Need to know best method for adding coffee to my stout

[beerman77]

So I have brewed an awesome chocolate stout recipe and am now looking to add espresso flavor on my second batch. I was advised to do this either in secondary or at bottling. I have opted for bottling so I can adjust on the fly, but now I am wondering how best to go about this.

Some have suggested cold brewing espresso, while I have heard about steeping whole beans in cold water for several days. How would I go about doing any of this? I don't have any special equipment for coffee brewing. I'd basically be going to the "nice coffee" section of grocery store and getting some whole beans or grinding some on-site, then using whatever method some of you more experienced brewers would suggest. A little help would be much appreciated!

 

[BigRob90]

A friend of mine put a hop bag of french pressed coffee in cold water over night, took the bag out and used that cold water at bottling and his stout turned out pretty good. Maybe you could do the same thing or something similar? At any rate, good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

Cheers!

Rob

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I've had good success putting the whole beans right into the primary for the last 3-5 days depending on how strong you want it. I've never felt the need to try any other method because I get such good results doing it this way. The beans I've liked the most is Starbucks Cafe Verona, and I use 1/4lb in a 5.5 gallon batch.

 

[beerman77]

A friend of mine put a hop bag of french pressed coffee in cold water over night, took the bag out and used that cold water at bottling and his stout turned out pretty good. Maybe you could do the same thing or something similar? At any rate, good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

Cheers!

Rob

When you say "French Pressed", does that refer to a grinding method? I'm taking it you mean ground beans in a hop bag, then steeping that in cold water. Sounds about right. Thanks for the input.

Oh, and that maple and bacon thing you have going in your sig sounds REALLY interesting!

 

[HawksBrewer]

Yes, it refers to the grinding method which is very coarsely ground.

 

[HawksBrewer]

If you do a true French press (google it) you will get more oils in your coffee which contribute more flavor than drip coffee makers w/ a filter (the filter absorbs or blocks the oils).

 

[BigRob90]

When you say "French Pressed", does that refer to a grinding method? I'm taking it you mean ground beans in a hop bag, then steeping that in cold water. Sounds about right. Thanks for the input.

Oh, and that maple and bacon thing you have going in your sig sounds REALLY interesting!

Well he just went out and bought his favorite style of coffee already french pressed, he didn't actually grind it himself.

And I'm hoping that Maple/Bacon/Coffee Porter (Breakfast in America I'm calling it) comes out well, I'll be sure to let you guys know .

Cheers!

Rob

 

[Katnip]

Found this thread in an archive search - I'm looking to do the same and adding coffee in the primary since I'm not using a secondary.

I mixed the two methods suggested above (pulsed the coffee in my grinder once or twice to get some of it broken up and added straight to the bucket).

A also added a handful (about an ounce) of cocoa nibs that I just crushed with a cutting board to get the skins opened up. I'm not sure they're going to do much of anything, but all taste-testing when I've taken my readings have showed my beer to be a little meh.

beerman77 - how did yours turn out?

also, re: maple/bacon porter - I had a "Hogwash" a hickory-smoked brown porter, at Fullsteam in Durham NC - it was the best thing, a "bacon" porter so adding coffee and maple (my favorite thing) to that? Well I hope you keep us updated on your progress!

 

[BigRob90]

also, re: maple/bacon porter - I had a "Hogwash" a hickory-smoked brown porter, at Fullsteam in Durham NC - it was the best thing, a "bacon" porter so adding coffee and maple (my favorite thing) to that? Well I hope you keep us updated on your progress!

I'm in the Seattle area so the closest thing we have to a bacon beer would be Rouge Brewing's Bacon Maple Donut beer. I've never had it, but I've heard that it was a "noble attempt" at a bacon beer but not what people expected. I REALLY hope this turns out well, I'll be sure to update you guys Saturday when I bottle it .

 

[Stephonovich]

Cold brewing coffee is really easy - put between 8-12 oz. of ground coffee (doesn't really matter what the grind setting is) in a big pitcher, with enough cold water to make a thick soup. Stir well, and set it in the fridge. Leave it there at least overnight, up to about 3 days. Strain the coffee grounds out using any convenient method - I found cheesecloth to work well. If necessary, add more cold water to help out. If you're going to drink it (see below), definitely dilute it.

I used 10 oz. of Starbucks Pike's Place Roast (didn't think it'd matter much if I had spent the extra $$$ on my Peet's - any reasonable coffee is probably good) in a coffee stout. I poured it in right before I bottled, along with the priming sugar. Turned out well, although the coffee flavor fades with time.

Also of note - try the cold brewed coffee. You can heat it up in a mug in the microwave. It's insanely smooth stuff - there's none of the normal acidity. It's almost too smooth, it's not quite coffee. Very good, though.

 

[beerman77]

Found this thread in an archive search - I'm looking to do the same and adding coffee in the primary since I'm not using a secondary.

I mixed the two methods suggested above (pulsed the coffee in my grinder once or twice to get some of it broken up and added straight to the bucket).

A also added a handful (about an ounce) of cocoa nibs that I just crushed with a cutting board to get the skins opened up. I'm not sure they're going to do much of anything, but all taste-testing when I've taken my readings have showed my beer to be a little meh.

beerman77 - how did yours turn out?

also, re: maple/bacon porter - I had a "Hogwash" a hickory-smoked brown porter, at Fullsteam in Durham NC - it was the best thing, a "bacon" porter so adding coffee and maple (my favorite thing) to that? Well I hope you keep us updated on your progress!

Not sure how it will turn out. I am bottling today. I just ended up going to store and grinding some espresso roast on their machine. Used the "coarse grind" setting. I've been steeping the bagged grounds in fridge for past 3 days.

I haven't heard of the nibs method. I actually use 4 oz of cocoa nibs in the last 15 mins of my boil with this beer. It works awesome. Much better IMO than using powder. The chocolate flavor comes through strong but not overbearing. I'll post back here once this stuff is ready... bottling half my batch with the coffee and half without to compare.

 

[Katnip]

Stephonovich I cold brew my ice coffee for the summer and agree - it's just tons better than hot brewing and chilling. Got back from New Orleans not long ago, and have decided they rule the iced coffee world, and my kitchen can only hope to imitate!

As far as my "method" beerman77, I only threw the nibs in because I had them in the same cabinet as the roasted beans. I have a friend who trades coffee and cocoa and he sends me the occasional test batch. I wasn't even sure nibs went into beer until after I'd added (and panicked that I might have made a big mistake!)

Another gravity reading shows no particular movement on that front, which is fine, but the coffee flavor is coming along wonderfully. I'll just wait and hope now...