Do Porters/Coffee Stouts have caffeine?

The last two times I've had these beers, they've rendered me with a bit of insomnia, something I rarely have.

The first occasion was me drinking two Schlafly Coffee Stouts a few weeks ago while watching a basketball game. I was up half the night. Often Cats games get me very amped, so I attributed it to that, but. . .

Last night I had ONE Nitro Porter at Cumberland Brews, and despite being exhausted, was unable to fall asleep for many hours past my usual weeknight bedtime.

Do these beers have caffeine in them, or is this just a coincidence? These are the only two bouts of insomnia I've suffered for a long time.

It depends upon the beer, but most that are labeled "Coffee Stout" will have some form of coffee in it. Sometimes the coffee is brewed and then added to the beer before fermentation, and at other times straight beans are added, but there is some amount of caffeine.

However most porters won't have coffee in them unless specifically advertised. The bitter, toasty flavor comes from the roasted malts and not from coffee. I'm fairly certain that Cumberland's doesn't have any coffee in it, so I would chalk it up to either coincidence or placebo effect.

The last two times I've had these beers, they've rendered me with a bit of insomnia, something I rarely have.

The first occasion was me drinking two Schlafly Coffee Stouts a few weeks ago while watching a basketball game. I was up half the night. Often Cats games get me very amped, so I attributed it to that, but. . .

Last night I had ONE Nitro Porter at Cumberland Brews, and despite being exhausted, was unable to fall asleep for many hours past my usual weeknight bedtime.

Do these beers have caffeine in them, or is this just a coincidence? These are the only two bouts of insomnia I've suffered for a long time.

Just follow the stouts with 4-6 glasses of Hoptimus and you'll fall right to sleep.

I'll refer to the many brewers on this board.

My hypothesis is that the amount of caffeine may be related to when the coffee or beans are added to the brew.

David, Brian, Jared, ??????

I shall not attempt to answer this question with better explanations than our local brew guys. However, it is my understanding certain beer does contain caffeine as a result of the brewing; but is never added directly into the mix. I remember the FDA going after Bud? for their power beers a while back. The reason because they were essentially combining Taurine or Caffeine to beer. Coffee is used in beers for taste and not caffeine.But, and I could be wrong, the FDA has cracked down on any caffeine in beer; regardless of its origin.

coffee porters/stouts have caffeine based on how the coffee is added into the beer.
If the coffee is added to the mash and brewed into the beer there will be little to no caffeine in the finished beer.
If the coffee is cold processed and added to the beer after fermentation there will be caffeine.
If the coffee is made hot and added to the beer after fermentation it will contain the most caffeine of all these processes. This is how we made the Derby City Espresso stout in the past.
We had the idea that each pint would have as much caffeine as a shot of espresso.
Hope this helps.

Shortly we'll be doing a double espresso stout with NABC. It'll be hyper-caffeinated!

JustinHammond
Just follow the stouts with 4-6 glasses of Hoptimus and you'll fall right to sleep.

Sounds like a true doctor

Matthew has it pretty much right, though I don't see why some caffeine wouldn't make it through an early addition to the brew as well (added during the boil, for example). Reasonable stages to add it would be during the boil, after the boil (whirlpool), or after fermentation (like dry hopping).

In short, coffee stouts are made by adding coffee, so yes they'll have caffeine (unless you use decaf).

Porters have no caffeine.

Cheers,

-Nimbus, former pro-brewer.....

Do they still make Mill Street Porter?

coffee in the whirlpool is like brewing a pot of coffee... you get an amount of caffeine based on your fluid to coffee ratio. what that is? ...all dependent what the ratio is. post fermentation additions will also lend an amount of caffeine based, again, on the blend ratio. at bbc for our heine stout, we add coffee based on the roasters recommendations for the best flavor extraction. his recommendations led us to use it in the whirlpool (much like a french press, minus the press) and cold side. about a cup of coffees worth of caffeine per pint.

to resonate the other brewers or those in the know, not all dark beers will have caffeine (unless stated). but to answer the...why do dark beers keep me up? it is probably attributed to the alcohol present in the beer. studies show that one does not sleep soundly, nor will get to sleep sooner when inebriated. alcohol makes for a good time, but a bad nights sleep.

cheers
sam

but to answer the...why do dark beers keep me up? it is probably attributed to the alcohol present in the beer. studies show that one does not sleep soundly, nor will get to sleep sooner when inebriated. alcohol makes for a good time, but a bad nights sleep.

cheers
sam

I see the point, but I generally have a good pour of bourbon on the rocks most nights after dinner, and am asleep an hour or two later.

I think in this case, I'll attribute the first scenario with having two Schlafly Coffee Stouts between the hours of 9 and 11 and just assume I drank the equivalent of two cups of coffee, which would undoubtedly keep me awake.

Assuming Cumberland's Nitro Porter has no caffeine, I'll just attribute that to a fluke and/or the stress of getting ready to move.

Just follow the stouts with 4-6 glasses of Hoptimus and you'll fall right to sleep.

That would most likely do the trick.

Schlafly Coffee Stout does have some caffeine. It equates to, I believe, about half a cup of coffee per bottle. I've never had much of a problem with the caffeine levels, but anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a bit of a caffeine junkie. Hope this helps.