Whilst the brewing kit was still out, a coffee stout was made.   I love the taste of Dark Star's Espresso Stout (along with AF who can't seem to get enough of it) & thought I'd have a go myself.   Several breweries now make a coffee stout but Dark Star were amongst the first in the UKⁱ & I haven't tried one better than theirs.   I am looking for a dry beer with a good roasted barley & hop bitterness & the coffee obvious but not overpowering.

Mash - 1 hour 15 mins, 20 litres, 67°c for 60 mins

1 teaspoon citric acid

Pale malt 2.85 Kg

Crystal malt 600g

Roast barley 400g

Chocolate malt 100g

Boil - 1 hour

40g of Northern Brewer hops at start of boil

30g after 30 mins

10g after 45 mins

After the boil, as the wort was cooling I added a mug of very strong coffee (5 teaspoons of ground coffee used).

This has just been bottled and is absolutely jet black & opaque.   It smells wonderful, but of course the taste is everything - to be opened in a few weeks time.

Verdict 2 weeks after bottling: Fantastic.   The equal of anything I have brewed before.   Mostly dry, subtle coffee flavour & good roasty-toastiness.

Verdict 4 weeks after bottling: Still fantastic.   Goes down a treat.   No noticable difference between the younger beer & this one.

Verdict 10 weeks after bottling: Sill the best beer I've brewed, but maybe a little thinner now.   Must be the that larger sugars have now fermented away, lowering the gravity of the beer.