Adding flavor

[IreWay78]

I'm thinking of doing one more batch of beer from pouch, and adding some of my own touches. My fiancee has access to some damn good java beans (fresh), and I have some cacao nibs ordered from a local supplier. I'm ready to branch out, sort of and do some trials of my own!! If I brewed some crushed java beans and cacao nibs by way of BIAB process, and integrated the water into the mash after adding the extract, is it going to ruin the wort?

 

[IslandLizard]

IMO, coffee beans and cocoa nibs should be best added after the beer has fermented out.

You'd crush the beans and nibs and extract/soak in 8 oz of vodka, whiskey, bourbon, whatever, in a mason jar for 1-2 weeks while the beer is fermenting. Then add that whole concoction to your beer. Let sit for a week or 2, then package. You can also add it to your bottling bucket or keg. Just strain out the solids.

 

[day_trippr]

Agreed, applying the extract post-fermentation preserves much more character than letting the CO2 scrubbing have at it...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

If you add them to the mash, you may get some extraction, but it won't be very thorough. Then you boil it for an hour, losing and changing aroma and flavor. Then the yeast is going to a job on them, changing and losing even more.