Adding Arabica Beans, WHEN/AMOUNT?

[hopjedi]

Hi all, brewed up a chocolate stout with Ginger and Habanero in the boil, and want to add some Arabica beans for coffee flavor. I believe I am going to use a cold press method, and add the liquid to the secondary, or when kegging. Any tips on amount to use for cold press, or should I add to secondary or keg?

 

[bolus14]

Somewhat depends on how strong the stout is, IMO.

I make a Vanilla Coffee Porter that ends up around 5.7% and used 3-4oz of beans depending on the type of coffee beans I'm using, lighter roast = 4oz/darker roast =3oz. I also just add the whole beans into primary (Unless I'm adding coffee to an Imperial Stout or Porter I don't secondary them) and feel this gives the best flavor and aroma, essentially you're making cold brew coffee using the beer instead of water. I only keep the beans in for 24-48 hours, a couple times I have racked off the beans after 20 hours, I don't notice a difference between 20 hrs and say 30 hrs, it comes down to my availability to get it bottled after adding the beans. Anything more than a couple days I have read that some have started to get astringent flavors, I have ventured down that road so I can't comment.

 

[Gravity]

I would go with 4oz of beans for 5 gallons in secondary; a sort of "dry hop" if you will

What I do is lightly roast the beans (usually espresso) for a couple of minutes in a pan to open up the aroma/flavor and add them directly to the fermentor

The coffee/espresso flavor really shines with this method. I'm not sure how this would work with your other additions.

 

[Clef051]

Depends on the beer I added 5oz to a porter, and had a nice coffee flavor, recently I added 3oz to a 80 shilling scottish ale and it was way to much. The porter I dryhopped. The scottish I keg hopped it.

 

[Gravity]

Depends on the beer I added 5oz to a porter, and had a nice coffee flavor, recently I added 3oz to a 80 shilling scottish ale and it was way to much. The porter I dryhopped. The scottish I keg hopped it.

Stouts tend to be forgiving and 4oz is about the sweet spot

 

[5mooth0perator]

Would you leave out or substitute for some of the darker malts, seems like the roastiness should be about the same.

 

[Gravity]

Would you leave out or substitute for some of the darker malts, seems like the roastiness should be about the same.

Depends on the recipe

 

[hopjedi]

The grain bill for 10 gallons was 2-row 24lbs, Flaked Oats 3lbs, Chocolate 2lbs, Crystal 20L 2lbs, Black Patent 1lb.
Used all Cascade hops.