Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Chocolate Milk Stout

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Hello

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Recipe: Chocolate Milk Stout
Brewer: Hello
Style: Sweet Stout
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.11 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Color: 31.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 41.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 83.3 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name %/IBU
11 lbs Golden Promise (3.0 SRM) 68.8 %
2.5 lbs Pale Chocolate Malt (33.0 SRM) 15.6 %
2 lbs Caramel 190L - Patagonia (190.0 SRM) 12.5 %
8.00 oz Cocoa Husks (Mash 60.0 mins)
0.75 oz Northdown [8.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 28.9 IBUs
1 lbs Pilsen Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) 7.4 %
8.0 oz Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM) 3.7 %
0.25 oz Northdown [8.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min 7.8 IBUs
0.50 oz Northdown [8.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min 5.9 IBUs
6.00 oz Malto-Dextrine (Boil 5.0 mins)
1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)
8.00 oz Cocoa Nibs (Secondary 7.0 days)


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 16 lbs (15.50 grain 8 oz husks)
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 20.18 qt of water at 165.3 F 156.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.47gal, 3.66gal) of 168.0 F water

Tasting Notes:
I get a roasty chocolate flavor that is not over-powered by just chocolate. In fact, I would definitely increase the cocoa husks when I brew again to get more chocolate flavor. I like the smoothness that mashing with cocoa husks provides. It is not cloyingly sweet to me despite it finishing at 1.024. It has a good mouthfeel obviously from the malto-dextrine and the lactose. It is a very dark beer, of course. This beer placed 2nd overall in a local competition recently.

I brewed this when I couldn't find a recipe or get a response from the people at Boulder Beer Co regarding their Shake Chocolate Stout. I can't say whether it matches it, but I really enjoyed this one and it will suffice as a replacement for a clone recipe. This is a modified version of what I brewed based on how my brew day went and how it all turned out.

There was some weird lactose shortage between the three LHBS that I can get to easily so I ended up with 8 oz of lactose. I was concerned about it not turning out how I wanted so I offset the lactose with malto-dextrine. Next time I brew this I will use all lactose and compare. Also, I will use Wyeast 1098 next time only because I like that yeast in dark beers and I'd like to see how it works with this recipe. There was nothing wrong with WLP002 and it definitely did not attenuate lower than I had hoped, which was key for me. I aimed for a slightly sweet stout and that was what I got.

Notes: My OG ended up being 1.080, I opted to let it ride. FG was 1.024, which is only slightly over what I was hoping for (1.020). I left the nibs on for longer than I wanted after all. I was trying to keep the taste smooth and leaving the nibs in secondary too long gave it a slightly bitter taste. The sample prior to adding nibs was amazing and smooth so next time, I will reduce nibs in secondary to 7 days instead of the 14+ it had on the first attempt. I may even up the husks to 12 oz, but for now I left the husks as-brewd the first time. Final note, don't make dog treats with the spent grain. I started cooking up a batch and while they baked I realized the cocoa smell and tossed the treats.
 
Thanks for sharing Brother! What does FG and OG mean?

Hahahaha! The "brother" is a sister :)

And what Robbiethebassist said.

This looks delicious, the last few stouts I made I added Maltodextrin also to beef up the mouthfeel. I like the husk mashing also will look to try that next time, thanks for the recipe.
 
Has anyone had any issues with brewing with lactose. When I opened my fermenter for the first time to pitch in the cocoa nips it looked liked the yeast cake hadn't dropped. Wasn't sue if this was something related to the lactose. The sample tasted outstanding. No off flavors or aromas. So I don't think it's an infection. Just puzzled.


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I never have but I toss lactose into the boil with about 10-15 minutes left. What yeast did you use? How long ago did you brew?
 
The recipe I used said to throw it in at the start of the boil. I used Wyeast #1332 Northwest Ale and brewed on 11/16. But like I said nothing bad as a taste or smell. I wish I would've taken a picture. When I threw in the nibs I gave in a super gentle stir.


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I'm planning ahead for the cooler weather, and thought a chocolate milk stout would be awesome for my friends that don't like bitter beers. After reading some of the reviews on the Northern Brewer site, I'm really liking the sound of this style. I was thinking if I did this one, I'd add 1/2 a cup of Hershey's Cocoa powder with 20 minutes left in the boil. During the secondary fermentation, I would add the nibs soaked overnight in vanilla flavored vodka (sister-in-law likes it) and let it ferment another 2 weeks before transferring to bottles so it can condition for 2 months.
 
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