# Chocolate Stout



## brownegaz (27/3/12)

I am about to make a chocolate stout using Coopers extract kits plus some additional choc malt etc how do people add the chocolate, the recpie I am trying calls for chocolate essence during fermentation however some recipes call for cocoa or chocolate topping to be added during the boil, suggestions welcome.


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## tallie (29/3/12)

There's a bit of information about using cocoa at http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=45999. I've personally found cocoa to give a good chocolate impression, whilst some essences can taste a bit artificial.

Cheers,
tallie


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## Kranky (29/3/12)

Chocolate nibs also impart a good chocolate flavour. I put them in secondary as you would dry hops. They can work well with coffee beans and vanilla beans.


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## Ryan WABC (29/3/12)

I can speak from experience when I say give the chocolate topping a miss.


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## manticle (29/3/12)

Toasted cacao nibs give plenty of choc flavour. A blend of good quality cocoa, choc malt and lactose also works if you want a bit of seetness and body but my vote is the nibs. toasted, 3 days in secondary = powerful choc but no extra sweetness etc.


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## erniebeer (29/3/12)

Im about to go for a chocolate porter. Using lindt chocolate 85% cocoa would you recommend heating it up adding a bit of vodka to sterlise it so to speak then add to secondary fermenter or simply put in the boil? Id like to achieve a well rounded chocolate flavour to the brew. Any extra info that people have id appreciate.

Regards



manticle said:


> Toasted cacao nibs give plenty of choc flavour. A blend of good quality cocoa, choc malt and lactose also works if you want a bit of seetness and body but my vote is the nibs. toasted, 3 days in secondary = powerful choc but no extra sweetness etc.


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## Muscovy_333 (29/3/12)

erniebeer said:


> Im about to go for a chocolate porter. Using lindt chocolate 85% cocoa would you recommend heating it up adding a bit of vodka to sterlise it so to speak then add to secondary fermenter or simply put in the boil? Id like to achieve a well rounded chocolate flavour to the brew. Any extra info that people have id appreciate.
> 
> Regards




Go with Manticles suggestion. Much better option. 
real chocolate does not equate to a well rounded chocolate flavour.


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## manticle (30/3/12)

erniebeer said:


> Im about to go for a chocolate porter. Using lindt chocolate 85% cocoa would you recommend heating it up adding a bit of vodka to sterlise it so to speak then add to secondary fermenter or simply put in the boil? Id like to achieve a well rounded chocolate flavour to the brew. Any extra info that people have id appreciate.
> 
> Regards



I've only ever used high cocoa content choc in a mash, not in a boil. My suggestions above will give a good choc flavour hit.


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## brownegaz (30/3/12)

Where do you get cocoa nibs from, I will call into Woolwrths on the way home from work for a look.


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## Moz (30/3/12)

brownegaz said:


> Where do you get cocoa nibs from, I will call into Woolwrths on the way home from work for a look.




Health food stores.


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## manticle (30/3/12)

I get mine from craftbrewer.


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## Ross (30/3/12)

manticle said:


> Toasted cacao nibs give plenty of choc flavour.




I've never thought of toasting them, i just grind to a powder & dry nib or add to the boil - Have you tried both ways? what is the difference?

cheers Ross


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## manticle (30/3/12)

I've only ever toasted them but just the aroma from toasting is fantastic. A bit like the difference between ground cumin seeds and toasted ground cummin seeds if you know what I mean. House fills up with chocolate aroma. I did a coconut choc porter that used dessicated coconut and cacao nibs - toasted them together and the aroma was divine.

Real easy to burn though.

Anyway my currently conditioning sour choc porter has a magnificent choc flavour after a few days of toasted dry nibbing.

I might try raw versus toasted in just a glass of each and see (ex chef in me would object to raw nibbing a whole batch until I've done a tester).


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## Thefatdoghead (30/3/12)

manticle said:


> I've only ever toasted them but just the aroma from toasting is fantastic. A bit like the difference between ground cumin seeds and toasted ground cummin seeds if you know what I mean. House fills up with chocolate aroma. I did a coconut choc porter that used dessicated coconut and cacao nibs - toasted them together and the aroma was divine.
> 
> Real easy to burn though.
> 
> ...


I chucked a whole bag from Ross in 20L of Porter a while back. Dry nib'ed for 4 day's. The result was just a hint of choc in the aftertaste and very smooth. I'll try toast them next time.


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## Logman (30/3/12)

erniebeer said:


> Im about to go for a chocolate porter. Using lindt chocolate 85% cocoa would you recommend heating it up adding a bit of vodka to sterlise it so to speak then add to secondary fermenter or simply put in the boil? Id like to achieve a well rounded chocolate flavour to the brew. Any extra info that people have id appreciate.



I did a double batch of Oatmeal Stout about 6 weeks back - used one bar of 85% Lindt - no/little choc taste at all really. Not knocking the Stout, it tastes bloody great and very smooth. After tasting it I immediately looked into nibs after seeing them on the CB site previously, might try a Lindt 85% in the brew and dry nib as well next time.

Edit - broke it up in smallish pieces and added them while stirring with the paddle once a really good boil was going - no issues....


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## Kranky (30/3/12)

brownegaz said:


> Where do you get cocoa nibs from, I will call into Woolwrths on the way home from work for a look.



http://www.rawpower.com.au/CatalogueRetrie...p;ObjectType=27

I got vanilla beans from the above place too at $2 a pop and they are beautiful - a lot better than you would get at the supermarket.


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## brownegaz (31/3/12)

OK Thanks for all the replies, I will use 100g of cocoa nibs I bought from my local health food shop, ground to a powder and mixed into 500ml of hot water to liquify, allow it to cool a little then pour into the fermenter once the krausen starts to drop back into the fermenter, next time I might use cocoa nibs in the mash instead of in the fermenter.?


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## Kranky (1/4/12)

Cocoa nibs contain a lot of fat, apparently, from memory 95%. My understanding on how to use them (albiet limited) is to dry hop only with nibs.


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## manticle (1/4/12)

I think you might need to check that figure. As far as I'm aware, the fat content is lower than most nuts, certainly lower than 95%.

Another benefit of toasting is that oils are released so you have the choice of not adding to the brew.


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## wally (19/3/14)

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I'm interested in trying cacao nibs in a robust porter.

Manticle; I note from your post here that you recommend toasting the nibs and adding them to the secondary. My question is :- How much to add for a 23 litre batch and do they need to be ground?

Cheers,

Wally


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## sp0rk (19/3/14)

I used 100g of pre crushed cacao nibs in my chocolate porter, toasted for 5 minutes and threw them in 10 minutes before the end of the boil
I'm going to try adding them to secondary next time just to see what the difference is


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## DJ_L3ThAL (19/3/14)

I've got a winter stout that I'd be keen on dry nibbing in some of the bottles. Does anyone see a problem with leaving the nibs in the bottle up until serving? (obviously will de-cant/strain the floaties as required)?


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## biochef (19/3/14)

brownegaz said:


> OK Thanks for all the replies, I will use 100g of cocoa nibs I bought from my local health food shop, ground to a powder and mixed into 500ml of hot water to liquify, allow it to cool a little then pour into the fermenter once the krausen starts to drop back into the fermenter, next time I might use cocoa nibs in the mash instead of in the fermenter.?


[SIZE=12pt]Yeah, I agree with you because Cocoa nibs are energy booster and it contains Magnesium, Fiber, Iron which are good for health.[/SIZE]


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## manticle (19/3/14)

wally said:


> Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I'm interested in trying cacao nibs in a robust porter.
> 
> Manticle; I note from your post here that you recommend toasting the nibs and adding them to the secondary. My question is :- How much to add for a 23 litre batch and do they need to be ground?
> 
> ...



From memory, I used a full pack (100g from craftbrewer)


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