Saint Arnold Releases Icon Blue Coffee Porter

We ended up adding 45 lbs of their ground Espresso blend to the beer after fermentation. Adding ground coffee rather than brewed makes the finished beer fruitier and more aromatic. The fresh, raw coffee aroma we were seeking illustrates why using a high quality coffee is important.

The result of all this is Icon Blue, a medium bodied porter with a balance of chocolate, roast and coffee flavors. There is a mild sweetness that is balanced by both the coffee and the combination of Bravo and Willamette hops.

Saint Arnold Icon Blue – Coffee Porter is beginning to appear on tap and in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles as supplies of Saint Arnold Icon Red – American Roggenbier run out. From this point forward, beers in the Saint Arnold Icon Series will be available in six-packs.
Craft beer and specialty coffee are kindred spirits. Both require roasting and rely on aroma to enhance the overall experience. Both are enjoyed by passionate communities of people who appreciate bold, distinct flavors and the two beverages share many flavor similarities. In fact, some stouts and porters can elicit the aromas and flavors of coffee even when no coffee is used. That was never an option for Saint Arnold Icon Blue – Coffee Porter, however.

"We have been working with Houston-based specialty coffee roaster Java Pura for quite a while on various ideas for new beers and this one came together beautifully," said Saint Arnold Brewer Eddie Gutierrez. "We tried a half-dozen different types of coffee and decided Java Pura’s Espresso Blend really enhanced the beer’s flavor. We also tested different methods of adding the coffee beans and everyone agreed that adding it to the fermenter after the beer is completed – similar to dry hopping or dry spicing – gave us the results we were after."

While this is Saint Arnold’s first publicly released beer using Java Pura’s coffee beans, this isn’t the first time the two companies have collaborated. Java Pura uses recycled oak barrels from Saint Arnold’s Bishop’s Barrel Series to age green coffee beans prior to roasting. The idea led to the creation of Java Pura’s own Barrel Aged Series of coffee beans.

"Saint Arnold is a fantastic brand to be associated with and we are very proud to see our Espresso Blend used to round out the aroma and flavor of Coffee Porter," said Java Pura Managing Partner Richard Colt. "It has been a blast to work with the Saint Arnold brewing team because they are so passionate and creative. And they have discerning palates that appreciate really good coffee!"

With the coffee addition, Saint Arnold Icon Blue – Coffee Porter could feature a lighter malt bill than might be expected, with Two Row, Pale Chocolate and Crystal 120 L malts as well as oats. The brewers used Bravo hops for bittering and finished with Willamette hops.

Saint Arnold Icon Blue – Coffee Porter Specifications:
  – Original Gravity: 1.060
  – Final Gravity: 1.015
  – Alcohol Content: 6.2% ABV
  – Bitterness: 51 IBUs