| Author |
Message |
    
Jim Gilbert
New Member
Username: Madwheels
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 07:47 pm: | 
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As you will probably know shortly by the daftness of my question...New brewer... I have a couple of batches under my belt and so far have done pretty well...
I want to try my first experiment but I'm not sure if what I am doing will end in disaster.
I want to try and brew a chocolate porter. Due to space considerations I am using a kit (Brewers Best)...
I have used their English pale ale kit with good results and I have their Anchor clone in the secondary now...
I picked up the Robust porter kit and the owner of the LBS told me I could try and add 1 lb of molasses and an inch of licorce for an interesting flavor.
Which got me to thinking... What would happen if I substituted liqorce with chocolate.
I was thinking that using cocoa powder might be the way to go as it doesn't seem to have a lot of the oils associated with bakers chocolate and the like.
I found a Chocolate porter reciepe online that closely matches the grain bill of my kit... In it they list 1 lb of corn sugar and 4 oz of cocoa.
I am wondering if the molasses will effect the flavor? and will the additional sugars cause me to have a different SG... Would I need to make adjustments.
Thanks
---> Jim
PS here is the link for the reciepe I found online
http://brewery.org/brewery/cm3/recs/#chocolate |
Steve Fletty
Junior Member
Username: Cheesehead
Post Number: 57
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 08:10 pm: |
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I made a chocolate mild that turned out pretty good.
Instead of using chocolate or cocoa, I used roasted cocoa beans in the secondary. Much simpler and more controllable. Just leave the beer on the beans until you get the flavor you want.
I used Scharffen Berger Cocoa Nibs. Do a web search and you can find online retailers. I found mine at a local gourmet shop.
I used 8 oz in about 2 gallons of my mild and left them in for about a week to 10 days.
The cocao nibs gave the mild a dry chocolate flavor and aroma.
Here's a link:
http://www.scharffenberger.com/products/nibs.htm
(Message edited by cheesehead on September 17, 2004) |
Mountain Jack
Junior Member
Username: Mountainjack
Post Number: 50
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 08:46 pm: |
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I just brewed a chocolate porter that contains no chocolate/cocoa. It was made with chocolate malt that imparts a suttle chocolate flavor. If you want to go this route then you could steep some chocolate malt, say maybe .5 lb in a 5 gal batch to give it some flavor.
(Message edited by mountainjack on September 17, 2004) |
mark taylor
Junior Member
Username: Marktaylo
Post Number: 44
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 10:54 pm: |
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For a robust porter with a nice coco/coffee flavor in 10 gal. AG I use 14oz.blk patent and 20oz. chocolate malt. Very tasty. |
Chris Colby
Member
Username: Chriscolby
Post Number: 234
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 11:10 pm: |
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Actually, Scharffen Berger sells cacao nibs, not cocoa nibs. 
Chris Colby
Bastrop, TX |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 2263
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 04:19 pm: |
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I am thinking about brewing a chocolate porter with Ibarra chocolate - "Authentic Mexican Chocolate", it says on the 18.6 oz. yellow hexagonal package. "Ingredients: Sugar, Cacao Nibs, Lecithin (Emulsifier) and Cinnamon Flavor".
Anyone ever tried brewing with this stuff? Or, can speculate on the list of ingredients whether it would work in a batch? |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 3514
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 04:41 pm: |
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1 lb. of molasses is insane AFAIAC! A cup will give you a pronounced molasses taste that may even be over the top.
LIfe begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Hophead
Advanced Member
Username: Hophead
Post Number: 984
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 06:57 pm: |
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I dunno, I typically add a jar (I believe they are 12 not 16 oz, but as Dan states, "I could be horribly wrong") to my Stouts near the end of the boil, and it is certainly not overwhelming, very subtle to me. Now, if you add it into primary or secondary, then watchout...
Having said that, I typically make dry stouts and imperial stouts, so it would be more noticeable IMHO in a sweet or 'mild' stout...
Licorice is not my bag, baybee... Yuk. I still cannot fathom how people can voluntarily drink jaegermeister, nevermind actually paying for it, but that's another story...
Rereading your post, yes, the molassis will affect the OG of yer brew. Recipator puts it at 36 pts...
(Message edited by hophead on September 18, 2004) |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 3517
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 07:08 pm: |
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Different tastes, I guess, HH. The couple times I've used molasses it just seemed to take over the beer, even when used in the boil.
LIfe begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Rob Beck
Member
Username: Robbeck
Post Number: 134
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 11:28 pm: |
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Hophead You must mix the jaegermeister with Red Bull to be considered high class. Those that drink it straight are looked down on.
Rob |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 2267
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 19, 2004 - 03:00 am: |
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Rob, I had no idea you were so hip. Those who want to try the concoction Rob refers to should go to Miles City, Montana, for the World-Famous Bucking Horse Sale. A photograph of the hideous concoction can be seen at the following link (scroll down to the "bullbuster"):
http://www.trailsinn.com/strange1.htm |
Dave Johnston
Junior Member
Username: Bigtattoo
Post Number: 47
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 19, 2004 - 01:45 pm: |
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I brewed a "Slanting Annie's Chocolate Porter" from one of Charlie P.'s books early on, it called for 3#'s crystal to one can of baker's cocoa to offset the bitterness of the cocoa. Came out well for a mash/extract brew. Could have used a bit more hops but really was a pretty nice beer. Not as cloying as one might think with all that crystal. |
Ian Whipple
Junior Member
Username: Xboxotter
Post Number: 43
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 19, 2004 - 03:45 pm: |
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I have used chocoloate once for a Cherry Chocolate Porter. I used ½ a pound for a 5Gal batch. I used an organic cocoa powder and found the chocolate flavor wasn't quite enough. However the cherry was too strong so maybe I just need to back off on that instead of boosting the chocolate.
A social drinker in New Hampshire would be an alcoholic anywhere else.
The Otter Himself
www.geocities.com/xboxotter
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George Schmidt
Junior Member
Username: Gschmidt
Post Number: 93
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 07:12 am: |
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Not sure if I've posted this on this forum before, but it bears repeating if I have.
I make hot cocoa using the espresso machine and substitute good (dutched) cocoa powder for the coffee. Don't pack it too tight or the steam won't get through!! The chocolate liqueur that results is wonderful mixed with steamed milk.
It would seem to me that it would be a great way to add chocolate to beer as well, certainly better than trying to get the powder to emulsify into the secondary. On second thought, if you got some of those nibs that others have mentioned, it might work even better in the espresso machine. I haven't tried this with beer yet, so YMMV.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss.
--Robert A. Heinlein: The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
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David Woods
Intermediate Member
Username: Beericon
Post Number: 392
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 04:47 pm: |
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George,
You should try that cocoa powder in the espresso machine trick with DME! You could have your starter wort boiled and ready in no time! 
David
Onslo: "Get me a beer!"
Daisy: "We're out of beer."
Onslo: "I can't believe it! I'm completely surrounded by NO BEER!"
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Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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