Coffee Porter?

[Walrus81]

I've tried searching but to no avail,

I'm looking into brewing a coffee stout, along the smiliar lines of Youngs Double Choc, but with Coffee. also closer to a porter than stout!

Or be to more precise a clone of the Dark Star Esspresso beer.

Anyone got any ideas?

So far I am thinking of

Dark muntons spray malt,
not sure what hops
with the possiblity of adding a *small* amount of tracle to the boil.
Once the hops have been removed and I'm cooling down, adding coffee beans in another bag, as if I added the beans at the boil it would make the coffee taste really bitter.

Any other ideas or tips?

Many thanks.

[mysterio]

I would make up a porter or stout kit that you've tried and you know tastes good, then brew up some espresso and add it to a secondary vessel along with the beer - or even add the coffee straight to the primary and stir carefully. Allow any yeast to settle, then bottle or keg as normal. Go by taste - it may sound anal, but try taking a porter/stout similar to what you are brewing and add espresso to your pint a teaspoon at a time until it tastes right, then scale it up to your full brew-length.

I say espresso so it doesnt dilute your beer too much. If you can brew good coffee in a filter machine or cafetiere then try that, but remember to take into account the dilution.

I wouldnt bother with boiling beans or coffee grounds - too unpredictable, and you wouldnt brew normal coffee that way.

[Walrus81]

I think that I will try various methods, well two at the moment actually, one by adding a cup of coffee another by using partially ground coffee.

When I get up and running I will let you know how I get on!

[Barley Water]

If you don't roast your own coffee beans, go to a quality coffee vendor and buy some preroasted beans (don't use that crap they sell in the grocery in cans). Take them home and grid them up then add some cold water to the grounds letting them sit for a couple of days. Using a coffee filter, separate the liquid from the grounds then do as Mr. Mysterio suggests and add the liquid to the beer by taste. The advantage of making the coffee extract using cold water is that it will be less harsh and not extract alot of oil from the beans like hot water will.

I roast my own coffee beans and if you have access to freshly roasted beans, that is by far the best way to go. The increase if coffee aroma is quite amazing plus it's easy and pretty cheap compared to dealing with say Starbucks (you do have them over there, right?).

[ADDLED]

Starbucks (you do have them over there, right?).

Unfortunately...yes. In some parts of London if you trip over on the way out of a Starbucks its quite possible to smash your face into the window of the Charbucks opposite. Hopefully a passer by will sit you down in the Cafe Nero next door, call you an ambulance and, if youre really lucky, the ambulance crew wont have far to travel since they are having a break at the Costa on the corner.

Its decent pubs that are becoming a rarity these days.

[mysterio]

Ugh, i'm sorry - but Starbucks is one of America's worst exports. Take it back, please. You have almost, almost ruined Moby Dick.

[oblivious]

I roast my own coffee beans and if you have access to freshly roasted beans, that is by far the best way to go. The increase if coffee aroma is quite amazing plus it's easy and pretty cheap compared to dealing with say Starbucks (you do have them over there, right?).

Barley water you might be interested in the Roasting Coffee for home brewing podcast from basic brewing.

Roasting Coffee

[maxashton]

Could not the coffee be added to the mash? In very small quantities, mind.

[oblivious]

Could not the coffee be added to the mash? In very small quantities, mind.

The flavor and aroma might be driven off in the boil?

[maxashton]

Nah. I've had boiled coffee, and perked coffee, they both taste great. Admittedly, perked coffee is in a closed system, but hey. Campfire boiled coffee.

[stevezx7r]

Watch your Ph if you decide to add coffee to the mash

I would do as Mysterio advises and add a tried and tested amount of your chosen coffee (pre-made, not grains) into either the primary or use a secondary stage where you would add the coffee.

As far as hops go, anything would do as the coffee is likely to drive off any flavours/aroma from the hops, so, a cheap bittering hop such as EKG or Target may do, I wouldn't bother with any late hop additions.

Of course you could just add a few hundred gramms of Roast Barley instead

[TC2642]

I think I remember reading on another site something about cold filtering/extraction(?) of the coffee beforehand? May be worth investigating.

[scarer]

Starbucks (you do have them over there, right?).

Unfortunately...yes. In some parts of London if you trip over on the way out of a Starbucks its quite possible to smash your face into the window of the Charbucks opposite. Hopefully a passer by will sit you down in the Cafe Nero next door, call you an ambulance and, if youre really lucky, the ambulance crew wont have far to travel since they are having a break at the Costa on the corner.

Its decent pubs that are becoming a rarity these days.

[oblivious]

Charbucks

Are we a coffee connoisseur?

[Barley Water]

Wow, I didn't mean to get you guys going by bringing up Starbucks. I am not really a big fan either as I find their coffee does indeed have that charred flavor which I am not a big fan of. If I was going to rate their coffee though, I would have to say it is better than preground in a can as found in most grocery stores here but not anywhere as good as home roasted.

Anyway, a couple of years ago I roasted up some beans and made a concentrated extract as mentioned above. We dosed up some either porter or stout (I don't remember which now) in the keg and it worked out pretty well. The whole idea was shamelessly stolen from "Radical Brewing" by Randy Mosher (a good read by the way if you want to get out on the edge with your brewing). Once you get the coffee extract in there, it definately shows up in both the aroma and flavor. I had the idea of making the ultimate breadfast beer, heffe weizen with added coffee but I have never gotten around to actually trying it. Maybe next time I make a heffe, I will pull off a gallon or so and give it a try.