hole on the box. Seems like the post office caught it fast, added a bandaid, and let it go on its way. They could ha e easily tossed it In the trash and let the sender know.

 

[jimyson]

Not a good day today. My Red Beard order came in too. Unfortunately, this one is 8 lbs short because of the damage. The Guatemala Geisha is safe though.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

So, how much does usps suck? Honestly I despise them. I'd tell stories, but... Repressed memories