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**KCBrewer** · 04-26-2010, 10:57 PM

I've got a 5G batch of NB Dry Irish Stout that's been in the primary for 3 weeks now and I've got no keg room for it yet, so I'm thinking of moving it to a secondary and doing a cherry chocolate. This will be my first time doing any secondary addtions, so I'm a little unsure about it. I did a search and found a lot of different methods & ingredient amounts. Would I be on the right track to add a can (how many ounces?) of cherry puree and 7oz of hershey's coco, let it set 2 weeks, then keg? I was considering adding a vanilla bean also, but that may be too many flavors.

Suthrncomfrt1884 · 04-27-2010, 01:33 AM

The vanilla would actually compliment the chocolate, but I would only add 1/2 a bean since it's potent stuff.

As for the other additions, you have the right idea. I would probably up the chocolate though if you want it to be noticeable over the cherries. Make sure it's unsweetened chocolate with absolutely nothing by 100% pure cocoa. I think Hershey's is okay. It won't hurt your beer if it's not 100% chocolate, you'll just have poor head retention because of the oils in it.

dunleav1 · 04-27-2010, 02:16 AM

I have added 1 entire package of Hersey's Cocoa and 2 cans of Cherry concentrate to a stout with success.

**masonsjax** · 04-27-2010, 02:21 AM

Check out the notes on the Black Forest Stout in the book "Brewing Classic Styles". It talks about all of the above. I haven't done that recipe yet, but it's on the todo list.

Scut_Monkey · 04-27-2010, 04:07 AM

One of my friends wants to brew a cherry chocolate stout with me. Thanks for getting a thread started. I have no helpful info but thanks to others for postings some helpful links and info.
I've never had a commericial version of a cherry chocolate stout but sounds good.

**reinbrew** · 04-27-2010, 04:16 AM

I have been told by the LHBS to use cocoa powder not bars to avoid issues with the cocoa butter. Then you wouldn't have any issues with poor head retention. I would ask others for amounts though. I have also been a little anxious about adding anything after the boil. I didn't soak a vanilla bean in vodka once and it killed a stout with some terrible, foul smell. Scared since.

DocBrown · 04-27-2010, 04:25 AM

Check out Pelican's Chocolate Raspberry Stout. I brewed this one a while back and it turned out pretty good. It might give you some good ideas.

**KCBrewer** · 04-28-2010, 12:08 AM

Thanks for all of the replies. I mentioned what I was doing at work and one of the guys just happened to have picked up some vanilla beans at the farmer's market, so he brought me one. I stopped by the store and picked up an 8oz can of hershey's cocoa, but couldn't find cherry puree, so I bought 2 -14.5oz cans of pitted red tart cherries in water. So, I'm about to throw it all into the secondary and rack on top of it if you all think it sounds okay. To clarify:

5G Dry Irish Stout (primaried for 3 weeks)
Add to secondary: 1 split & chopped vanilla bean
8oz Hershey's Cocoa
29oz Pitted Red Tart Cherries in water

Rack beer on top

Sound like a plan?

(edit) Do I need to do anything to sanitize the cherries? Or just dump them in right out of the can? They are made by Oregon Fruit, the same company as the sterile cherry puree I saw on NB website.

KAMMEE · 04-28-2010, 12:13 AM

I made a cherry vanilla cream stout a couple months ago. I used 5 14.5 oz cans of Oregon sour cherries and dumped them & juice right into the primary, since they're canned they're pasteurized already. I would add one more can to my next batch. It needs to age though to really let the flavors shine through as its hitting its prime after two months in the bottle and I'm saving a case until winter to see how it ages for a couple more months. I've never tried chocolate, so no advice there. +1 on the vanilla bean, it works with the cherries too.

**KCBrewer** · 05-01-2010, 10:14 PM

I went for it today. I used 4 cans of tart cherries, 2 cans sweet cherries, 4oz hersheys cocoa, and 1 sliced/scraped/chopped vanilla bean.

I used the 2 cans of sweet cherries thinking it would offset some of the bitterness of the other 4 cans of tart cherries and the cocoa. I also didn't soak the vanilla bean in any liquor as I didn't want to add any liquor to the brew. And I cut back on the cocoa since I saw everything ranging from 2-8oz and figured I could always add to it, but I can't take away.

I have to say it smelled effing great! Hopefully it turns out good, because it's a pretty expensive batch now. I'll update in week or two when I taste it.