Surly Coffee Bender

[averagejoe]

I’m surprised I haven’t found a thread on this yet (cue guy who can find the thread) but I brewed a batch of Northern’s Bender last weekend (all-grain) and plan on adding Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa Peaberry coffee to make a Coffee Bender.

I also threw the idea out to one of the guys at Northern Brewer’s store that they should make the coffee aspect of this beer an option.

Anyone ever take a stab at this? I’m looking for pointers on what temp to keep the beer at once it gets the coffee.

Cheers,

[flip]

I did 10 gallons of NB’s Bender, drank 1 keg as it was but poured a bunch of 8 oz beers and added various amounts of cold brewed coffee until I found the mix beer:coffee ratio I liked. Ended up being 20 oz cold brewed coffee for the 2nd keg to make a coffee bender. To cold brew the coffee I followed Cook’s Illustrated tips; mixed equal volumes water and coffee grounds in a french press, let it sit at room temp for 24 hours and that was it (though I did also pour the coffee through a coffee filter to remove the fine coffee grinds the french press screen misses).

I didn’t have any real Coffee Bender to taste it against but everyone that has had like it. It doesn’t wallop you with coffee flavor but it blends well with the beer.