BeerBorg

Hey all. I'm planning my first stout and trying to come up with a recipe. Also planning on adding a bit of coffee. Any thoughts on the recipe and when and how to add the coffee addition. There seems to be wildly varying ideas on when and how to add coffee. Some mash in beans. Some add to the boil. Some add to secondary. Not planning on adding a lot, as the grain bill should provide some coffee flavors on it's own. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Coffee Stout

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: American Stout
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 2 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3.8 gallons

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.019
ABV (standard): 6.15%
IBU (tinseth): 58.85
SRM (morey): 38.47

FERMENTABLES:
3.6 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (68.9%)
0.5 lb - United Kingdom - Brown (9.6%)
4 oz - American - Chocolate (4.8%)
5 oz - American - Roasted Barley (6%)
5 oz - Flaked Barley (6%)
4 oz - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.8%)

HOPS:
1.2 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 58.85

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temp: 152 F, Time: 60 min

YEAST:
White Labs - London Ale Yeast WLP013
Starter: No
Form: Liquid

NOTES:
1 oz cold steeped coffee to primary during last week.

Take a peek at this info:
https://byo.com/brown-ale/item/315-brewing-with-coffee
http://byo.com/scottish-ale/item/316-br ... techniques
My LHBS suggests not adding any coffee beans to the mash as they cause severe bitterness. I've never added coffee but tasted some that had the coffee added in the secondary and in the keg (bottling). There are lots of options and many opinions.
EDIT: might just be me but I think 58 IBUS for a coffee stout may be a tad high. I would think lowering it to under 40 might be better but wait and see what others who've done this think about that.

You will get an astringent, bitter flavor from the coffee depending on how you add it.

I too added coffee, as an experiment, at bottling. I cold brewed it for 24 hours. Cold brewing is supposed to result in the least astringent result. Used 20 oz of water and 4 oz (8 tablespoons) of coffee, which I dumped into the water. Put it fridge, next day strained through a coffee filter. Then added an oz to 6 bottles and 1.5 oz to another 7 (planned on 6, had 1.5 oz left so did 7). I went all out on the coffee, using our everyday Maxwell House French Roast

I would STRONGLY recommend the bottle method so you can put different levels in and experiment to find what you like. Another option that some people try according to my research is to add coffee when they pour the beer into their glass, experiment with different levels, find the level you like best and use that next time. Of course that doesn't allow the flavors to meld in the fridge.

I just made a coffee stout from a Northern Brewer kit. Their instructions were to steep the freshly ground coffee for 20 minutes at flameout, before chilling. It turned out pretty well. A little too much coffee at the front, IMO, but well balanced on the back end. I’d make it again, just with a little less coffee, and maybe a bit lighter roast.

I agree with RickBeer (OMG, the world just stop'd spinning {j/k}). I have read several articles where it is suggested for best results to add coffee at bottling time.

FrozenInTime wrote:I agree with RickBeer (OMG, the world just stop'd spinning {j/k}). I have read several articles where it is suggested for best results to add coffee at bottling time.

Moderators, please lock this thread and pin it for immortality.

I have made several stouts that produce a coffee flavor and aroma without using actual coffee. Your grain bill will determine the complexity that is part of a good stout. A few ounces of a dark(120-240) crystal and a small amount of black patent (1-2 oz.) added to the grain bill you have will give what you are looking for IMO. I did try the addition of fresh coffee, both brewed and cracked beans(ground) a few times and it was ok, but the grain only versions are better.