[oscarvan]

As I schlepped tub upon tub of empty bottles to the curb today..... OK, so I am supporting craft breweries and that's a good thing....we'll it's darn near a car payment....for a Cadillac!

Anywho.....today I cranked out 10 gallons of IPA....it will get dry hopped in about a week and should be a nice fruity bev....

And 10 gallons of imperial stout, half of which will get coffee fu fu'd as that's what some of my friends like....yes we're heading for a get together SCA style end of the month...

So, there IS a question in here. I was thinking for the "espresso keg" to brew a few pots of coffee using an espresso grind, then boiling the results down about 75%, after which I would add the syrup to the keg....

Sounds like a plan?

[dannyjed]

Good to hear you're back in the game...A buddy of mine makes a great Coffee Stout by using a french press and cold steeping overnight, then adds it to the keg.

[tschmidlin]

I definitely would avoid boiling the coffee.  A cold steep gives a nice mellow coffee flavor, strong enough if you use enough, but without any nasty burnt coffee flavors.

[AmandaK]

A cold toddy is a better idea than boiling coffee down.

Glad you're back to brewing! 

[hopfenundmalz]

Good to hear from you again. Must have been bus driving a lot, and not brewing?

[jeffy]

Yeah, welcome back and don't boil the coffee!

[oscarvan]

Yes, busy.....four letter word, starts with "w"...

OK, I get it, no hot coffee..... How does one do a cold steep? Just add water to grounds, stir and let sit, repeat and let settle, rack to keg??

BTW, today was batches 83-87..... coming up on 100. Will have to do something special...

[gmac]

Yes, busy.....four letter word, starts with "w"...

Wife?

[tygo]

OK, I get it, no hot coffee..... How does one do a cold steep? Just add water to grounds, stir and let sit, repeat and let settle, rack to keg??

Welcome back Oscar.

Add grounds to cold, filtered water (what you'd brew with).  Stir and refridgerate for 24-48 hours.  Strain and use.  The times I've done it I've added it to the last 5 minutes of the boil for sanitation purposes.

[bboy9000]

OK, I get it, no hot coffee..... How does one do a cold steep? Just add water to grounds, stir and let sit, repeat and let settle, rack to keg??

Welcome back Oscar.

Add grounds to cold, filtered water (what you'd brew with).  Stir and refridgerate for 24-48 hours.  Strain and use.  The times I've done it I've added it to the last 5 minutes of the boil for sanitation purposes.

As far as sanitization is concerned, could one add the cold-steeped coffee to the fermentor instead of the boil? Would the pH and alcohol sanitize the coffee?  Would one get more coffee flavor and aroma by adding the cold
steep to the fermentor?

[tygo]

As far as sanitization is concerned, could one add the cold-steeped coffee to the fermentor instead of the boil? Would the pH and alcohol sanitize the coffee?  Would one get more coffee flavor and aroma by adding the cold
steep to the fermentor?

Yeah, I think you can.  I've just never done it.

[tschmidlin]

I add it to the kegs and don't worry about sanitizing it.  No problems so far.

[beersk]

I add it to the kegs and don't worry about sanitizing it.  No problems so far.

Same here. Cold steep in tap water in a french press for 24 hours, push the plunger down, then dump into keg before I rack the beer on. I use about twice the amount of grounds as I would for a 4 cup pot of coffee. It ends up being a pint of liquid I dump into the keg.
Welcome back, Oscar.

[oscarvan]

Not worried about sanitation, this keg will be devoured within 4 days......

Meanwhile we have bubbelage. Life is good.

[Jimmy K]

So, there IS a question in here. I was thinking for the "espresso keg" to brew a few pots of coffee using an espresso grind, then boiling the results down about 75%, after which I would add the syrup to the keg....

Sounds like a plan?

Sounds like a plan to make crappy tasting coffee.