Using coconut???

[Singleinfusion208]

Hello I am looking into brewing a coconut porter. See I never use coconut before so I don’t know how much to use for my 3.5gal batch???

 

[Soulshine2]

more than you think. I brewed a toasted coconut chocolate coffee porter last fall ,sort of a clone to Funky Buddha's "Last Snow". I toasted the UNSWEETENED coconut in the 350* oven turning it and rebaking until it was evenly brown like a paper grocery bag(if anyone still uses those ). Keep a close eye on it as it browns , it can burn very quickly once it starts browning. I used a full 3 lbs for a 5 gallon batch . I put 1 lb in the mash , another 1 lb in boil and the remaining 1lb in secondary . I still barely taste a hint of coconut. The reason you toast it is more than flavor, the oils present in coconut will kill the head to nearly zero ,so the toasting burns off some oil. BUT the sugars will kickstart the fermentation in secondary, so leave enough headspace in your fermenter.
whats your porter grain bill?
Good luck.

 

[Jag75]

@Soulshine2 , would you use about 5# of coconut next time ?

 

[Soulshine2]

I really can't say. I mean I'm not sure if I should have put any in the mash , maybe just the boil and secondary would have been better. It was an experiment of sorts to begin with. Maybe another pound somewhere would help. I know I had a tough time getting it all back out of the carboy ...maybe if I had a big mouth bubbler it would have been easier. It was suggested I use extract but I didnt . so many variables . It tasted so strong before I bottled ,I really thought it would come through more than it did.

 

[Jag75]

I've tried the brewersbest coconut extract . It was pretty good . Are you gonna try it again? Choc coconut porter sounds really good . Might be right about not adding to mash. Maybe just boil and secondary. Might be cool to make a coconut tincture as well. Dont give up on it .

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

http://www.flavorganics.com/Organic-Coconut-Extract/p/FLA-001045&c=Flavorganics@Extracts

Organic coconut extract, you add until you get the desired flavor it's way easier. Sure it's not as fancy as saying you added real coconut flake but you will get your desired result and in my book that's what counts.

I have messed with toasted coconut it's more work, more mess, and a lot harder to get your desired flavor - 3 strikes your out

 

[TallDan]

I did a 5g batch of 9% imperial stout with 18oz of shredded toasted coconut in the secondary. I bought coconuts and shelled, shredded and toasted them myself. I started with two coconuts (10oz), but after a couple weeks, the sample I took wasn't coconut enough for me, so I did two more. I got some good coconut flavor and aroma, but it was not as strong as some commercial examples.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

I recently did a Coconut Cream Ale. I used these flakes here. I racked my finished beer into a secondary (I ferment in kegs so keg to keg) with 10 oz unsweetened flake (nothing done to them) and 10 oz very very lighty warmed / toasted in the oven (hardly brown), all in muslin sacks. I let that sit for 21 days and it has a slight coconut flavor on the nose and a "perfect to preference" amount on the finish. I may go up to to 30 oz next time just a little more aroma but otherwise this worked great in light beer, you may want more toastyness in your porter / stout.

This was a 4 gallon batch just FYI.

 

[Sauls]

Just sucked down a recipe from northern brewer with 1lb to 5 gal shredded in secondary for 2 weeks. Should have toasted it a bit more but came out with great, subtle aroma and perfect amount of flavor in my opinion

 

[deadwolfbones]

Soulshine didn't taste it much because he added it to the mash and boil, where it volatilized off. Add it all in secondary (or primary) instead.

I added 2lb of toasted coconut flakes to 5g of a huge imperial stout AFTER it came out of a bourbon barrel (and let it sit on the coconut for a week) and it is positively bursting with coconut flavor and aroma.

 

[deadwolfbones]

btw, Trader Joe's has unsweetened flakes for $2/half pound. It's good stuff. Your local natural foods grocer may have it even cheaper in bulk.

 

[TallDan]

btw, Trader Joe's has unsweetened flakes for $2/half pound. It's good stuff. Your local natural foods grocer may have it even cheaper in bulk.

But then you don't get the fun of shelling and shredding coconuts! Slacker!

Either way, toasting the coconut in the oven smelled amazing.

Now I want to do a coconut beer again.