Maple coffee stouts: Adjusting grain bill to balance coffee presence

[biomed]

I want to brew a well-balanced maple coffee stout. So I usually just wing it, but I thought this time I would ask others opinions since I can't make my mind up and thought someone else might benefit from the discussion as well. I have a tendency to be heavy handed with my roasted grains :rockin: but i feel like that isnt going to give me what I want.

A recipe like this one:

batch size (gal) 5
efficiency 80

YEAST Scottish
yeast attentuation 75

malt type. lb oz color PPG % grain bill

Pale northern 7.5lb 2 37 50.0%
Flaked Barley 1lb 2 35 6.67%
Flaked Oats 1lb 2 35 6.67%
Chocolate malt 1lb 350 32 6.67%
Black malt 0.5lb 525 25 3.33%
Midnight wheat 1lb 500 27 6.667%
Roasted barley 1.5lb 500 27 10.000%
Crystal 80 0.75lb 80 32 5.0%
Crystal 120 0.75lb 120 32 5.0%

total lb grain 15

ABV 8.49
OG 1.0812

hops oz
time purpose %aa AAU IBU

Warrior 1.5 60 Bittering 15 22.5 66.50
willamette 0.5 25 flavor 4.2 2.1 4.72

totals
oz 2
AAUs 24.2
IBUS 78.4

3 oz sumatra coffee bean in secondary
8 oz grade a dark amber maple syrup in keg

Adding coffee seems like it will be too much and I don't know about how to balance crystal malts with the maple syrup. Is the simple answer just pull the black malt/midnight wheat or should i dial back the chocolate malt and roasted barley as well? I typically add a few ounces of beans to secondary and was thinking of just adding maple syrup straight into the keg to taste.

What would you do?

 

[Ruckusz28]

I haven't been focusing on stouts too much, but that seems like a pretty heavy charge of warrior for something thats going to showcase flavors and malt. I haven't used warrior in the past so I only know what i've read. I'd probably opt for a straight hop ekg or straight willamette at 60 minutes and no later additions.

I had a friend do a coffee stout that came out pretty good. After a few attempts, he found that sumatra was the way to go, but he cold brewed the coffee and blended it to taste at bottling.

I've used grade a syrup in a few batches and never had good results (or maple flavor for that matter). I'd opt for grade B syrup or look into a maple flavoring dram from lorann flavoring oils. Typically they're used for candies, but i've had good results using them in beer. I add them to the secondary so they have time to incorporate and mellow out.

For stouts and browns I prefer to use Maris Otter over two row, but thats just personal taste.

I hope it turns out well for you! I'm particularly interested in how the syrup works out.