Chocolate Stout

[brownegaz]

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.

 

[tallie]

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

 

[Kranky]

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.

 

[Ryan WABC]

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

 

[manticle]

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.

 

[erniebeer]

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

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.

 

[Muscovy_333]

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.

 

[manticle]

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.

 

[brownegaz]

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

 

[Moz]

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

Health food stores.

 

[manticle]

I get mine from craftbrewer.

 

[Ross]

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

 

[manticle]

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).

 

[Thefatdoghead]

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).

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.

 

[Logman]

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....

 

[Kranky]

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.

 

[brownegaz]

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.?

 

[Kranky]

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.

 

[manticle]

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.

 

[wally]

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