How much cocoa?

Sorry if this question has been asked in another thread, but I'm planning on making a chocolate stout and I wondering how much cocoa to add? I'm using chocolate malt, but I also want to use cocoa powder. I've heard it's good to add it in secondary. What should I look for in the grocery store, and how much do I add to secondary?

I use 8 oz. cocoa powder per 5 gallons of finished product. I've never tried adding to secondary though. I always just throw it in the boil for the last 10-15 minutes. I may have to add it to secondary to see what the difference is if any.

dfc said:

I use 8 oz. cocoa powder per 5 gallons of finished product. I've never tried adding to secondary though. I always just throw it in the boil for the last 10-15 minutes. I may have to add it to secondary to see what the difference is if any.

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I've heard adding it to the boil brings out the bitterness of the cocoa. Do you get any bitterness in the final product?

I have a chocolate coffee stout in the secondary fermenter currently. I brewed the stout, let it sit for a week, then racked it on top of about a pound or two of bulk chocolate I purchased from a place I work. I just crushed up the chocolate and put it in the carboy then siphoned beer on top. Tuesday I will be filtering it into another carboy with about 12 or so ounces of coffee beans. Let it sit for a week...taste it, then either bottle it as is, or add cold brew coffee to it and bottle.

when i did my chocolate stout, i added a tbsp. of cocoa to the priming sugar at bottling time. it is a bit overwhelming if you want to drink it soon, but after waiting a month or so it was just about right.

good luck

I have a Double Chocolate Stout that I brewed a while back and used 8 oz. of Cocoa (added w/ 5 min. remaining). It is the first thing that hits anyone who tries this brew. When I do it again, I'll probably cut it in half and only use 4 oz. It's a little over the top for me, but chicks dig it.

I use 1 oz. (1/4 cup) of the good Belgian cocoa. I have used up to 4 oz. (1 cup).

If you have chocolate malt in the recipe then you shouldn't need more than 1-2 oz.

Forrest