How to make a big vanilla coffee porter?

[Neptune]

Winter is coming, so I'm looking to make a nice big sitting-around-the-wood-stove brew. My plan is to use the famous Bee Cave Brewery Robust Porter recipe and add coffee and vanilla to it.

I see that "cold brewing" is a popular way to add coffee flavor. From what I understand you just add ground coffee to cold water and stick it in the fridge for 24 hours and add it to the keg when you transfer. I have also read that coffee grounds can be added to the mash. For a 5 gallon batch, what ratio of coffee to water should I be aiming for using the cold brewing method (I don't own a french press)? Alternatively, how much coffee should be added to the mash, and how coarse should the grind be if I choose that method?

As for the vanilla... Scraping two vanilla beans and chopping up the outer pod, soaking it all in vodka (for 24 hrs?) and then tossing it in the secondary (vodka and all) appears to be the most common way. I haven't been using a secondary, so can I just throw this in the primary when it's almost done? Another method I read says to put vanilla extract (real not imitation) in the keg when you transfer. If I do this, how much extract is equal to 2 beans?

Any feedback is appreciated (particularly if you've tried all these variations).

 

[m00ps]

I alwatys stand by whole bean (or slightly crushed) additions into the fermentor. I do it like a dry hop. leve them in for 4-5 days or longer if the flavor isnt where I want it. Ive found it gives a better and longer lasting coffee character than other methods. Ive found even cold steeping can get astringent months down the line

for vanilla, Im a fan of chopping the bean, covering with water and boiling them for a minute to sanitize and extract most of the flavor. I add this solution to my primary

 

[Neptune]

I alwatys stand by whole bean (or slightly crushed) additions into the fermentor. I do it like a dry hop.

How do you sanitize the coffee beans? Or do you?

 

[jrcrilly]

I sanitize my late additions by soaking them in an alcohol solution. The beer in the fermenter is the most convenient solution, so in they go.

 

[Neptune]

(can someone hijack their own thread?) Honest question...

Why is there such concern over infections if the alcohol in the beer acts as a sanitizer?

 

[m00ps]

different microorganisms have different alcohol tolerances. Sure a 12% barleywine or DIPA has less chance of something taking a foothold, but it still can happen. I think you ckould only entirely disregard sanitation if you got up to like distilled liquor levels

I always add coffee beans straight from a freshly opened sealed package. I just trust the coffee maker to have more or less sanitary conditions in their packaging facility. I wouldnt use that worlds msot expensive coffee that went through the digestive tract of that jungle cat though...

 

[Komocabo]

Poop porter... Maybe you're on to something

 

[Neptune]

Poo poo porter

 

[Jwin]

Fat cat coffee scat porter
Also, I have have good luck with a vanilla tincture, putting several split beans in a small bottle of decent vodka for extended periods. Essentially a homemade extract. But that takes foresight as it takes several weeks to get strong . I am trying the same with oak chips now as well.

 

[Neptune]

That's a good idea. I could store them in mason jars and keep'em in inventory... How much vodka for two beans?

 

[Jwin]

I have 6 beans in 375ml. About 6 months old now. Whenever I use this up, I'll probably do another with 10-12 beans.
This has settled, but when I shake it it kicks up a lot more color.

Good for baking too.

View attachment 1447965184763.jpg

 

[Neptune]

...and how big of a batch will you put that in?

 

[Jwin]

This will go multiple batches.
I. Also have a bottle of makers mark I did the same with.
I put 2.5-3 oz of the MM on oak for a week, and added it to 5g porter (posted the recipe on here). At that amount, it sat backseat to the beer. Just added dimension.

Now that is has add aged more, I would suspect it is a tad stronger.

 

[Jwin]

Got my beans from spicejungle.com
Good selection of other stuff too.
Cocoa Nibs, smoked paprika