Coffee and Fennel porter/stout

[gibbiem]

The little one has just been playing with jelly beans and fed me a black one, says fennel on the box. Its like liquorice. As I finished eating it I took another sip of my espresso and thought shit the bed what a weirdly wonderful flavour!! Obviously coffee goes in a stout or porter so thought why not make a coffee and fennel flavour one? Any one come across/tried this sort of thing? Not sure what hops to use, probably just something neutral for bitterness to let the coffee and fennel shine through

[Fuggled Mind]

Fennel seed would be a good starting point. Perhaps add the seeds ground near or at the end of the boil. Coffee can be added to the secondary.
Personally speaking, I always get aniseed from fennel but have never tasted it in a beer before. Perphaps it'll be a very different animal nestling amongst all those dark malts.

Cheers

Jason

[Pinto]

Test the theory - pour a pint of stout and add a shot of coffee and sambuca - should indicate where it's going. Fennel to me likewise, tastes of aniseed.

Stouts are wonderful flavour vehicles - Im waiting for De Molen to re-release some "Spanning & Sensatie" Chilli and Sea Salt stout - stunning !

[ChrisHughes]

I made a breakfast stout with coffee & maple syrup recently & it tastes amazing. I love fennel & think it could work well with a beer. Seeds would be great but I also think a saison made with fennel flowers might be a good tasting beer as well.

[DaveyT]

Some people say fennel gives a maple syrup flavour when fermented and can be used a substitute. MIght be worth bearing in mind that there might be unforeseen flavours coming through.
Would liqourice do the job? Health food shops do those extract sticks that I've had good results from.

[DeadFall]

My other half is alergic to aniseed and can't eat fennel or liquorice due to that, they're all very similar in profile. She doesn't like stouts because they have those flavours already (very mild but when you're alergic).... So I might have to give this a go.