Adding chocolate to a sweet stout Options

[chifrog]

Hey all, This weekend possibly tuesday night, I'll be brewing my first non-kit beer. I've got a recipe for a sweet stout that I got from the Jamil show and I was wanting to add some chocolate to it. So far the recipe is this.... (5 gallons)

Extract:
7.2lb (3.2kg) English Pale Ale LME
1lb Lactose powder

Specialty Grains:
1 lb Black Patent
0.75 lb Crystal 80
0.5 lb Pale Chocolate Malt

Hops:
1.5g Kent Goldings 5%AA pellets - 60 min

Yeast:
White labs WP006 Bedford British
Or
Yyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale
Or
Safale S-04 11.g


I found another recipe for a chocolate porter that calls for 8oz. of unsweetened bakers cocoa power added to the last 5 minutes of the boil. However, that seems like an awful lot of chocolate to me. So I was wondering if anyone has any experience with chocolate stouts, and how much chocolate would you recommend? Also, I couldn't find the crystal 80 at B3 would the Crystal 75 be ok?

Again thanks in advance for any help (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/biggrin.gif)

This post has been edited by chifrog: Oct 30 2007, 11:47 PM

[TomoMeier]

I'd do the 8oz can.

I have made that chocolate hazelnut porter, and I'd say you will need the entire can for the chocolate flavor to make it through the roasted grains. It wasn't real prominent in the porter recipe.. The beer will be hazy from the chocolate dust, but since its a stout, clarity isn't an issue.

[Yeasty Boy]

I put 8oz crushed cocoa nibs in secondary for 5d. Fantastic chocolate flavor.

[erichonour]

I put 8oz crushed cocoa nibs in secondary for 5d. Fantastic chocolate flavor.

There was a great thread about trying to clone Young's Double Chocolate Stout on this board about 2-3 years ago. You ought to be able to find it with a search in the Recipe Swap. IIRC, posters in the thread eventually decided that cocoa nibs were the best way to go, as Yeasty Boy mentions.

EH

[Blizzbrews]

I also used roasted cocoa nibs in a chocolate porter. I soaked 8oz of nibs (and a couple vanilla beans) in vodka while the beer was in primary, and added it to secondary when I racked the beer. Really brought out the chocolate flavor. Here's one place you can get the nibs: Spice House. They're pricey but what an amazing chocolate flavor. I entered the porter in a comp recently and took 1st place in the spice/herb category.

For your stout, I'd consider backing off on the choc. just a bit. If you use the nibs, maybe 6oz instead of 8. Better to start off understated than overpowering. You can always adjust next time.

Good luck, hope it turns out well. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cool.gif)

Edit: If I remember right I got most of what I learned about the cocoa from the thread Eric mentioned.

This post has been edited by Blizzbrews: Oct 31 2007, 08:12 AM

[Ilovepaleale]

I also used roasted cocoa nibs in a chocolate porter. I soaked 8oz of nibs (and a couple vanilla beans) in vodka while the beer was in primary, and added it to secondary when I racked the beer. Really brought out the chocolate flavor. Here's one place you can get the nibs: Spice House. They're pricey but what an amazing chocolate flavor. I entered the porter in a comp recently and took 1st place in the spice/herb category.

For your stout, I'd consider backing off on the choc. just a bit. If you use the nibs, maybe 6oz instead of 8. Better to start off understated than overpowering. You can always adjust next time.

Good luck, hope it turns out well. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cool.gif)

Edit: If I remember right I got most of what I learned about the cocoa from the thread Eric mentioned.

Not trying to hijack, but I recently brewed a chocolate stout. Our recipe we were using called for 5oz cocoa. we added it, blended into the wort and then tasted.(10gallon batch btw)We decided to just add the entire 8oz can and re-sampled. Tasted awesome!

If using the powder, does 8oz for 10gallon batch sound about right?

[albertv05]

+1 for nibs

Just don't over do the chocolate. I made that mistake and it just made the brew taste really, really roasty.

[steviehop]

I also used roasted cocoa nibs in a chocolate porter. I soaked 8oz of nibs (and a couple vanilla beans) in vodka while the beer was in primary, and added it to secondary when I racked the beer. Really brought out the chocolate flavor. Here's one place you can get the nibs: Spice House. They're pricey but what an amazing chocolate flavor. I entered the porter in a comp recently and took 1st place in the spice/herb category.

For your stout, I'd consider backing off on the choc. just a bit. If you use the nibs, maybe 6oz instead of 8. Better to start off understated than overpowering. You can always adjust next time.

Good luck, hope it turns out well. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cool.gif)

Edit: If I remember right I got most of what I learned about the cocoa from the thread Eric mentioned.

just for clarification, did you filter the nibs and beans from the vodka before "pitching" it, or toss all of it in?

[albertv05]

You can toss it all in. That vodka will contain much chocolate flavor.

[BushDoctor]

I don't know about that 1lb. of Black Patent Malt. Seems suspect. I have used 4 oz. Coco powder with good results.

[Jim DeShields]

I don't know about that 1lb. of Black Patent Malt. Seems suspect. I have used 4 oz. Coco powder with good results.

My first thought was where is the Roasted barley?
Not the same flavors IMHO

[Blizzbrews]

just for clarification, did you filter the nibs and beans from the vodka before "pitching" it, or toss all of it in?

Just tossed it all in. I put the nibs in a mason jar and just covered them with the vodka. It was less than a pint if I remember right.

[albertv05]

When I used nibs, I crushed them prior to soaking them in vodka. I would think that would make a big difference in the amount of flavor extraction.

[Blizzbrews]

When I used nibs, I crushed them prior to soaking them in vodka. I would think that would make a big difference in the amount of flavor extraction.

You're right it would make quite a difference. The 8oz of nibs I used in 5gal were not crushed, just used them as they came.

[Boss Brew]

The Maltose Falcons have a web page with chocolate/cocoa info. The recommend adding to the secondary if possible. I've made a couple of beers with cocoa powder with excellent results. My last RIP (4 gallons) has 1 oz of cocoa, 3 1/2" vanilla bean and 2oz J.Daniels oak chips, all in the secondary. Nice aromas and flavors, but not overpowering. If anything, I might back off on the vanilla a little next time. It's just a little too much.

Dave