Chocolate Mint Stout (need help)

Base Beer:

• 6lbs Briess Gold LME
• 1lb Chocolate Malt (Simpson)
• .5lb Caramel 120L
• 4oz Roasted Barley
• 4oz Milk Sugar
• 1oz Northern Brewer (60)
• 1oz Northern Brewer (10)
• Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale

OG: 1.053
SRM: 42.5
IBU: 46.5

Now I want to know if I use chocolate mint leaves (has flavor similiar to Andes Thin Mints) should I also add chocolate to the wort? if so when and what form (powder/brick/nib/bean)

Hrm, I thought this was in the Recipe forum, seems I was wrong, if someone sees this that can move it...

Do you have a link for the chocolate mint leaves? How much do you plan on adding? Is it real mint leafs covered in chocolate?

I brewed a similar recipe last night. I added 8 oz of coco powder about 10 minutes from the end of boil. The wort as of right now tastes delicious.

Daybis said:

Do you have a link for the chocolate mint leaves? How much do you plan on adding? Is it real mint leafs covered in chocolate?

I brewed a similar recipe last night. I added 8 oz of coco powder about 10 minutes from the end of boil. The wort as of right now tastes delicious.

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Chocolate mint is a species of mint plant, not leaves covered with chocolate.

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/menpiperitachocolate.htm

I'm using a chocolate mint tea, the flavor of the mint isn't the punch in the face strength as using Peppermint or Spearmint leaves, or I'm hoping it's from that plant, cause my friend moved and wasn't able to take hers...

i came to the forum today looking to ask this exact same question, although i was looking for more general information! is it best to brew a stout and add cocoa powder and mint leaves? or a chocolate stout... i'm not sure!

looking to brew with extract/steeping grains, for the record.

Thanks!

The recipe changed a little bit from the original posting, I'm going to use Amber instead of Gold, and changed the hops to Northern Brewer and First Gold.

But prolly do it as a chocolate stout, then in secondary add the mint and bottle when the flavor is near what I want.

Depends on how the mint I ordered tastes, if it's too strong I'll cut it out and just go chocolate stout

mikebowman said:

i came to the forum today looking to ask this exact same question, although i was looking for more general information! is it best to brew a stout and add cocoa powder and mint leaves? or a chocolate stout... i'm not sure!

looking to brew with extract/steeping grains, for the record.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

isn't a chocolate stout just a stout with chocolate added? i think either would be fine just as long as you're adding the mint. i recently bottled my thin mint / junior mint stout and it's excellent. the mint really comes through. i used apple mint from my friends farm and just made mint tea with a french press and added 1 cup to flameout and 1 cup after about a week in primary. for chocolate i used about 4 oz hershey's special dark cocoa powder.

Rikadyn said:

...Andes Thin Mints...

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I think the milk/cream/fats in them might lead to issues. But I dont have an ingredient list, so I might be wrong. Maybe they dont contain them (doubtful)?

Rikadyn said:

...should I also add chocolate to the wort? if so when and what form (powder/brick/nib/bean)

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I am a BIG fan of layering ingredients. Some pure powder (no milk fats/oils), nibs and chocolate extract (like vanilla extract) have proven themselves winners imo when added after primary fermentation.

I said like, thats primarily what the solution from the mint leaves is like.

sorry to drag this old message up, but i'm looking for some clarification. is the best way to do this then to make a stout, and add some sort of mint and chocolate to the secondary?

mikebowman said:

sorry to drag this old message up, but i'm looking for some clarification. is the best way to do this then to make a stout, and add some sort of mint and chocolate to the secondary?

Click to expand...

i would lean more toward a porter base just for the fact you're looking for chocolate & mint and not that roasty bitterness you might get from a stout. the roasted barley in my recipe is competing with the mint and covers it up a bit. i imagine some carafa or debittered black would work better.

I don't see why an oatmeal stout wouldn't work here. Oatmeal stouts aren't typically as bitter as other stouts.