Where's The Chocolate?

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rodwha

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A year ago I found a recipe for an American brown ale and took the ingredients list to a LHBS. I was told they didn't carry the specific pale chocolate I had on my list, but that he'd fix me up with what would do.

That brown ale tasted very chocolatey and was great. I've tried to tweak the recipe to gain more pronounced chocolate, but have ended up with a roasty porter like beer instead.

My brew log got wet where the amounts were entered and so I can only assume I'm reading what I do. And I didn't list the brand of pale chocolate. I have no idea what the original recipe called for, and I've asked what they figured they would have given me as a substitute, but they aren't sure.

The way I read my original recipe is:

7 lbs Briess golden light LME
12 oz pale chocolate
10 oz crystal 60
6 oz crystal 120
I'm not sure what my yield was as I wrote both 5-5.5 gal and 5.5-6 gal ???

What I've been doing is 12 oz dark (350) or pale (200) chocolate, and 8 oz of both 60 and 120. I've also switched to pilsen LME and 1 lb of Bavarian wheat DME.

What I've been told here is that I may be using too much chocolate malt and getting the roasty taste. Were I to yield 5.3 gal or so how much chocolate should I be using?

I've heard of people using cooking chocolate too... I'd be willing to try it, but would like to use grains since I know it can be done and it's been bothering me that I can't replicate or even come close to it.
 
I really don't have a lot of experience on the subject but might they have given you chocolate wheat?? I've got a lb, or so, kicking around at the moment and it definitely has a more chocolate-y, than roast-y, aroma.

Maybe 4 Oz of dark chocolate malt might yield a similar flavour to a 12 Oz pale choco malt addition.
 
I've read that the "chocolate" when refering to a malt is talking about the color not the flavor. If you want chocolate flavor use unsweetened cocoa powder in your boil. Do a search on cocoa power and see what comes up.
 
"I've read that the "chocolate" when refering to a malt is talking about the color not the flavor."

But the first brown ale I made had a chocolate taste from whatever malt they gave me.
 
Pale chocolate malt will offer some/better coffee/chocolate flavors... "Lighter than most chocolate malts. It adds great color and a smooth chocolate flavor." I've been using it more in my darker brews, when I wanted that flavor addition.
 
I've tried cocoa powder at flameout in a stout and didn't care for it. I 've gotten nice chocolate flavor from pale chocolate at 12 oz per 5 gallon (again, this is in a stout though). I was using Hugh Baird as that is what the LHBS carries - 200L.
 
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