Brewing and Kegging Cold Brew Coffee

[hzlin70]

This is my second summer of serving cold brew coffee on tap from my kegerator.
https://youtu.be/7u75g5YCZZQ

Process:
Fill a sanitized 6.5 gallon glass carboy with 6 gallons of water

Add 3lbs of coarse ground Medium Roast coffee. (I've been using Starbucks Guatemala Antigua) I have it ground at Starbucks.

Stir

Cap and let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature

Use a sanitized auto-siphon to move the coffee into a sanitized 5 gallon corny keg

Use a funnel with a filter and cheese cloth to filter the coffee on the way into the keg

Purge the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with straight nitrogen

Cool the keg to serving temperature (around 34 F for me is good)

Pressurize the keg with straight nitrogen (My regulator is set to and maxed out at 40 PSI)

Shake the keg for a while- at least a couple minutes to infuse the nitrogen (it may help to do a few shaking sessions to get more of the nitrogen dissolved into the coffee)

Use a stout tap with restrictor plate for serving

 

[Tdogtt10]

How long does it stay fresh?

Where do you get the nitrogen filled?

 

[hzlin70]

My family usually finishes the keg within 3-4 weeks and it stays fresh.
I get the nitrogen from a local welding supply.

 

[ryryonline]

I'm about to keg my first batch of cold brew in a corny. How long do you pressurize the keg at 40psi and what do you set it at when you are ready to serve?

Also, for your filter, is it funnel first, then paper coffee filter, then cheese cloth?

Thanks!

 

[hzlin70]

I use a strainer in a funnel and with a few layers of cheese cloth that I move as it clogs up with grounds.

After cooling down the filled keg, I shake it under pressure for several 30 second sessions. It really needs the shaking to infuse the nitrogen.

 

[hzlin70]

I leave the pressure set at 40 psi when serving. I use a stout tap with restrictor plate so that I can get the cascading.

If you use a regular unrestricted tap, 40 psi will be way too high. I think under 10 psi would be ok if using a regular tap.

 

[d_rock]

Why straight nitrogen rather than a blend like for nitro beer?

I'm very interested in setting up a dedicated nitro tap for coffee. Is the stout tap a necessity for the nitro pours? Currently I have Perlick flow controls.

 

[hzlin70]

If you use a mix of N2 and CO2, the CO2 will add the flavor of carbonic acid. I tried filling a PET bottle with cold brewed coffee and carbonated it with CO2 and it tasted very acidic (and I hated the flavor). I think others may be using a beergas blend, but after my tasting- I decided that I don't want any carbonic acid with my coffee.

As for the tap, I happened to have the stout tap available on my kegerator, so I tried it and it worked great. (I also have a pair of Perlick 650SS,s, but I haven't tried using them.). The restrictor plate allows me to keep the pressure at 40PSI and get a good cascading pour.

 

[Justintoxicated]

I leave the pressure set at 40 psi when serving. I use a stout tap with restrictor plate so that I can get the cascading.

If you use a regular unrestricted tap, 40 psi will be way too high. I think under 10 psi would be ok if using a regular tap.

Will a standard 12-13 foot beer, er ummm coffee line be ok?

I'm about to venture into this and your and video post are amazing!

 

[hzlin70]

I have about a nine foot run with my kegarator, but I have also taken the keg to work for a breakfast and attached the faucet directly to the disconnect with an adapter and it works really well. So, a shorter line might be better.

 

[Justintoxicated]

What are you using for water, I have RO water at home but not sure it would be sanitary enough? I have been using the RO for home made La Croix type stuff, but the keg never lasts more than a week. I just bought a 60cuft nitro tank for coffee though and I have everything but the cheese cloth.

 

[hzlin70]

I've been just using Chicago water. I may have used a Campden tablet for a batch or 2, but I don't taste a difference.

 

[brewbush]

Question about freshness.
How long under pure nitrogen do you think the keg will remain fresh. I don't think my wife and I can kick a keg in a few months....Do you think it would last 3-6 months?

 

[CoryS]

I am trying to figure out a way to brew this in the serving keg. Could I just put the grounds in a big hop filter, or a brew in a bag and let it sit for a day, and then pull it out?

 

[hellsreach]

Still trying to wrap my head around this process? Are you forgoing the CO2 completely, and trying to dissolve N2 into the coffee? My understanding was N2 didn't dissolve very well. Does the N2 actually stay in suspension?

 

[WhiteSoxRob]

Don't use any CO2 for your cold brew coffee. Just keg it up, hook up the N2 (I do about 32PSI), and serve via a nitro tap after a few days. I get the cascading bubbles and the nice thick and creamy mouthfeel that you'd expect/hope for.