Too Much Cocoa In My Jaffa Molasses Dark Ale?

[GrumpyPaul]

Has my penchant for Brew experimentation gone too far? I wanted to make a Jaffa flavoured Dark Ale. Ao did lots of research on here and other sites and took all the interesting bits of other recipes and mixed them all together.

One recipe I referenced said use 400g of Cocoa - so I thought. now when I read it again 3 days after brewing it was actually 4oz...

I did only use 200g (because that was alll that was left in the pantry) - but is that too much?

Here is the recipe ( I call it the Jaffa Molasses Dark Ale)

1 can Coopers Dark Ale
250g Black Patent malt
125g Chocolate Malt
125g Dark Crystal Malt

500g Dark DME
500g Light DME

200g Cocoa Powder
300g Molasses
Zest of 4 oranges

Styrian Golding 20g @ 15 mins
Willamette 20g @ 15 mins
Styrian Golding 20 @ 0 mins
Willamettees 15g @ 0mins

Heres my process

Steep grains in 1.5l @ 65 degrees for 30 mins
Rinse grains in 1.5l @ 65 degreees.
(I forgot to add another litre to bring the boil up to 4 litres)
Bring to rolling boil.
Added first Hop additons @ 15 minutes
At 10 minutes added both lots of DME, Cocoa dissolved in 1l boiled water, and orange zest
Bring it back to boil.
At 5 minutes added the can of goo and molasses.
Added the last ho addition at flame out.
Cold water added to bring it up to 23 litres (and temp down)

Pitched Nottingham yeast at 26degrees.
OG 1060.

Ferment seemed to start well - dropped to 1050 after first day.

Do you think this will work out OK - or have I gone too far adding too much into one brew???

Samples taste Ok - but it is pretty "thick" and cloudy .

Will it ferment out to something clear and beer like eventually?

 

[Andrew Coleman]

I've only used a small amount of cocoa to a porter before and unfortunately it effects the head retention dramatically due to the protein, this will also leave a haze in your beer especially in such large quantities. Also molasses is a very odd flavour in beer that needs to be used carefully, Either using in very small quantaties or using brown sugar instead is a better idea. To be honest the concept of a jaffa porter does sound appealing in theory but to come up with a recipie that makes it 'work' would take some time. Kind of jumping in the deep end a bit here, that being said only time will tell and you may still be in for a drinkable beer that you can improve from tasting the finished product.

It's a cool concept none the less and you're process is pretty good, keep at the research and ask questions on the forums if you can't find the information your after.

Remember its better to ask for help with a recipie before you do it then to ask for an opinion after

Drew

 

[GrumpyPaul]

Thanks drew.
Its tasting nice so far from the hydro sampleso just very cloudy (in a chocolate cloud sort of way)

There is still hope.

Fingers crossed