Stout recipe with coconut aroma

[Jamie488]

Hi all

I am planning to brew a stout this weekend but want to use gorse flowers to add coconut flavoured edge to the beer.

Has anyone done beer like this before and know how to balance the flavours?

Looking for a creamy mouthfeel, slightly sweet and chocolate coconut finish.

I know the famous Ditches stout but also looking for others.

Many thanks.

Jamie

[pads72]

Hi Jamie,
I've not used Gorse flowers, but have used toasted coconut in the FV, which worked well.
I'll dig out some details if you want.

[Pinto]

Using Sorachi Ace hops for bittering/aroma could yield interesting coconut results too....

[Jamie488]

Thanks both. Will try the toasted coconut in the FV if it does not come out from the flowers. Pads please can you share your recipe. Thanks.

[pads72]

Ok, here is what I brewed:

Coconut porter

OG 1.063
FG 1.019
ABV 5.8%
IBU 55

Pale Malt 84%
Chocolate malt 4.5%
Medium Crystal malt 4%
Torrified Wheat 3%
Carafa III 2.5%
Black Malt 2%

Mash: single temp infusion 67° = 90 min

Hop schedule for 60 min boil:
Target 29g at start
Magnum 12g at start
Willamette 59g 30 min
Willamette 20g 45 min

Yeast Wyeast 1968 London ESB
Fermented at 18°C

Once primary fermentation was complete, I transferred to a pressure barrel, adding 500g of toasted dessicated coconut. I had toasted the coconut myself in the oven.

Coconut left in pressure barrel for 1 week. I put it in loose - this was a mistake! It floated on the top, and in the end, I sanitised a sieve and skimmed it all off! Might be better in a hop bag.

The finished beer won a local homebrew competition, so it worked out pretty well I think. It needs to be drunk fairly young, as the coconut flavour tends to dissipate.

[6470zzy]

Did you find that the coconut addition effected your head retention at all?

Cheers

[pads72]

No, the head retention was fine. I think toasting it and putting in the FV rather than in boil helped avoid oils entering the beer, and using torrified wheat helps the head