Coffee/Espresso "residue"?

[SkaBoneBenny]

I bottled my Chocolate Espresso Stout 3 and a half weeks ago and I've been doing my best to let it age without my drinking any yet. I've kept two bottles in my closet for testing this weekend and hid the rest away in a friends basement. I noticed today, however, a thin layer of creamy-tannish "residue" sitting on top of the liquid in the bottle's neck. When I picked it up to look closer, the residue kinda sunk/faded away and was lost in the darkness of the stout.

has anyone ever had problems with adding coffee or espresso to a beer? I've heard of these ingredients leavings oils on the surface, but nothing like this. It really didn't look like mold or anything. My sanitation for this batch has been impecable and it's high enough alcohol that I can't imagine an infection getting hold after primary. Any thoughts? I threw the bugger in the fridge to try later tonight. I'm just woried something went wrong!
-ben

 

[sirsloop]

its normal.... all of my coffee batches have had that film. Its probably just coffee oils.

 

[SkaBoneBenny]

Woot! A response... yeah, sound slike you are right... I've noticed all my Espresso Stouts have it now...
-Ben

 

[MriswitH]

You mentioned it was a Chocolate Espresso Stout - I had a similar issue from the oil in the cocoa powder, in my Chocolate Stout that I made.

Drink up!

 

[mcaustin]

I found that the "film" was most noticeable in secondary with my mocha stout. Now it's kegged and on tap, so I don't see any! But it tastes SOO good.

 

[Drunk Monkey]

Could I get the reciepe? I was actaully thinking about brewing something very similar. I assume that since it is the third one you have made, that it is pretty good.
Thanks.

 

[SkaBoneBenny]

Here's what I used... I think it's loosely based on a recipe "mcaustin" posted a while ago.

6 lbs dark DME

Mash:
1 lb 60L Crystal
1 lb Pale Malt
0.5 lb Roasted Barley
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt
0.25 lb Oatmeal

1 oz Norther Brewer (60 min)
1 oz Fuggles (20 min)
1.5 Cups Ghiradhelli Cocoa Powder (15 min)
8 oz Lactose (15 min)
2 oz Maltose Dextrin (15 min)

Use White Labs Irish Ale Yeast

I bottled 1/2 the batch, and then added 16oz of fresh brewed and chilled espresso to the other half of the batch, and then bottled it. It's pretty strong... Maybe use 20 oz of espresso or so for the whole batch!
-ben

 

[mcaustin]

Ska,

Yep, that's very close to what I posted a while back.

Here's what I brewed, and am calling my Mocha Stout:

6 lbs dark DME

Steeped 45 minutes:
1 lb 60L Crystal
1 lb Pale Malt
0.5 lb Roasted Barley
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt
0.25 lb Oatmeal

1 oz Norther Brewer (60 min)
0.5 oz Tettnang (60 min) - left over from a previous batch
1 oz Fuggles (20 min)

1 tsp Irish moss
8 oz Lactose (put in boil with 15 min left)
0.75 cup dark cocoa (put in to boil with 5 min left)

London ESB Ale (Wyeast 1968)

Added 28 oz cold-brew coffee to secondary!!

I really wanted a good coffee flavor with chocolate... This turned out having great coffee flavor with hints of chocolate. I think that cold-brewing the coffee is key. The coffee seemed to be about the same as Lagunitas cappuccino stout, but much smoother (i.e. there wasn't any "bite" or bitterness from the coffee). As it's aged, and I've been drinking it, it seems that the coffee is mellowing out some and the chocolate flavor is standing out a bit more. My wife is not a big stout fan and loves it. I love stouts and this one in particular. Next time I brew it though, I want to make it a darker black color, so I might add a little bit of black patent.

Austin

 

[SkaBoneBenny]

mcaustin,

We should do a trade sometime.. I'd love to taste how your version came out, considering it is the original. I gotta say, the all that Ghiradelli Chocolate paired with the vanilla and some lactose really came out tasty! Thanks for the base recipe.
-Ben