Beer for breakfast?

stimpson

Ok, I haven't been around here for a while due to having builders in, a series of water based disasters, builders back in, christmas, and the arrival of mini-Stimpson.

Nevertheless, now that the little man is sleeping properly and the Gaggia has been unpacked, I've decided to combine my love of brewing with my love of brewing (coffee and beer respectively). So, the big idea is an Espresso Stout. Due to time/space/laziness constraints I'm planning to use a kit for the beer side of things. The question is how to caffeinate it?

I'm leaning towards brewing 5 - 6 shots and pouring straight into the wort at brew time. Other suggestions I've had include a course grind put into a sterilised muslin bag and leave floating, or just to dump ground beans in and let them settle into the trub (dead yeast on the bottom of the fermenter). When you move the beer into the secondary fermenter it all gets left behind.

Of course, the big question is what beans should I use? I thought you guys would have some insight

RE*AC*TOR

How much (weight) beans will you need?

stimpson

This is to make 20 litres of beer BTW. I was working off 6 double shots of espresso, but that works out at 1/4 shop per pint...I doubt you'd taste it. Maybe I should double up - 100 - 150 grams.

stimpson

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller??

RE*AC*TOR

I'd be inclined to go with a clean Sumatran / Indonesian. Something with body, earthy notes, spice etc. But a good one, not some cheap Java ****.

Any reason to use espresso rather than brewed coffee?

Gran Hermano

Would using cold brewed coffee be worth a punt?

A quick google for coffee stout turns up some interesting reading.

mayordenis

I have this planned in the future at some stage.

Mr Magnolia

A few of the home brewers on the B/W/S forum have made a batch or 2 of this, worth doing a quick search and asking the question. I'll have a look later this morning when I get a chance

alastair

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Would using cold brewed coffee be worth a punt?

That'd be my first port of call alright.

RE*AC*TOR

Cold brew in my experience produces quite a mild brew, very low on bitterness.

For this I would have though, you'd want some of the beefier flavours, to stand out in the beer?

kind of thinking something along the lines of https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Sumatra-Raja-Batak-Lingtong.html

stimpson

God forbid I'd use cheap coffee for anything!

I was thinking Kenyan for Acidity, but one of the guys here recommends Sumatran, funnily enough:

http://beer.about.com/b/2006/10/04/coffee-stout.htm

I was only thinking espresso because they seem like a natural fit in appearance as well as taste, and I don't drink much else these days TBH. I am always open to suggestions though.

I also got some of this recently - unsweetened 100% cacao which would also go well. Espresso Chocolate Stout anyone??

alastair

stimpson wrote: »

Espresso Chocolate Stout anyone??

Oh go on then. If you insist!

stimpson

Sumatra ordered from Hasbean (along with another 3/4 kilo of various beans). Brew scheduled for this weekend. Watch this space...

stimpson

Big thanks to RE*AC*TOR for the recommendation. This -> https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Sumatra-Raja-Batak-Lingtong.html was savagely good for espresso and I was half way through it before I remembered about making beer.

I started the brew last weekend and moved it into the secondary fermenter last night. I had a little sample and it's fantastic. I think I overdid it with the coffee though - 5 double shots in 40 pints, but it still tastes like stout, but with a malty espresso finish. Like a coffee flavour milkshake, but beer. Bottling scheduled for this weekend and then the wait begins.

I've ordered more Sumatra Raja Batak Lingtong for drinking in the meantime

Black Swan

You need a catchy name! How about "Hair O' Dog" from the next day hang-over solution? If they ate eggs with your breakfast beer-coffee, it just might fit?;)

stimpson

How about Guinnesspresso

Mr Magnolia

Espesstout?

the beer revolu

How about crimes against beer and coffee?

Only joking, but I've never tasted a coffee stout that I liked.
Meantime (who make great beer) did one and it was awful, to my taste.
Love espresso.
Love Stout.
Really love espresso with rum!!

Gran Hermano

the beer revolu wrote: »

Really love espresso with rum!!

Some Havana Club with a double espresso is my 'keep me drinking and going' bevvie - forget that Redbull muck..

stimpson

the beer revolu wrote: »

How about crimes against beer and coffee?

Only joking, but I've never tasted a coffee stout that I liked.
Meantime (who make great beer) did one and it was awful, to my taste.
Love espresso.
Love Stout.
Really love espresso with rum!!

Never tasted one at all, it's just a big experiment. I've had the chocolate truffle stout in the porterhouse which got me thinking about what else would work and espresso was the obvious choice.

But rum and espresso? Oh dear...

donnacha

Stimpson - did you ever get around to your brew?
Freedgull and I were busy at the weekend brewing up a pale ale and we were making 2x 4 litre batches. After much debate we decided to flavour 1 of the batches - the choice was between honey and coffee and due mainly to this thread which I'd read we decided to go down the coffee route.

I ended up putting 4 shots of los inmortales in at the final stages - which will be the equivalent of 1/2 shot per 500ml bottle. The ale itself is a mix of organic rolled oats, vienna malt, dried malt extract, and mainly northdown hops with a bit of saz thrown in at the end.

I'll be bottling in in 8 days time and it should be ready to drink the 3rd week of August. Should it turn out to be drinkable I'll be sure to keep one aside for the next group buy/meet-up.

stimpson

I did indeed. It has been in the bottle about 2 weeks. I had a little sample last week and it worked out really well. A good strong stout taste - a million miles from guinness. Plenty of roasted barley and quite hoppy with a coffee finish. Impressive head too - very dense. Somewhere between bottled and draught guinness. The coffee is quite subdued after fermentation - it was quite noticeable in the wort. I used about 1/2 shot per pint too - seems to be a good yardstick.

I'm going to give it a few more weeks before getting stuck into the batch

donnacha

sounds delicious