Spicy Chocolate Stout

Next up in my brewing adventure is to create a well-balanced chocolate stout with a hint of heat.

I'm going to use a clone recipe based on Southern Tier's Choklat and wanted to use dark chili-flavored chocolate in the boil.

Just wondering if doing it this way will give enough heat to the beer or should I consider adding a couple of chiles when racking to the secondary. That's what others here have done.

I have made Ginger Ale and added habanero chilis to it for some bite.... I did one Chilli for each 5 gallons of Ginger Ale... it worked out well...

It went in the boil near the end I think....

You might want to double check though and see if Capsicum is a volatile compound, I forget…

I think habaneros would be a bit strong. One thing I'm thinking of doing is just getting some anchos, a serrano and good dark chocolate and melting the chocolate over a double-boiler. Then, puree the anchos and seranno and add to the chocolate mixture. Then strain through a fine mesh strainer.

This could be done a couple of days before brewing. Plus, it gives an opportunity to taste the mixture for heat and flavor before adding to the kettle.

Update for tonight. I've prepared the chocolate mixture that I will be adding to the beer. A combination of 100% cacao, anaheim and serrano peppers, cinnamon, cayenne and sea salt. Just enough heat which I hope translates into stellar beer.

Question: I'm going to prepare a 1L yeast starter using White Labs London Ale WPL013. Do you think 1L will be enough (with yeast nutrient in the boil) for a beer with an O.G. of 1.113?

Any update on how this turned out? At what point did you add your mixture?

Thanks!

keys2heaven said:

Next up in my brewing adventure is to create a well-balanced chocolate stout with a hint of heat.

I'm going to use a clone recipe based on Southern Tier's Choklat and wanted to use dark chili-flavored chocolate in the boil.

Just wondering if doing it this way will give enough heat to the beer or should I consider adding a couple of chiles when racking to the secondary. That's what others here have done.

Click to expand...

I just made a batch with dried ghost chilies. Two during the boil and one more during fermentation. Worked out real good. I heard that fresh chilis may mess with the yeast, but dried are ok.

3 ghost chilis? and i thought i was crazy for using scotch bonnets

I also used 12 oz. of various hops. It's not as bitter as you would expect, but the hoppines is there, followed by a slight burn at the finish.