Help making a special beer

So, my wife and I just found out we're going to have a baby boy in June (our first). I have decided I want to make a special beer for the occasion and would like for it to be ready to drink by the due date of June 18. I have decided I want to make a chocolate milk stout. It sounds appropriate, what kid doesn't like chocolate milk? I don't want to try to reinvent the wheel here, but I haven't found a good recipe. At first I was going to brew the NB chocolate milk stout, however it uses chocolate extract, and based on the reviews, the extract didn't taste too good.

I'm a new brewer and only have the capability and know how to brew extract batches. I'd kind of like to hear back from you guys to throw some recipes or ideas on what I should use. Also, I'm irish (Murphy) so I'd kind of like to build some irish influence into the beer, thinking about using irish stout yeast...

All this being said, I'm curious to hear back from y'all.

Cocoa nibs, I personally haven't ued them myself, but I have tasted them, and they definitely impart the best chocolatey flavor.

WLP004 Irish Ale yeast is a good yeast, a high flocculator (not that it is necessary in a dark beer) but it is a low attenuator, I don't care what the website/style states about the yeast, it has consistently under attenuated every beer I have made, so if you want the beer to finish a little sweet, then it is a great choice, and since it is a milk stout, it might be right up your alley.

"Brewing Classic Styles" is a super good book to start out brewing, and the recipes are very good, you can add your own touch with the chocolate flavor yourself, and make it your own.

Cocoa nibs huh? What's a typical amount to use? I'd like to make this beer land in the 6-7% ABV range. What type of malt should I use? Is it better to make this with all dark LME or a combination of light and dark, all light with steeping grains? Should I us any DME? There's so many ways to approach this...

After your comment Schnitz, I'll definitely be using WLP0004 and cocoa nibs. How are nibs used? I'm assuming during the boil so they melt in with the wort, when are they added?

tmurph6 said:

Cocoa nibs huh? What's a typical amount to use? I'd like to make this beer land in the 6-7% ABV range. What type of malt should I use? Is it better to make this with all dark LME or a combination of light and dark, all light with steeping grains? Should I us any DME? There's so many ways to approach this...

After your comment Schnitz, I'll definitely be using WLP0004 and cocoa nibs. How are nibs used? I'm assuming during the boil so they melt in with the wort, when are they added?

Click to expand...

I think you want to secondary the nibs(or you could add them to the primary after fermentation has ceased) , I would use all Extra Light DME, and steeping grains for color and flavor, Many of the darker DME/LME varieties have crystal, munich, or other grains in them already, so if you want to use steeping grains, I would simply use the EXL DME.

Having said that, I would make the recipe using the late extract addition method, which means adding 1/2 of your DME in the boil at 60 minutes, and 1/2 of your DME in the last 10 minutes or so left of the boil. Not that you are looking for a hoppy beer, but it will give you a better hops utilization, and will make your estimated IBUs more accurate.

Steep your grains before the boil at about 154-155° for 20-30 minutes before the boil, don't squeeze the bag when you remove it either, you run the risk of tannin extraction, the best thing to do is let it drain over a pot in a collander, and you can add the delicious tea back in to your pot.

If you don't have any brewing software, and have a recipe in mind, PM me the ingredients, amounts, and I will plug the stuff into Beersmith, and send you a brewsheet.

Thanks! I'll put something together and post it! I appreciate the help!

Dude, so your wife's 5 months pregnant and you just found out? Ehgahd that's a doozy. Congrats though!

I knew she was pregnant. Just not the sex. After finding out I thought, huh I should brew something for the occasion.

Sorry this took so long...anyway let me know what y'all think about this.

ABV 5.8
IBU - about 28 ish
SRM 39

Extract
7 lbs Light LME

Grain
.75 lbs chocolate malt
.5 lb crystal 60L
.5 lb roasted barley
1 lb flakes oats

Hops
1 oz Willamette 60 min
1 oz Willamette 45 min

Fining/flavoring
1 lb lactose added @ 10 min
8 oz unsweetened cocoa powder added @ 10 min
1 whirlfloc tablet added @ 15

Yeast
White labs Irish ale

Process
Steep grain at 155 for 30 minutes in 2 gallons water. Remove grains, add additional 2 gallons water to pot. Bring to boil, remove heat, and add LME and follow hop schedule/additions. Pitch yeast @ 60-65 degrees.

Primary 2 weeks
Secondary 3 weeks
Keg 3 weeks - about 2 volumes co2