Thinning a Stout With Cold Pressed Coffee

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by LakesideBrewing, Nov 25, 2014.

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  1. LakesideBrewing

    LakesideBrewing Zealot (604) Dec 1, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Hi all,

    I brewed a big stout (1.093) about a year ago. It has been sitting at 1.030 for six months now, apparently it's done. I was hoping for a 1.020-1.016 finish but I'm thinking I might have mashed a little too high. It's not cloying sweet but I would like to thin it out a bit. Also, after I racked it out of my 5 gallon whiskey barrel I realized that I only yielded around 4.5 gallons. I know it's not a popular idea to thin out a finished beer with water, so I was thinking maybe I'd make some cold press coffee and add that to the beer. Could I/should I make a 1/2 gallon of cold pressed coffee and add right into the secondary (actually tertiary)? If so what would be a good amount of coffee beans for a 4.5 gallon batch of beer? I'd like to add whole/cracked beans as apposed to ground.

    Thanks,
    Mike
     
    #1 LakesideBrewing, Nov 25, 2014
  2. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah

    Thats alot of coffee, so I'd perhaps try to limit the coffee. Maybe give it a short steep, and maybe start with enough to make it somewhat weak.

    Funny that the barrel didn't thin the body out.. Normally thats the case..

    You could probably just blend it though.. Make a porter or a brown ale, mash low and slow, and then blend back. Use a similar grist. Make a small batch, like 2-3 gallons. More beer, better end result, and.. could add some tasty layers.
     
    #2 FATC1TY, Nov 25, 2014
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  3. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Coffee, honey, and yeast...in moderate amounts to start...or blend as FATC1TY suggests
     
    #3 GreenKrusty101, Nov 26, 2014
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  4. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah

    @GreenKrusty101 has a good idea. You COULD add some simple sugars to the beer, honey as the example, along with some cold press coffee. Would limit you adding too much water, and would up the abv, which will thin the beer out. Wouldn't have to change the volume too much..

    Would be worth the shot, and if it doesn't get you where you want without going wild, blend it.
     
    #4 FATC1TY, Nov 26, 2014
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  5. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I wouldn't just add X amount of liquid to the beer without tasting it in a measured proportion first. If your IBU level won't suffer, (per style or taste), for the beer, then you should do it. Just know that after you add your 1/2 gallon, that you can't take it back out. If you thin this out too much you're either stuck with the beer, or you'll be brewing another 1.093 beer to blend with it to get the strength back up.
     
    #5 inchrisin, Nov 26, 2014
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  6. LakesideBrewing

    LakesideBrewing Zealot (604) Dec 1, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Thanks for the advice, guys! I've been brewing for 23 years and I've never had a beer finish so high before. It actually taste pretty good but I think my brain can't get past the fact that the OG is 1.030. I probably should just leave it alone but I know I won't! :grinning:

    Thanks,
    Mike
     
    #6 LakesideBrewing, Nov 26, 2014
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  7. SaCkErZ9

    SaCkErZ9 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,057) Feb 27, 2005 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I would add plain table sugar, some champagne yeast, and a little bit of coffee. Hopefully the sugar will ferment out with the new yeast and the coffee will help.

    Word of advice on coffee: don't use too much. There was an article in Beeradvocate magazine maybe six or seven years ago where Drew Beechum discussed this topic. I used his advice with great success. Maybe you can find that article somehow.

    Edit: this may help http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/coffee-your-beer-or-soul

    Here is one of the many discussions on adding coffee to beer. http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/any-suggestions-on-how-when-to-add-coffee.130771/

    Another edit: your attenuation is around 68%, which is pretty good for a big beer. Your goal of 1.020 would put you around 80%, which seems rather lofty, especially if you used a regular ole ale yeast.
     
    #7 SaCkErZ9, Nov 26, 2014
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  8. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    This. I haven't seen the recipe, but an FG of 1.030 doesn't sound unusual at all for a 1.093 stout.
     
    #8 VikeMan, Nov 26, 2014
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