brahausjoe Chocolate Mead

Aminal · 09-21-2009, 02:33 AM

Wife and I brewed this as a 2.5 gallon batch yesterday.

7.5 lbs. clover honey
15 oz. Nesquik coco mix
2 1/2 tsp acid blend
2 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient

Warmed water, poured in honey to blend. Added coco premixed with water, acid blend and yeast nutrient. Used entire Lalvin D-47 yeast packet. Everything cool until we went to bed. This morning Major blow out!
Sterilized wine thief, remove carboy cap and hoses. Cleaned throat of bottle, removed 2 cups of mixture. Cleaned carboy cap and installed new hoses. So far, so good. It's bubbling along just fine and furiously. Will keep posted of progress.

Vic

dinich · 09-21-2009, 08:10 PM

We , brahausjoe and myself, now have 2 five gallon batches of this working.
Been in Primary for about a month and we'll rack off in another couple months.

We didn't experience a blow out with this recipe but there are pictures of one that did.

Good luck and keep us updated on your progress

D

brauhausjoe · 09-21-2009, 08:18 PM

deja vu you take any pictures? :-) And please let us know how it goes!

jcobbs · 09-21-2009, 08:30 PM

I started to comment last night that there are some photos on here of chocolate blowouts. Cocoa and yeast seems to be an explosive combination

Aminal · 09-21-2009, 10:05 PM

I believe I experienced the blowout due to using the entire package of yeast to ferment the 2.5 gallon batch. It currently sitting on a shelf in my brewing area with two hoses connected to the cap. I'll take a bunch of pictures and keep everyone posted.

V

brauhausjoe · 09-22-2009, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aminal

I believe I experienced the blowout due to using the entire package of yeast to ferment the 2.5 gallon batch. It currently sitting on a shelf in my brewing area with two hoses connected to the cap. I'll take a bunch of pictures and keep everyone posted.

V

That would be great, thanks!

Aminal · 11-13-2009, 05:18 PM

Checked today. Looks as though it has fermented out. Hydrometer reads 0.999! Very harsh alcohol bite, very faint chocolate taste. OG was 1.121 per hydrometer. Want to transfer to secondary, any suggestions to bring out chocolate flavor?

V

Smogre · 11-13-2009, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aminal

Checked today. Looks as though it has fermented out. Hydrometer reads 0.999! Very harsh alcohol bite, very faint chocolate taste. OG was 1.121 per hydrometer. Want to transfer to secondary, any suggestions to bring out chocolate flavor?

V

The chocolate may come out more as the bite calms down.

dinich · 11-13-2009, 07:24 PM

When we originally brewed this we left it in the primary for 3 months and then secondary for 3 additional months before we did a taste test and then waited an additional 3 months to let friends try it.

I started another five gallon batch with an OG of 1.121 and a final of 1.014
I figure appeox 14.1% ABV

I calculate yours at about 16% +/-.

Time and patience are your best friends here.

In 9 months I'll trade a bottle of mine for a bottle of yours

My $.02

D

dinich · 05-13-2010, 02:13 AM

Just finished bottling my Chocolate mead.
This came out wonderfully, sweet with a licorice nose.

Time in bottle is only going to make it better.

SWMBO has said I can start another batch

Will start on next week

D