A Different Kind Of Brewing

I love coffee.

I can hardly remember a time when I didn't.  In fact, my love of coffee is much older than my love of beer. 

Maybe that's one of the reasons why I am excited about the Breakfast Stout that I brewed last week.  It's almost fermented out, and I have to start preparing for the final ingredient addition. 

That's right--MORE COFFEE.

I added 2-1/2 pounds of Sumatran cold-brewed coffee to the boil.  Sumatran coffee is big, bold and bitter, so it mimics some hop bittering properties, while adding some coffee flavor.

This morning, I am cold-brewing 2-1/2 pounds of Kona coffee which will be added to the serving vessel in a couple days.  Kona is a very smooth, richly flavored coffee. 

Cold-brewing coffee is not a common brewing process here "up north".  It is very common in New Orleans as it probably reflects that laid-back lifestyle.  Up here, we're all, "Latte.  STAT!"  Conversely, cold-brewing takes about 12 hours, but it's well worth the wait.  With hot-brewing, not only are you extracting the coffee flavor from the bean, you also tend to extract a greater percentage of bitter oils that are in the beans.  Cold-brewing produces a smooth coffee concentrate which can then be added to hot water or milk.

Here's how to do it:

1.  Coarse grind a pound of coffee and add it to a large, non-reactive container.  (Stainless steel or glass)

My little coffee grinder working overtime on some Steep & Brew Kona.

2.  Add 2 cups of cold water, and stir gently, just to wet the grounds.
3.  Add 8 more cups of water.  Avoid agitating the grounds.

4.  Cover and let steep at room temperature for 12 hours.
5.  Strain coffee concentrate through a medium sieve, then again through a fine-mesh sieve.
6.   To make iced coffee, fill a glass with ice, add ¼ cup coffee concentrate and 3/4 to 1 cup milk, then stir. To make café au lait, warm 3/4 to 1 cup milk in a saucepan or microwave, then pour into a mug and add ¼ cup coffee concentrate. (Concentrate will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)

Because this coffee will be added into our serving vessel, I will have to pasteurize it so there's no chance of it infecting the Stout.  After the grounds are strained out, I'll heat the concentrate to 150 degrees F and then put the whole pot into a 150 degree F oven for about 30 minutes.  This stout will be a higher gravity beer, so I'm not overly worried about infection.

Dorkmunder

No, that's not a typo.

That name was coined by my dear wife when I homebrewed this style a long time ago. 

I claim it's an homage to me.

The true name of the style is Dortmunder Export, and it will be August's seasonal.  It hails from Dortmund, Germany and is one of the few lagers I brew at St. Francis.

Similar to a Pilsener, the Dortmunder Export glows in its simplicity.  Stylistically, it falls mid-way between a Helles and a Pilsener.  Less malty than the former and less hoppy than the latter.  It uses only two types of malt and is a golden color.  The goal of brewing a Dortmunder is to achieve the perfect balance of malt and hops, with neither being overpowering.

It's also my "cheater" beer.  (Though I prefer to call it ingenious strategy!)

You see, since I seldom brew lagers,  {here's why} I don't have lager yeast banked for use.  Also, you need about twice as much lager yeast as you do ale yeast.  So, I like to brew up a lager a couple of months before we celebrate Oktoberfest.  That way, the lager yeast that I pitched into the Dortmunder will multiply and I'll have plenty of lager yeast to pitch into the Oktoberfest that I'll be brewing early next month.  In fact, for the first time in SFBs history, I will be brewing two full-sized batches of Oktoberfest.  I can't wait.

Be sure to mark your calendars for September 24th and 25th, as our celebration will run all weekend long.

The Next Rotating Dark

I know I'm going to take some heat from my Oatmeal Stout fans, but I'm trying out another new dark beer.

Last year, I saw a recipe for a "Breakfast Stout" that had a very interesting ingredient list.  The recipe was based on Founder's Breakfast Stout.  From what I gather, the name comes from the fact that there is oatmeal as well and two kinds of coffee in this ale.  It also includes dark bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs. 

Cacao nibs?  What are those?  (I didn't know, either.)  These are the beans from the cacao (cocoa) plant which are roasted and shelled.  They have a nice chocolate, yet bitter flavor and are nutty.  The next step was to find a source for them.  Luckily I found them right here:

Located on Old World Third Street in Downtown Milwaukee, The Spice House nearly slaps you in the face with the fragrant aromas as soon as you open the door. 

It is a charming store that was bustling with activity during my visit.

Anyway, I picked up my 2# of nibs, and walked out with a much lighter wallet.  These suckers don't come cheap, but nothing is too good for the St. Francis beer lovers!

Weighing out the nibs

I'll pick up the rest of the ingredients this weekend and plan on brewing this up on Tuesday.  There will probably be a coffee house visit as well.  The recipe calls for Sumatran and Kona coffee.    I will end up cold-brewing the coffee and adding it to the boil.  This stout will probably be available around July 27 or so.  I'll keep you posted.

By the way, the Summer Night Saison tapping was one of our biggest to date.  We went through a lot of it, and it continues to roll out of here.  Pick yours up while you can.  I don't think it's going to last until our Dortmunder Export tapping which will take place on August 10th for the Mug Club.  I'll write more about that one soon.

God bless the USA

As you enjoy your celebrations and freedom, take a moment to remember those who sacrificed everything to form this Great Experiment in Democracy.

The brewery is closed today so that our employees may enjoy some time with their families and friends. 

Have fun and be safe!