Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Nothing Fancy Chocolate Milk Stout

14.5 LB Maris Otter
2 LB Flaked Barley
1.25 LB UK - Chocolate
1 LB Roasted Barley
1.25 LB UK - Brown
.5 LB Extra Dark Crystal 160L
2 LB Milk Sugar (5-10 Minutes left in the boil, it's not science)

Hops:
1.5 OZ Northern Brewer 7.8 AA (60 Minute)

Additions:
8 OZ Cacao Nibs (KA-KOW!)
2 Whirlfloc Tablets
Wyeast Yeast Nutrient

Primed with 8 oz Corn Sugar

Mashed at 155 for 60 minutes.
Sparged at 174.


The nibs work best if you soak them in vodka for ~3 days before you throw them into the primary. Cover them with vodka and then pour the whole thing into the fermenter, cheap ABV boost! Do this after the 2 week mark and let them sit for 3-4 days. I didn't secondary this, I threw the nibs into the primary. The longer they sit, the more chocolate you'll get, but I like how 3-4 days tastes. No overpowering chocolate, but enough to make you smile.

A friend tried it with cocoa powder and got similar results, but I still prefer the nibs.

The beer snobs, SWMBO and regular beer folks all loved this, so I wanted to share it. I can't seem to keep up with demand.

It only gets better with age, the last batch was fantastic at the 2 week after bottling mark and fantastic at the 1 year mark.

Cheers for now.

What yeast did you use?

For some reason my whole recipe along with og and fg didn't show up. I'll fix it but until then I used wyeast Irish ale.

Does Irish Ale dry out the stout or does it have a nice finish?
Also, why vodka?
I was thinking of soaking the nibs in bourbon. Just curious if the vodka adds anything.
Thanks for the recipe by the way

It finished nice and smooth. Not dry at all. Also, much like vanilla beans, you need some alcohol to extract the flavor and since such a small amount is pretty flavorless in a 10g batch, it doesn't add anything but chocolate.

I'm trying this recipe out. I don't really like stouts but I've made so many Pale Ales and IPAs that I thought I'd try something different. I really like rogues chocolate stout. Its going to be fun. I just need to get some yeast soak the nibs and see about getting it done. Hows the head retention? I'm probably going to use pacman yeast how will that fair rather than the 1084?

The pacman yeast will probably be just fine. The wad retention is on par for a stout, but after about a month in bottles. It's ready to drink sooner, but it's perfect at the 3 month mark.

Did you boil at 60 or 90?

eviljay said:

The pacman yeast will probably be just fine. The wad retention is on par for a stout, but after about a month in bottles. It's ready to drink sooner, but it's perfect at the 3 month mark.

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Wad retention made me giggle...

I boil for 90.

Don't hate on my wad retention!

eviljay said:

I boil for 90.

Don't hate on my wad retention!

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Hey, at least you HAVE wad retention!

Shizzel I boiled for 60 last Sunday pretty excited but not so much as to lose my wad retention.

I used the pacman yeast and had it on stir plate and when pitched it started bubbling like crazy 15min afterwards. It was by far the most active yeast that early that I've used. Wlp001,1968,1056,wlp051,us05,safale 04 to name some off the top of my head.

advogold said:

Shizzel I boiled for 60 last Sunday pretty excited but not so much as to lose my wad retention.

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You never want to get too excited as to lose your wad retention. It's a bad time.

I just cracked a bottle thats been aging for 4 months. It's very smooth and the chocolate hasn't died out over time. I wish I could keep more than 2-4 bottles around this long.

no doubt I hear ya good beer never lasts but bad beer will last forever lol

What does everyone think about adding vanilla bean during fermentation process still waiting to add cacao nibs to this recipe thought I could add at same time. My buddy has gooseberries how would I in future recipes add fruit blueberries cherry gooseberries or is an extract the best way to go?

I'd rather use the actual fruit, and I've tried the vanilla before, it's ok, but it takes away from the chocolate, I'd say add an ounce or 2 more nibs if that's the route you're going to take

Thanks I'm just sticking to the recipe this time other than using the rogue yeast. I'm soaking the nibs right now. Really looking forward to it. I'm going to be kegging this and force carbing it how long would be best before drinking it seems once I get it in keg and about four days I'm pouring glasses. Should i just let it age longer in primary. Like you I rarely use secondary and don't plan on it for this beer. Definitely plan on reusing this yeast. Cheers

I'd let it age longer in primary then. I typically ferment for a month.

I bottled today and took a taste. 4 months in primary and it is chocolatey good.
Not sure I would consider vanilla for this recipe
Maybe a fruit extract, but only a hint

One of my local friends just did this with a touch of orange zest, he loves orange chocolate. Can't wait to give that one a try.

eviljay said:

I'd rather use the actual fruit, and I've tried the vanilla before, it's ok, but it takes away from the chocolate, I'd say add an ounce or 2 more nibs if that's the route you're going to take

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Jay, what would you think about soaking the nibs in Organic Vanilla Extract? It's high in alcohol and almost all commercially available Chocolate has a little in it? I haven't tried to soak my nibs yet, but have only used them in 10+%ABV beers and they seem to work nicely. Will try the soak and see how they differ. I just read the rest of the thread. I get that the vanilla would take away from the Chocolate, but I'm still going to try it on a different beer.

I feel like soaking the nibs in that much would give you one hell of a vanilla beer

It could be delicious, who knows?! Give it a shot.

That's the thing I enjoy about making your own brew. That you're only limited by your imagination.

And physics, still working on that speed of light beer....

Anything with US-04 is quick, not the speed of light, but quick. I'm still working on making the same beer twice and having it taste the same. I just passed 60 brews in under a year. Extract to ten gal all-grain batches. Maybe next year I'll try and recreate them in the same order.

I feel like mine aren't going to be consistent until i build a fermentation freezer for them. I believe all that's hindering me now is consistent fermentation temps/yeast count. Until then, I'm just happy if they're similar.

I agree. I checked gravity it was 1.030 @ 68 deg. I have a refrigerator that I'm using for keg and my LHBS is out of temp controllers for 50 duckets figure it'll pay for itself fast. Wow the sample tasted every bit of good. Goodwork eviljay

Thank you.

Just gave my week along batch a taste. Man I love this beer.

Oh boy! Can't wait. I'm going to make a holiday beer. I was thinking of using
this recipe as base or Baltic Porter from Sept/Oct Zymurgy mag. I'm planning on changing C120 to Special B and adding .75 or 1 Lb of Vienna, 1lb cane sugar, 1 tsp each allspice,nutmeg & cinnamon. Topping it off with a 2oz coffee toddy. For Hops I was thinking of 1oz No. Brewer-60, 1oz Fuggles-45, 1oz Styrian Golding's-15. Does that sound like It'll work?

Why not? I feel like it may be a little hoppy, but go for it.

Mine could be tasted now. I should pop a couple in the fridge and try them. Darn cold will not be good for tasting though.

Let me know!

I just purchased a Milk Stout Brewers best kit (5 gallon extract). What product would I need to add to make it a chocolate stout and how much to use ?........

eviljay said:

Let me know!

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Yeah. Went home for lunch and completely forgot to put some in the fridge. Just a small sample of how forgetful I am. I ate 2 hotdogs not 3 feet from the fridge and beer.

At least I finally remembered to bring that SS tube to work to bend for my BK pickup tube. So all I need do now is to remember to stop out at the bending machine before I leave and put a small bend on it...

dstranger99 said:

I just purchased a Milk Stout Brewers best kit (5 gallon extract). What product would I need to add to make it a chocolate stout and how much to use ?........

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I'd read a few recipes for chocolate stout. Recipes vary, but I did an 8 ounce can of cocoa late in the boil and then dry hopped on cocoa nibs.

I imagine people go from subtle chocolate to Hershey stout and everything in between.

I also added some lactose to up the sweetness just a bit for the wife. I bet the kit you bought has some of that in it.

Oh shizzel. Ejay I got to LHBS and forgot my shopping list. Smh luckily I had access to this thread so basically just following original recipe other than swapping out c120 for special B and pacman yeast. Trying a pumpkin porter taste like @#$%* but kinda wavering a bit on pumpkin stout. I also plan to use fuggles and maybe leftover northern brewer. Brown sugar and spices are all lined out but on fence about using them at this point.

You'll be pleased with the original recipe!