Sub dark chocolate for cocoa powder?

Ksosh · 06-26-2009, 11:39 PM

So I'm planning on brewing in approximately 30 minutes, and I've got 5 ounces of cocoa powder. The problem is, I need 6 ounces (added 15 minutes from flame out), and I don't have time to hit up the store.

I do have some ghardelli (sp?) super dark (80%?) chocolate in the freezer. Anyone think bad things will happen if I use a couple ounces of this in place of 1 ounce of cocoa powder? Should I add it at the same time (15 minutes from end of boil)?

It's for a Brooklyn chocolate stout clone.

Thanks!

Schnitzengiggle · 06-26-2009, 11:51 PM

I would say go for it!

rsmith179 · 06-26-2009, 11:52 PM

May not taste bad, but are there oils in chocolate? If so, that may not be the best thing for your beer's head retention...

Ksosh · 06-26-2009, 11:59 PM

rsmith179: Thanks for the hint about the oils/head retention.
I did a little more searching and found this link: Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Recipes - Brewing with Chocolate
This guy basically says you can use milk/dark chocolate, but to add it early in the boil to counteract the effect on head retention.

jaginger · 01-15-2010, 04:59 AM

Hey, how did you Brooklyn Chocolate Stout clone turn out? I'm jonesing to find a recipe for this.

Ksosh · 01-16-2010, 02:19 AM

It was not too bad, but drier and a little more bitter (from the cocoa powder) than I expected.

jaginger · 01-16-2010, 02:24 AM

Cool. Do you know where the recipe can be found (or could you post it here?).

Thanks!

Ksosh · 01-16-2010, 04:02 PM

Sure:

Socia's Black Chocolate Stout (first attempt):

Extract with partial mash (5 gallon batch):

5 lbs 8 oz Dark LME
10 oz Chocolate Malt
8 oz Crystal 60 Malt
1.25 oz Fuggles @ 60 mins
1.75 oz Dark Chocolate (70%+ cocoa, ghirdelli, I think)@ 60 mins
.25 oz Fuggles @ 15 mins
1 Whirlfloc Tablet @ 15 mins
5 oz Cocoa Powder (hersheys) @ 15 mins
8 oz Clear Candi Sugar @ ~10 mins
4 oz Table Sugar @ ~10 mins
2 pkgs Cooper Ale Yeast

OG estimate: 1.052 (my actual 1.070 - I overboiled I think)
FG estimate: 1.012 (my actual 1.015)
ABV estimate: 5.1% (Actual 7.2%)
Est color: 27.8
Est IBU: 18.9 (much higher actual due to cocoa powder)
Ferment 14 days @ 68 (I'd increase this by a week or two)
Secondary 7 days @ 68 (This is mostly to get the beer off the huge cocoa powdery trub)

Note that there was a LOT of trub on the bottom, which reduced the yield of the batch, and I might have overboiled and concentrated the wort more than expected (hence the higher actual OG).