Chocolate Stout... What and when?

So I'm brewing a Stout (with Coconut and Chocolate in it - I know, not everyone's taste, but I think it might be good).

I'm using lactose and chocolate malts, amongst other stuff, but have been trawling the forums to find the best way to add the chocolate flavor. I can't seem to find a unanimous opinion....

Some say add chocolate to the boil, others say add cocoa at flame out, some say add cacao nibs to the secondary.

So there are 3 options for each variable:
TIMING:
Boil/End of Boil/Secondary
ADDITION:
Chocolate/Cocoa/Cacao nibs (I don't wanna use an extract/chocolate vodka)

Some combination of the above.

I'm looking for a subtle smoothness from the chocolate, I don't want it to overpower the subtle coconut flavor...... suggestions?

I'm interested in this as well. I've got a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout clone in primary, and think chocolate would go well with it.

By the way, this is for a 5 gallon batch....

Try 4 to 8 oz of Hershey's cocoa powder in the last 5 minutes of the boil. I hear the boil helps with clumping but my guess is too long in the boil and you get more bitterness, maybe? Also I think this would do well in a high ABV brew if aged for an extended period of time. I found a "Liquid Sex Chocolate Mead" recipe a while back that explained how the bitter oils in the cocoa break down over time, leaving subtle traces of delicate chocolate.

Yep, 8 oz unsweetened hersheys cocoa powder is the way to go it seems. Jamil Z does a podcast where he talks about a chocolate cherry stout, and this is the way he does it, so that's the way I went. 8 oz hersheys unsweetened powder at 5 minutes. I brewed 8.5 gallons, and I'm going with another 8 oz can cocoa and 6 pounds of cherry puree in secondary. I think nibs in secondary is another way a lot of people do it, and that works out fine as well.

Some say to add some vanilla bean to bring the cocoa flavor out.

I used Giardelli Semi sweet bakers chocolate 2 minutes before the end othe boil broken up in pieces and that added great flavor but it wasn't the predominant flavor. It was a nice dakr chocolate flaovor in the background with the coffee and the oatmeal.

I did an 8oz bar for 3 gallons. i would up it clightly so maybe 16 oz's for a 5 gallon would be nice. Th coca will be dryer in flavor and needs the vanilla bean to complete the flavor IMHO. I did this with an olde english style porter recipe.

Damn, you just reminded me I need a vanilla been tomorrow. Thanks

I added 1/2 # of chocolate nibs to the primary, soaked in vodka for few days. It tastes awesome.

i've got another chocolate stout aging right now. i use 1 lb chocolate malt per 5g in the mash

jbrookeiv said:

I'm interested in this as well. I've got a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout clone in primary, and think chocolate would go well with it.

Click to expand...

I did a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout clone and added about a cup of
Hershey Chocolate syrup to the last 5 minutes of the boil. Then I added 2 split vanilla beans to secondary. Turned out amazing.

I got the idea of Hershey Choc. Syrup from BYOB magazine, to me this the easiest way to add chocolate flavor to your beer.

P.S - Are you the same jbrookeiv that is on Cigarasylum (im BeerAdvocate on there)

For a 5 gallon batch I add 4 oz of bittersweet baking chocolate at turn off. This is the way Founders does it as well as Bell's and I have tried and found 4 oz to be the perfect amount for 5 gal. However I was adding coffee too so you may want to up it to 6 oz if it is to compete with the strong flavors of coconut.

SevenFields said:

P.S - Are you the same jbrookeiv that is on Cigarasylum (im BeerAdvocate on there)

Click to expand...

Yup, that's me. I actually work for Drew Estate now, so I'm not active on my personal account on many forums.

No way! Drew Estate is the best brand of cigars I have ever had, the Acid line is ridiculous and have never had anything from DE less than good.

I am very jealous.

Out of curiosity, why no chocolate extract? I've messed around with a half dozen chocolate stouts, all of them didn't come out at all really until the last one. Honestly, I've used nibs, bakers chocolate, cocoa, creme de cacao... all of them failures - until I dumped two of these little guys in when transferring to the keg (or bottling):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FRXHM6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Nail down an excellent stout, then add 4oz of chocolate extract. It's what Rogue and Youngs do, and they know their stuff!

5kw3r1 said:

No way! Drew Estate is the best brand of cigars I have ever had, the Acid line is ridiculous and have never had anything from DE less than good.

I am very jealous.

Click to expand...

Thanks man, yea I run our Facebook, Twitter, blog, website, online store and do the bookings for Cigar Safari, which is what we call the tours we run to our factory in Nicaragua.

Anyway, I added some Folgers Chocolate Truffle flavored coffee to my oatmeal stout yesterday and am interested to see how it turns out.

jbrookeiv said:

Yup, that's me. I actually work for Drew Estate now, so I'm not active on my personal account on many forums.

Click to expand...

Does that mean you can send me some T52 Flying Pig samples

SevenFields said:

Does that mean you can send me some T52 Flying Pig samples

Click to expand...

I wish, if I had some I totally would. I've only had 1 T52 Pig and I work for DE! Great to see another DE fan on this forum.

So I added coconut to this into the secondary (first real try at a secondary).
I toasted some, and boiled the rest in coconut water, trying to sanitise it as much as possible.

Its been a day (I didn't add any other sugars or more yeast - figured there'd be enough to get it going again) and there is no activity, seems like it might be dead!?

Any thoughts on what to do to kick-start a secondary fermentation? Should I pitch more yeast? Add some more sugars? Is it contaminated and over?

I know, I should give it more time, but it really is motionless!

You may not see any activity if primary fermentation is complete. I have had fermentation kick up just a touch when adding to a secondary, particularly with adjuncts that are highly fermentable, but as I don't know the fermentables profile of coconut, I don't really know what you should expect. But no it's probably not contaminated, and certainly not over. =] Relax and take your own advice, give it time.