Coffee Porter - Recipe Comments?

[beerguide]

This is what I plan on putting down at the weekend. Overall I am trying to achieve a porter which has a pronounced coffee flavour and bouquet/aroma.
To me coffee and chocolate go hand in hand which is what Im trying to get as a result.

Ingredients:
1 can Chocolate Mahogany Porter (Cascade Brand)
1.5 kg light liquid malt extract
0.3 kg maltodextrin
30 gram Saaz hop pellets @ 60 mins
10 gram Saaz hop pellets @ 15

I was going to boil the LME and Can Extract in 5 ltr of water for 90 minutes, adding 30g saaz @ 60 and 10 gram saaz @ 15. Fermenter this in primary for a week or so until the SG is stable. Batch size is intended to be 23ltrs at this stage.

Then i was going to brew up a freshly ground mild coffee bean to 1ltr in a plunger (or two) as I dont have an espresso machine. I'll start by adding around 500ml into a secondary, rack the primary on top and stir. Taste and add more coffee if required. Then leave it in secondary for another week or two before bottling.

Can anyone see any flaws, or stuff ups on my behalf that I should address before brew day?

My only concern is that I might have too much bittering hops, due to the fact that coffee is bitter already. Should I drop the bittering hops a little?

Edit: I planned on using SafAle S-04 as I have a spare packet - but this can easily be altered if someone has a better suggestion. I can only get dry yeast near me too so liquids are out

 

[Screwtop]

This is what I plan on putting down at the weekend. Overall I am trying to achieve a porter which has a pronounced coffee flavour and bouquet/aroma.
To me coffee and chocolate go hand in hand which is what Im trying to get as a result.

Ingredients:
1 can Chocolate Mahogany Porter (Cascade Brand)
1.5 kg light liquid malt extract
0.3 kg maltodextrin
30 gram Saaz hop pellets @ 60 mins
10 gram Saaz hop pellets @ 15

I was going to boil the LME and Can Extract in 5 ltr of water for 90 minutes, adding 30g saaz @ 60 and 10 gram saaz @ 15. Fermenter this in primary for a week or so until the SG is stable. Batch size is intended to be 23ltrs at this stage.

Then i was going to brew up a freshly ground mild coffee bean to 1ltr in a plunger (or two) as I dont have an espresso machine. I'll start by adding around 500ml into a secondary, rack the primary on top and stir. Taste and add more coffee if required. Then leave it in secondary for another week or two before bottling.

Can anyone see any flaws, or stuff ups on my behalf that I should address before brew day?

My only concern is that I might have too much bittering hops, due to the fact that coffee is bitter already. Should I drop the bittering hops a little?

Edit: I planned on using SafAle S-04 as I have a spare packet - but this can easily be altered if someone has a better suggestion. I can only get dry yeast near me too so liquids are out

Question: can't remember the weight of extract in the Cascade Can, what is it.

Worked your recipe based on a 22L batch: Boil the DME with 8L of water for 60 min with 20g of Saaz for bittering, with 15 min left add the can of Cascade extract and the 10g of saaz for an approximate IBU of 42. Add the dex and make up to 22 litres for an OG of approx 1.053.

1. Not convinced that straight Saaz is going to be right with coffee.
2. Think it will be a little pale for a porter.
3. Don't boil the Cascade extract for more than 15 min as it's hopped.
4. Add the coffee when the beer is in the bottling bucket, A LITTLE AT A TIME, tasting as you go. I put 4 shots in a keg, has taken 3 months for it to reach drinkability. (is that a word)

Screwy

 

[beerguide]

Weight I think is 1.7kg or 1.25 litres, its hard to read off their website: http://www.cascadehomebrew.com.au/brewkits/brewkit_cm.asp

1. What do you think? I thought Saaz as its low bitterness and slighty spicy. My other choice was maybe Goldings or Williamette.
2. Yeah to be honest I wasn't entirely sure either. I have some Dark LME should I use that instead do you think? Im more interested in the flavour of the porter and not so much the colour of a porter so if it is a little light but retains the flavour I wont be that fussed.
3. Thanks for the heads up on the Kit Can - I forgot about it already being hopped.

Thanks for your reply - this is only my third porter and my first coffee beer. So I appreciate the speedy reply and tips.

 

[PostModern]

No late hops. I only ever add hops at 60 mins for porters... Sometimes at 20 mins if it's an American porter. Use fuggles or willemette if you really must use them, or maybe even Northern Brewer? The woodiness of NB would compliment the coffee better than floral/spicy things like goldings or Saaz.

 

[drsmurto]

Go the goldings - saaz in a porter is weird but then again, i have been known to use cascade........
S-04 works fine in a porter
Have used 4 shots of fresh espresso in a 23L batch and was quite bitter. Mind you that was back in the BE2 days......

 

[BOG]

I've done this one a couple of times but it works best at 15Litres.
Full 23litres waters down the Porter too much.

It will turn out very bitter at 15 so you will need to lower the hops to 20Grams for about 10 minutes.
You want the flavour not the bitterness.


BOG

And it works out to be about 8%. Takes 2 weeks to ferment out.

 

[brettprevans]

I would have thought the saaz was a bit weird in a porter. a dark lager saaz works a treat IMO.

fuggles for me - hmmmmmm.

If BConnery was here he would tell you to go the Northern Brewer like PoMo suggested. I think he is in love with it.

Chuck some of the DDME in. maybe half dark, half light if you can be bothered.

 

[beerguide]

Perfect reply BOG - the fact you've done it inspires me somewhat

So you think drop the 60 min hops altogether and just whack in the 20gram at 10 mins and let the coffee create the bitterness?

 

[BOG]

Zoddy,

If you drop the batch volume then yes. It's very bitter as you take out the water so I feel you don't need as much as first thought.

I've also found it gets more bitter (bad english) over time so week one tastes ok but by week 4 it getting a bit strong.

I believe the Cascade web site says 1 can of Choc mog plus 1 can of wheat plus 20gms Saaz.
Take ~30% water out (23L to 15L) and you should drop the hops by about 50%.

If you plan to do the 23L batch then yes drop the 60min just do the 10Min and the coffee won't really have than much influence.
In comparison to the Isohops in the Choc Mog can the coffee bitterness won't really do much.

There is little Chocolate Flavour if that's what your trying for. It's a dark, redish porter. (Very Nice)

This is by far my favourite brew. (5 batches now) You can add some Crystal next time. About 50Grms just adds some more roasty grain flavour to the final brew.


BOG

 

[beerguide]

BOG,

Its more the roasted/toasted flavours I am after, not so much the chocolate otherwise I would have added some chocolate grains. I need to take a trip to the brewstore this afternoon so I might see if they have any Crystal - I hadn't thought about adding that. I am still pretty green at modifying recipes and experimenting.

So here is the updated recipe, based on feedback from this thread for which I am very grateful:

Ingredients:
1 x 1.7kg can Chocolate Mahogany Porter (Cascade Brand)
1.5 kg dark liquid malt extract
0.3 kg maltodextrin
50 gram Crystal (if available)
20 gram Northern Brewer or Goldings (depending on what store has) hop pellets @ 15

Batch Size: 15ltr
Yeast: SafAle S-04

I'll report back success/failure etc.. once done. Thanks again everyone for your input!

 

[Screwtop]

Roasted flavours are for Stout choc for Porter. Everyone has an opinion Zoddy - here's mine. Try a little steeping practice. As has been said bconnery is the extract/partial specialist, he may want to add something.

Type: Extract
Batch Size: 22.00 L
Boil Size: 7.00 L
Boil Time: 60 min

Prepare 7.00 L Water for Brewing


Mash or Steep Grains
Steep Grains at 71.1 C
0.02 kg Carafa II
0.02 kg Chocolate Malt
Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)
Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort


60 min 1.50 kg Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract
60 min 30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops
Add water to achieve boil volume of 7.00 L
Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.159
Boil Wort
15 min 1.70 kg Cascade Mahogany Porter Extract [Boil for 15 min]
15 min 0.30 kg Dextrose

Cool wort to fermentation temperature
Transfer wort to fermenter
Add water to achieve final volume of 22.00 L
12g Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Measure Actual Original Gravity _______ (Target: 1.052 SG)
Measure Actual Batch Volume _______ (Target: 22.00 L)

Fermentation
Primary fermentation (7 days at 18.0 C)
Secondary fermentation (7 days at 18.0 C)
Measure Final Gravity: _________ (Estimate: 1.013 SG)

Prepare for Bottling/Kegging
Add coffee to taste
Bottle beer with 135 gm of corn sugar.
Age beer for 28.0 days min.

 

[Keith the Beer Guy]

BOG,

Its more the roasted/toasted flavours I am after, not so much the chocolate otherwise I would have added some chocolate grains. I need to take a trip to the brewstore this afternoon so I might see if they have any Crystal - I hadn't thought about adding that. I am still pretty green at modifying recipes and experimenting.

So here is the updated recipe, based on feedback from this thread for which I am very grateful:

Ingredients:
1 x 1.7kg can Chocolate Mahogany Porter (Cascade Brand)
1.5 kg dark liquid malt extract
0.3 kg maltodextrin
50 gram Crystal (if available)
20 gram Northern Brewer or Goldings (depending on what store has) hop pellets @ 15

Batch Size: 15ltr
Yeast: SafAle S-04

I'll report back success/failure etc.. once done. Thanks again everyone for your input!

To be honest I wouldn't use the dark LME, it would make the beer very for "big", IMO. But, it's up to you. If you want more of a stout flavour rather than porter than the dark stuff is ok, but my preference would be to use something lighter and steep some roast/black patent/carafa/whatever - the flavours are richer and stronger if you use fresh grain.

I would recommend muntons gold dried yeast. It fires up strongly and doesn't attenuate as much as the Saf, so you get a richer maltier style of beer - it suits porters and stouts very well. That said the S-04 will also produce good results.

As to the coffee; I think 1 litre is probably too much. I used a very mild, smooth bean in my last porter and added 2 cups of plunger made stuff before pitching my yeast - the coffee flavour dominated the beer, it was hard to pick out the more traditional porter flavours and aromas.


Good Luck and Happy Brewing,

Keith

 

[BOG]

Forget the Dark malt and add a can of Wheat Malt.
The Choc Mog is dark enough especially if you add some steeped grains as per Screwtops advice.

BOG