How much cocoa?
 

Sorry if this question has been asked in another thread, but I'm planning on making a chocolate stout and I wondering how much cocoa to add? I'm using chocolate malt, but I also want to use cocoa powder. I've heard it's good to add it in secondary. What should I look for in the grocery store, and how much do I add to secondary?

I use 8 oz. cocoa powder per 5 gallons of finished product. I've never tried adding to secondary though. I always just throw it in the boil for the last 10-15 minutes. I may have to add it to secondary to see what the difference is if any.

I've heard adding it to the boil brings out the bitterness of the cocoa. Do you get any bitterness in the final product?

I have a chocolate coffee stout in the secondary fermenter currently. I brewed the stout, let it sit for a week, then racked it on top of about a pound or two of bulk chocolate I purchased from a place I work. I just crushed up the chocolate and put it in the carboy then siphoned beer on top. Tuesday I will be filtering it into another carboy with about 12 or so ounces of coffee beans. Let it sit for a week...taste it, then either bottle it as is, or add cold brew coffee to it and bottle.

when i did my chocolate stout, i added a tbsp. of cocoa to the priming sugar at bottling time. it is a bit overwhelming if you want to drink it soon, but after waiting a month or so it was just about right.

good luck

I have a Double Chocolate Stout that I brewed a while back and used 8 oz. of Cocoa (added w/ 5 min. remaining). It is the first thing that hits anyone who tries this brew. When I do it again, I'll probably cut it in half and only use 4 oz. It's a little over the top for me, but chicks dig it.

I use 1 oz. (1/4 cup) of the good Belgian cocoa. I have used up to 4 oz. (1 cup).

If you have chocolate malt in the recipe then you shouldn't need more than 1-2 oz.

Forrest