Chocolate Stout Advice

calluma11 · Oct 10, 2014

Hi Chaps & Chapettes,

A bit of advice needed - please (I am aware of the many threads on this forum and have read them and will re-read them again tonight)

I'm going to make a Chocolate Stout for Xmas and have just been to the LHBS to ask him for some advice. Long story short he wasnt there and his daughter was filling in.
She didnt know exactly what I needed for my recipe and couldnt answer all of my questions so I thought I'd buy a bit of everything from what I've read (lets face it, I'll be needing the remaining ingredients sooner or later)

Here's what I got:
Thomas Coopers Irish Stout
500g Whole Chocolate Malt (i've heard about the zip lock & rolling pin method)
500g Glucose
500g Dark DME
Chocolate Liquer essence
(I can get some hot chocolate powder and brown sugar from the corner shop)

I'll be kegging it with a king keg at the end and I'm going to leave it 2-3 weeks in FV.
Any good combinations I could use?

Thanks!
Callum :)

calluma11 · Oct 10, 2014

ok so i've found this recipe that i'll use as a guideline - http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/stout/detail/chocliqueur-stout/

It says 1.5kg Amber Malt Extract and 300g Chocolate Malt

The kit says use 500g DME and 300g dextrose, so based on that i'll try 500g DME and 500g Chocolate Malt and see what the gravity is from there)

H0PM0NSTER · Oct 10, 2014

I'm planning to make this my next brew - just waiting to free up an FV.
I've seen the same recipe on the Coopers website but thinking of adding vanilla as well. I have some vanilla pods that I'm planning to soak in either whiskey or vodka and add after the initial fermentation.

Keep us updated with your progress. I'll be keen to hear how you get on.

calluma11 · Oct 10, 2014

As i say i'll be leaving this in the FV for 2 - 3 weeks so not sure if i'll be too late by then for an after taste recommendation.. but i'll keep you updated with anything i deem necessary and, of course, when I start properly drinking it

NegFerret · Oct 11, 2014

Use low fat cocoa powder. I used a cocoa powder with 1% fat last night and it worked well. A normal (circa 23%) cocoa powder will kill any head.

You can buy defatted cocoa powder from Dukan for Â£6 per 250g.

Do not use "instant" hot chocolate powder!

Get some gelatin to clear it up after fermentation. Otherwise you'll end up with the powder floating around in the beer and you will be able to taste the hardness of the powder. Gelatin is really easy to use and clears the beer brilliantly.

calluma11 · Oct 11, 2014

Ah Neg, just a tad too late haha. I've just logged onto the forum as i've sat the FV down and missed your advice. Although it's very useful to know in the future thank you.

I have a small amount of chocolate liquer essence and the recipe says to add it a couple of days after the krausen has sunk. I'm not sure whether to do this or throw it in the keg before priming? - also, is it worth using any chocolate powder you mentioned after this point?

You mentioned gelatin, would this help with my Chocolate Malt Grains? - when i crushed it there was some powder and i think this escaped through the muslin bag (i double layered though) into the wort. I'm not sure if this will sink or be suspended?

Thanks
Callum

calluma11 · Oct 13, 2014

Well this thing's gone off like a rocket!!

I dont think the chocolate malt gave much fermentables (i read somewhere about it being a speciality grain not a base grain - which i think means it gives off more flavour and colour than sugar) as the OG was low so i had to add 500g glucose.

Total of 500g glucose, 500g dark DME, 500g chocolate malt grain - 1045

Colour was very dark and in less than 24 hours i had a krausen stain on the side of my fermenter and vigorous bubbles. This is the most excitement i've had from homebrew and not sure how i'm going to wait until Xmas..

I'm planning on 3 weeks min in the FV and, as I say, wait until Dec to start drinking properly (taste tests before are essential)

The Chocolate malt actually tasted more of coffee and I'm wondering how to get more chocolatey flavour in there. Can I add chocolate powder into priming? Or shall i double up my essence? (i've decided on adding the essence at the priming stage)

Cheers

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

A couple of points for you:-
1, Chocolate malt refers to the colour of the malt not the fact that it tastes like chocolate.
2, Do not use chocolate flavour coffee essense......it tastes awful.
4, If your LHBS supplies chocolate essence for the use with stills, this is a better option.
5, Make your own pure chocolate. Its a bit of faffing around but well worth it in the final beer.

calluma11 · Oct 13, 2014

Thanks Johnny,
1 - I've realised that now haha (had a bit of a sample of the residue and it was very black coffee tasting - not a problem though)
2 - The essence I have is the Prestige Chocolate Liquer Essence http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0096PYTHK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 (i got this from my LHBS in the flavouring section but it's only 20ml)
5 - How would i go about that? - cocoa beans?

Great info thankyou

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

2, That's the stuff....Its is very strong, so 1 bottle should be ample....a bit of a trial is needed, but Id start with 1 bottle.
5, Abit of faffing around but you do get good results (Ive tried and tested this). Its a bit expensive, but the following recipe will give you enough chocolate for 3 maybe 4 brews. Its easier to do in bulk and the resulting chocolate will keep indefinatley:-
Get 1kg of quality (70% cocoa solids) chocolate. The other 30% of this is cocoa butter, we don't want this in our beer.
Break up the choc and place in a bowl over boiling water (ban marie) do not allow the water in the pan to touch the bottom of the bowl (its too hot)
Now what we need to do is to separate the solids from the butter. Choc will melt at about 37oC and will separate at about 67oC (don't worry about the temps. When the coc has melted keep it over the pan (make sure the pan doesn't boil dry. DO NOT STIR, just leave it alone, after some time (depends on a lot of thing) the choc will separate into pure cocoa and cocoa butter. Now you have to skim of the cocoa butter, leaving behind the pure cocoa. Throw the cocoa butter away and pour the solids into ice cube trays (this makes it easier to handle and weigh out later). these pure cocoa is now fully dissolvable in water/wort.
200g per 23li brew is enough to give a good choc flavour, but again trail and error is needed, you may want more or you may want less.
HTH any Q`s just ask

calluma11 · Oct 13, 2014

The recipe i was partially following said 50ml and I only have 20ml.. mind, saying that I dont want to overdo the chocolate (still want to taste the stout :lol:)

That seems simple enough. Might just have to give it a go! Is the remainder good to make chocolate vodka and the likes?

Youve been a great help : cheers:

:thumb:

Callum

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

You can also add the seeds from 2 vanilla pods and 1/2 tsp of salt..this will enhance the choc flavour without affecting the taste.

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

calluma11 said:
The recipe i was partially following said 50ml and I only have 20ml.. mind, saying that I dont want to overdo the chocolate (still want to taste the stout :lol:)

That seems simple enough. Might just have to give it a go! Is the remainder good to make chocolate vodka and the likes?

Youve been a great help ::thumb:

Callum

50ml....20ml you don't know the strength of the product...trial and error (though Im not sure "error" is the right word) Its down to your tastes. Because the choc is now 100% cocoa (more or less) it can be dissolved in anything you want. Vodka...what ever

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

Hot choc and rum milk shakes are very moorish, but be aware ...its not "milk shake" your drinking

calluma11 · Oct 13, 2014

johnnyboy1965 said:
You can also add the seeds from 2 vanilla pods and 1/2 tsp of salt..this will enhance the choc flavour without affecting the taste.

Add it into the chocolate mix that you've given me the recipe or priming?
I was temped to add a couple of pods in actually - just because its a christmas drink

There's so much stuff for me to try - cant wait

Once again.. thankyou!

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

Add it to the primary.
If you want some quality vanilla pods, PM me your address and Ill send you some (free of charge) Quality vanilla pods are very expensive, but I order/use 100 per week and some might go missing.

calluma11 · Oct 13, 2014

That's such a kind offer of you but i've already started my primary and dont really want to touch it if possible

You must like vanilla eh?

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

Boring, boring, chefs story. Fresh vanilla can be used in so many ways. It just adds another "dimension"

johnnyboy1965 · Oct 13, 2014

Cant believe Ive just posted that

NegFerret · Oct 13, 2014

Some great advice there! Calluma, I'll be doing another chocolate beer and will definately try the essence you have. Love johnnyboy's idea of adding vanilla and salt to give an extra dimension, makes sense as I've done it with cookies! Never thought to do the same with beer. Brilliant!

I did a chocolate vanilla porter a few weeks ago. Because I realised the fat content had stuffed the head retention I did another with low fat, and no vanilla this time. It'll be interesting to see how they differ.

Chocolate Stout Advice

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