Using Coa Coa nibbs in the secondary

**bf514921** · 12-05-2011, 01:20 AM

so i am making a chocolate milk stout, recipie calls for using coa coa nibbs in the secondary.
question 1 - how do i "sanatize" coa coa nibbs or do i just throw them in a secondary?

2 , could i keg and put the nibbs in the keg and let the beer age that way?

**jester5120** · 12-05-2011, 02:26 AM

i sanitize my nibs in a little bit of bourbon or vodka for a day before i throw them in. you can also drop them in a little star san. I've also heard of people just throwing them in but i don't know how bacteria prone they are.

you could keg with them but i wouldn't throw them straight in the keg. put them in a muslin bag so they don't get caught in the dip tube.

Rhoobarb · 12-05-2011, 02:33 AM

No need to sanitize in secondary; it's a waste of time and resources. There is enough alcohol in the beer to deal with any nasties. Just toss the nibs right in there. I do it every time I brew this or the version w/out coffee.

day_trippr · 12-05-2011, 03:21 AM

You could just toss the nibs in, and I used to do that and never had any problems with it.

But since those days I have found soaking them in just enough vodka to cover in a sealed container for two or three days with an occasional shake along the way then dumping the whole mix into the secondary results in a lot more intense flavor out of them....

Cheers!

**bf514921** · 12-07-2011, 02:06 AM

i think i will go for the soadking in bourbon or vodka, just a little bourbon. but thanks for the replies, never really put anything in the secondary before.

Jtc2811 · 12-09-2011, 03:11 PM

IMHO, if you want the most intense cocoa flavor and are worried about sanitation, you should try roasting the nibs. I took some and set a part aside and roasted the rest to compare, and the difference is astounding.

Just set them on a baking sheet, and put in the oven for about 12-15 minutes at around 300. When they smell like fresh chocolate and have turned a rich brown, they're done. The heat should also help with sanitization, not to mention melt some of the oil in the nibs off to help with your head.

**SkyHighBrew88** · 12-09-2011, 03:17 PM

Assuming they aren't already roasted...

This website suggests the vodka method and a cacao nib variety easily found at Whole Foods:

http://barleypopmaker.info/2009/12/15/chocolatizing-your-beer/