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Adding whole coffee beans vs ground coffee beans to tank

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  • Adding whole coffee beans vs ground coffee beans to tank

    We have typically added coarse-ground coffee post fermentation to the unitank or brite with good results. My coffee supplier just delivered a huge amount of coffee beans UNGROUND and I am considering adding them to the beer whole (post fermentation, 70F). Curious if anyone has experience adding whole beans vs ground beans to finished beer and can speak to the differences in flavor, aroma, and necessary contact time? I've also experimented with adding cold steeped coffee to tanks/kegs with good results, but currently I am really liking the fresh coffee flavor/aroma from adding ground beans to the tank with about 3 days contact time. Thanks!
    Kevin Drake
    Alibi Ale Works
    North Lake Tahoe

  • #2
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    Kevin Drake
    Alibi Ale Works
    North Lake Tahoe

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    • #3
      Coffee

      I've used both, ground and whole bean.

      I prefer whole bean as it is easier to prevent over extraction of the coffee. (acrid, overly roasty, bitter, metallic, drying)
      The downside is you then have to use much more.

      Cold extraction further reduces the possibility of over extraction.
      My favorite process to use over the past few years has been whole bean steeped in the FV for 18-24hrs. Then transferring off of it to the BBT.

      Dosage rate is approximately 1.25lbs/bbl
      Matt "Skinny" Roberts
      Black Raven Brewing Co.
      Redmond, WA

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      • #4
        We've done a coffee version of our 9% abv stout for a few years, and it's gone over well. I don't drink it often, but I've liked it for what it is. We've only used ground coffee (1# per bbl), but we chill the tank to 31 F, and remove as much yeast as we can before the addition. We leave the grounds in for 3-4 days before transferring to the bright tank. I can't say that I've compared the two methods (grounds vs. whole bean), but if you add them to colder beer, you'll run less risk of over extraction. Also, my guess is that grounds are easier to get out of the tank once transfer is complete, assuming you have a butterfly valves on the bottom of the tank. Whole beans seem like they'd bridge pretty easily, making you use a lot of flush water to get them all out.

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