Coffee beers, the ultimate combination between coffee & beer comes from the USA!

Would you believe that a beer could carry the bittersweet sense of coffee? Yet there is!

As one can observe in Greece, small breweries are known to grow, and this phenomenon is not only found in Greece but is a global gastronomic trend. While for years, the beer lovers did not have any particular requirements from their pint, in recent years they appear to be highly informed, demanding and willing to taste new flavors and original flavor combinations. One of the brewer's experiments, especially in the United States, involves mixing two different (or not so different) flavors: beer and coffee.

Although some dark, black beers, which have a delicious flavor rich in roasting aromas, have been sold for years in the United States as "Coffee Beers", this reference is only about (minimal) taste similarity and not coffee as an ingredient. But now, with Coffee Beer, we mean beers at the creation of which coffee beans have been used!

What is a Coffee Beer and how is it made?

Beer is one of the oldest spirits, since the first references to beer are found in Mesopotamia of 3500 BC. Beer is a fermented product and is produced from cereals, the most common ingredient being barley malt, while its basic flavor comes from hops. The fermentation is achieved by the addition of yeast. Malt is a key factor in the color, aroma and taste of beer, as more roasted malt gives darker and different beer flavors. Depending on the production process, different kinds of beer, such as ale, lager or stout, end up in the glass.

The big difference in the production of Coffee Beer is that coffee beans are added during production rather than ready beer. Thus, beer is enriched with coffee aromas, by a process similar to that used with beers using other cereals in their production process, other than barley.

Each brewery has its own recipe and there is no general rule that defines how much or what kind of coffee should be used to produce coffee beer. Generally speaking, dark beers, such as stout, are more suited to coffee flavors, with a similar flavor profile, but the choices of surprise, such as light beers and coffee beans, which have been used for their extraction. The type of coffee used depends on the flavors that each producer wants to give to his beer, but generally Arabica beans are preferred as they unfold a fuller and more complex flavor profile. The same is true of the amount of coffee used, which is usually low, as most brewers seek distinctive coffee aromas, and the use of large quantities of coffee can "overthrow" the character of the beer.

How Much Caffeine Have A Coffee Beer?

If we talk about a beer called Coffee Beer because of its taste, but without using coffee for its production, it does not contain caffeine. However, beers in which coffee has been used during their production have, of course, a caffeine content, although usually relatively low, due to the small amount of coffee used. Most of the beers concerned are labeled, indicating caffeine content.

How Much Alcohol does A Coffee Beer have?

There is no rule regulating the minimum or maximum permitted alcohol limit in a coffee beer. Typically, beers of this type are relatively light, as they are drinks consumed most often in the afternoon - coffee beers usually belong to the "light", refreshing beers that will be enjoyed at a bar. However, it is important to know that such beers have alcohol and should be treated like other alcoholic beverages and consumed with caution and responsibility. Like all alcoholic beverages, beers must indicate the apparent alcohol content.

Is it possible to prepare a Coffee Beer at home?