Coffee blonde question

[Sacred Knot Brewing]

I am brewing up a coffee blonde for a microbrewery I work at. I’ve never used coffee in beer and don’t really know where to go with it. Do you use a certain roast? Whole beans vs grounds? How much coffee per gallon?

 

[GoeHaarden]

I've done a few light coffee beers and I keep it pretty simple with great results.

I've never sought out any particular coffee and usually just get a decent brand from the grocery. I've found a medium to dark roast works best for my taste. You won't extract much/if any bitterness when using whole beans. I don't get too picky, but you may want for a brewery.

I usually do around 1oz/gallon. I've done whole bean and I've also pulsed them a couple times in a coffee grinder (literally one to two pulses). I dump them loose in the primary after fermentation is complete. Let it steep for a week, and cold crash. They'll drop out like hops.

 

[Henbrew]

I use coffee in my beer pretty often. Simple answer on roast is to use what you like. I roast my own beans and have use darker roasts, medium roasts, and natural processed coffee. All were good and you can really taste the differences in the beer. I use 2-3oz whole beans per 5 gallon batch and add them to the beer two or three days before kegging. Even at that dose, the coffee flavor/aroma is very present.

 

[Gusso]

I added a half pound of whole beans to a White Stout for 2 days. Nice coffee aroma and flavor.

 

[djinn88]

I have made a coffee blonde 3 times so far, will be doing more in the future. I use 8oz by weight of whole beans (medium roast) in a 5 gallon keg at serving temp for 24 hours. For easy dosing and removal, I keep them in a sanitized hop bag in the keg. I treat it like making a cold brew coffee essentially. I've been told by members of my club that one should avoid using lighter roasts as they can impart green pepper character.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

This is a style I brew on the regular 80% 2 row 20% Vienna and 4oz of whatever coffee suits you per 5 gallons. I do whole beans a week before I keg my beer and get excellent results, the coffee comes through with more chocolate and nut notes and less bitter that a cup of traditional coffee. I actually have this style on tap now used Starbucks Brazilian roast because it was on sale not all that different from the Mexican Chiapas coffee I usually grab. Let us know what you did and how you feel it turned out.

 

[YaleH]

This is a style I brew on the regular 80% 2 row 20% Vienna and 4oz of whatever coffee suits you per 5 gallons. I do whole beans a week before I keg my beer and get excellent results, the coffee comes through with more chocolate and nut notes and less bitter that a cup of traditional coffee. I actually have this style on tap now used Starbucks Brazilian roast because it was on sale not all that different from the Mexican Chiapas coffee I usually grab. Let us know what you did and how you feel it turned out.

What hops and how much did you use??? I've attempted a Coffee Blonde in past and failed, had too over powering of coffee flavor. I'd like to try your recipe.

 

[Newsman]

For the experts here: why not cold-brewed coffee added to the primary or the keg?

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

What hops and how much did you use??? I've attempted a Coffee Blonde in past and failed, had too over powering of coffee flavor. I'd like to try your recipe.

1 ounce of Newport to 25 ibu
I get Newport because it’s usually cheap

 

[YaleH]

1 ounce of Newport to 25 ibu
I get Newport because it’s usually cheap

Thanks!!!

 

[bwible]

I’ve only done coffee stout. I l used dark roast coffee. I ground the beans and then I put them in a coffee press with some of the hot wort. Let that rest 5 min, press, add to the kettle. I refilled it a couple times on the same beans. This was a 3 gallon batch, I used 3 oz coffee for the batch. It was good.

 

[Henbrew]

For the experts here: why not cold-brewed coffee added to the primary or the keg?

Can't say I'm an expert, but adding whole beans is simply easy and effective. After a couple days the beans will be saturated through to the point where you can break them apart in your fingers so there's no issue with extraction.

 

[Alex4mula]

I've done a few light coffee beers and I keep it pretty simple with great results.

I've never sought out any particular coffee and usually just get a decent brand from the grocery. I've found a medium to dark roast works best for my taste. You won't extract much/if any bitterness when using whole beans. I don't get too picky, but you may want for a brewery.

I usually do around 1oz/gallon. I've done whole bean and I've also pulsed them a couple times in a coffee grinder (literally one to two pulses). I dump them loose in the primary after fermentation is complete. Let it steep for a week, and cold crash. They'll drop out like hops.

This. I use 2oz (5 gal batch) for light touch or 4oz for stronger flavor. But grain matters. I usually use Costco Guatemala dark grain that has strong smell/flavor. I wouldn’t do over 4oz of this type. A lighter one maybe.

 

[GoeHaarden]

For the experts here: why not cold-brewed coffee added to the primary or the keg?

To piggy back on @Henbrew as it being easier and as effective as cold brew. Color change is another thing. With a light beer, I've found that I get minimal color change with whole beans and brewed coffee darkens it more...

 

[Newsman]

To piggy back on @Henbrew as it being easier and as effective as cold brew. Color change is another thing. With a light beer, I've found that I get minimal color change with whole beans and brewed coffee darkens it more...

That actually makes a lot of sense to me.