Kit chocolate stout

[damoninja]

Hi all,

I'm still using kits and have wondered if there's a decent way to make a chocolate stout with one. I'm planning to move to partials soon but not just yet.

Recipe idea:
1 x Mangrove Jack's Irish stout
250g dutch cocoa
200g brown sugar
1kg dark DME
500g Choc Malt grain


I'm not sure which hops or yeast would go better...

In my inventory I have 50g of each below hops:
Goldings
Fuggles
Amarillo
Galaxy

For yeast I just have 2 packs of S-04.


Let me know thoughts / ideas!

 

[Blazar]

Looks ok (in my limited opinion of course). I'd use just the Fuggles. Not too sure what the dutch cocoa is but if it's got any form of milk solids in it you won't get much head on it - I made a chocolate stout using two blocks of high-cocoa dark chocolate and whilst it is beautiful it lacks in head (kind of like marriage!!)

Let us know how it goes mate.

 

[sunovagun]

Hi damon,
I've never done a choc stout before. But have been planning one for my next brew. So i am glad i found this thread

My idea was very similar to yours...differences being
Use less choc malt, add in some roast barley and lactose and sub the dark DME for Light DME.

And I've never used cocoa before so I'd be interested to know what people thought of the quantity you're using.

Over to the experts...

 

[damoninja]

Looks ok (in my limited opinion of course). I'd use just the Fuggles. Not too sure what the dutch cocoa is but if it's got any form of milk solids in it you won't get much head on it - I made a chocolate stout using two blocks of high-cocoa dark chocolate and whilst it is beautiful it lacks in head (kind of like marriage!!)

Let us know how it goes mate.

The dutch cocoa is natural cocoa but with lower acidity. It's just cocoa so it's not got any milk solids.
Does the fatty content of the cocoa ever cause issues?


Any thoughts on yeasts? I have a feeling the OG of this beer will be kind of high so not sure if S-04 will bring it down enough.

 

[sp0rk]

I just did a chocolate porter (using cacao nibs, not cocoa) and used a mix of EKG plugs and Goldings pellets
I also used Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast
Came out amazing!
Delicious soft coffee and dark chocolate notes, one to make again for sure

 

[Blazar]

Can't comment on the yeast mate, when I did mine last October I used two kit yeasts (only two bottles left now!!). I think the fatty component contributes to lack-of-head in the same way as the "milk solids" in the block chocolate I put in my batch (I used a 200g block each of Lindt 85% Cocoa and 70% Cocoa). I also used 300g Choc Malt.

If I was to do it again, I would swap the blocks of chocolate for chocolate essence to try and get something closer to Young's Double Chocolate Stout, my first attempt was aimed at a "dark chocolate with coffee" scenario which came pretty close.

 

[sp0rk]

Here's my recipe


Mandingo Chocolate Porter (Robust Porter)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.064 (°P): 15.7
Final Gravity (FG): 1.016 (°P): 4.1
Alcohol (ABV): 6.29 %
Colour (SRM): 33.9 (EBC): 66.8
Bitterness (IBU): 28.6 (Average)

80.58% Maris Otter Malt
10.51% Munich I
5.41% Chocolate
3.5% Black Roasted Barley

2 g/L East Kent Golding (5.4% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
100g Cacao Nibs @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
0.9 g/L East Kent Golding (5.4% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes


Fermented at 20°C with Wyeast 1728 - Scottish Ale

 

[mosto]

Not a stout, but I did make a very nice Choc Porter in my kit days

1 tin Cascade Chocolate Mahogany Porter
1kg Amber DME
200g Choc malt
10g Northern Brewer @ 10 min
WLP005 British ale yeast
Made up to 20 litres

 

[damoninja]

Does anyone reckon the amount of grain and/or cocoa is too much?

 

[James85]

Well my choc stout is easy as, one tin coopers stout (white tin),'brew enhanced no2, a large bottle of cotties chocolate topping (600 grams aprox) and the kit yeast make up to 23 liters and prime the bottles with raw sugar. Tastes great after a month in the bottle

 

[manticle]

Does anyone reckon the amount of grain and/or cocoa is too much?

Yep.
500g choc malt in an already black beer (stout kit) is a lot.

Can't remember from my kit/extract days how much cocoa I put into a couple of choc stouts but it was probably 150-250g. Choc malt I would drop to about 100g. 200-500g lactose can sweeten the brew up a touch and I find it plays well with the choc malt.

Toasted cacao nibs can also contribute a great choc flavour but I'd be balancing that with the cocoa (as in reducing the cocoa a bit if you are going to add any0

 

[damoninja]

Yep.
500g choc malt in an already black beer (stout kit) is a lot.

Can't remember from my kit/extract days how much cocoa I put into a couple of choc stouts but it was probably 150-250g. Choc malt I would drop to about 100g. 200-500g lactose can sweeten the brew up a touch and I find it plays well with the choc malt.

Toasted cacao nibs can also contribute a great choc flavour but I'd be balancing that with the cocoa (as in reducing the cocoa a bit if you are going to add any0

Actual chocolate and lactose are out of the question as someone drinking it is lactose intolerant. I read somewhere that the brown sugar will leave some sweetness behind

With my epic overstatement of 500g - how much would you suggest using?
By the way I was mistaken when I said 250g cocoa, I meant 200g

Edit: some words

 

[manticle]

As above - 100g choc malt. Wouldn't push higher than 200.

Maybe chuck in a bit of dark crystal to add some sweetness. Just a shade - maybe 75-100g.

 

[damoninja]

Oh bummer, sorry mate I was reading on my phone and missed it.

What do you reckon about the brown sugar theory?

Thanks a bunch dude.

 

[manticle]

Not sure - never used it (brown sugar).

Have read various ideas about the molasses component leaving behind flavour but not sure about actual sweetness.

Have used raw sugar and it is distinct in pale beers in larger quantities.

 

[damoninja]

From what I've read brown sugar contains 5-10% molasses so ought to leave some of that flavour behind.

Molasses being so intense it would only end up being somewhere between 10-20 grams, which ought to be alright. We shall see!

 

[damoninja]

Well, it's in the FV.

Used
125g choc malt
250g brown sugar
190g cocoa
50g fuggles

20L final volume

Ended up with OG of 1.059 which is a fraction higher than the spreadsheet predicts.
(I added the kit with EBC of 140 IBU of 28)

Don't suppose the cocoa gives it a whack reading and I should give it a couple of hours to settle?

 

[damoninja]

Oh yeah, that did it. Took another reading about 3 hours after I sat it down and surely enough the gravity is 1.052 as the sheet predicts.

 

[sunovagun]

Hope it turns out good!

Did you pitch both the satchets of s04? Or just one?

 

[damoninja]

Hope it turns out good!

Did you pitch both the satchets of s04? Or just one?

Just one and it's latched on quite well, within 3 hours i had positive pressure - 12 hours i had about 2 inches of foam on top.

Resting at about 20 degrees.