One step to far.... Chocolate Cherry Stout

[richc]

I've been getting a fancy to brew something a bit unusual, I've no idea if this is going to work but it'll be interesting finding out.....

3kg Pale Malt
500g crystal
500g chocolate
50g black

Mash at 68C for an hour, single batch sparge as usual

60 minute boil

35g of 4.5AA Fuggles at 60 minutes.

So far so normal, but then.....

at 15 minutes add 250g pure cocoa powder and 300ml of strange polish cherry cordial (which actually tastes like real cherries).

Ferment on the warm side, say 23C and add 150mg of sour cherries soaked in brandy.


I've experimented with the cherry cordial in a normal stout and 1-2% seems like the right sort of amount to get some taste but not overload with cherry taste.

Anyway, thoughts, have I finally gone completely mad or is this actually a good idea?

 

[Vossy1]

Sounds like a great idea to me, but I like those sorts of tastes :grin:
Why ferment on the warm side, is it to supplement the fruit flavours? Is so, do you want any additional fruitiness and what yeast are you using :hmm:

 

[richc]

I've got some wlp004 (Irish Ale) so I was going to use that as the yeast. The higher temperatures are to encourage some general fruitiness, don't want to take it to far but I think a little might be a nice touch.

 

[Vossy1]

Sounds good to me

 

[Eradite]

looks good Rich!

Wouldn't mind a taste of that one when its ready : QC of course!

 

[TheMumbler]

Cherry and chocolate certainly pair well, so I should think it would work with a stout. I've never much liked any of the chocolate beers I've tried but YMMV. Doesn't the fat in chocoalate potentially intefer with the head, or am I making that up? I'd be interested to try it if you do go ahead.

 

[Aleman]

The Jamil Show on The Brewing Network has a great podcast on speciality beers

 

[Darcey]

Looks good I was going to have a stab at doing a choc/cherry mild as something similar to this
Dunham Massey's

It is with out doubt hand on heart one of the best beers I have ever had the honor to pass over my palate!

A lovely rich mild with a biscuit start and a bakewell tart esq sweetness with cherry flavour.. mmmm

 

[richc]

The Jamil Show on The Brewing Network has a great podcast on speciality beers

I've listened to loads of those podcasts but missed that one. I'll listen to it on the way to work tomorrow.

 

[unclepumble]

I have been thinking about a cherry related beer myself this week :hmm: :hmm:

B&M have napoleon cherries in sugar syrup at 70p a tin, at the mo, so I picked up 4 to put in a brew, I like the look of the cherry mild :hmm: :hmm:

I was thinking of a triple then putting a couple of tins in secondary for a couple of weeks.

I don't think you have gone mad it sounds pretty good.

UP

 

[Archtronics]

Sounds like a amazing idea, Will be watching this one closly :thumb:

If the cherry syrup your talking about is the one from asda, it can be very bitter when fermented out so maybe use it as a primer or something ?

Mark

 

[TheMumbler]

It is worth bearing in mind that you don't get the sweetness you might expect from a fruity drink when using fruit. Sugar gets used by the yeast, obvious when you think about it.

I've got a couple of fruit wits (around 10l each of gooseberry and blackcurrant) just coming ready and they are rather tart. I like a bit of tartness (ask SWMBO ) but I put a bit of sweetner in the gooseberry one at bottling as it was a bit much. I reckon they'll be lovely chilled on a hot day.

I should stick a brewday thread up for that. The cereal mash and fruit in secondary made it probably the most adventurous brew I've done.