Comments on Double Chocolate Stout Recipe?

I am looking to put together my first all grain batch... I've previously been doing PM for the last year and a half.

I want to make a Double Chocolate Stout. I went to my LHBS and one of the guys helped me put this recipe together... without the lactose and cocoa powder. I am guessing at the amounts for them.

9 lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 40
1 lb roasted barley
1 lb chocolate malt
about 1 lb lactose?
maybe 2-4 oz of 100% cocoa powder?

.5 oz warrior hops at 60 min

nottingham yeast

Does anyone have any input on this?

Thanks in advance

jrss13 said:

I am looking to put together my first all grain batch... I've previously been doing PM for the last year and a half.

I want to make a Double Chocolate Stout. I went to my LHBS and one of the guys helped me put this recipe together... without the lactose and cocoa powder. I am guessing at the amounts for them.

9 lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 40
1 lb roasted barley
1 lb chocolate malt
about 1 lb lactose?
maybe 2-4 oz of 100% cocoa powder?

.5 oz warrior hops at 60 min

nottingham yeast

Does anyone have any input on this?

Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

Unless the grains have already been mixed & milled my suggestion would be to back off a bit on the roasted barley, maybe cut it down to a half pound. You might consider adding a pound or so of flaked barley or oats to the mix for texture and smoothness. One pound of lactose seems like a lot and 4 oz of cocoa seems a bit short but I have never used either ingredient so that's just a guess. I would also use a Brit hop rather than American here. Challenger or Goldings would be my choice.

I used a pound of lactose in a milk stout I made so dont think that is too far out of line. I did mask low (150F) as to get a more fermentable wort as the lactose will not be eaten up by the yeast. This of course will keep the FG up a bit.

Jason

I agree with backing off on the roasted. I would personally add a pound of flaked rye or oats in place of the lactose for body/mouthfeel, but that one is entirely up to you. Lactose could work just fine. The bittering hops shouldn't matter...they;re for bittering.

I'd go with at least 8oz cocoa.

As a modification to the Brewer's Best Russian Imperial Stout, I put 8oz chocolate at the end of the boil and 4oz of nibs in the secondary and the first thing my wife said when taking a sample after two weeks in the secondary was "no chocolate". Note that clone recipes of both Rogue's and Young's chocolate stouts call for the addition of chocolate extract which you may want to consider.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will cut back the roasted barley from 1 lb to 1/2 lb. I picked up some flaked oats today too, how much would I want to use? Maybe 1/2 lb?

I did the following for a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout and it ended up tasting excellent. I just dumped the rest of an 8 oz container of cocoa powder into the boil. One thing to consider is that the cocoa powder will increase the bitterness of the beer. I also used Pale Chocolate Malt instead of Chocolate Malt for a maltier flavor. I used over a pound of oats to help with the mouthfeel. Hope this helps.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.75 gal
Boil Size: 7.37 gal
Estimated OG: 1.058 SG
Estimated Color: 33.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 42.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 68.0 %
1.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
1.25 lb Chocolate Malt, Pale (225.0 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
1.25 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
0.25 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2.0 %
2.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.40%] (60 min) Hops 42.2 IBU
6.70 oz Cocoa Powder (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Mash at 150.0 F for an hour.

I just brewed this today. Here is the final recipe I went with:

8 lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 40
.5 lb roasted barley
1 lb chocolate malt
1 lb flaked oats

.75 oz warrior hops at 60 min

3/4 lb lactose at 15 min
6 oz of 100% cocoa powder at 15 min

nottingham yeast

Beersmith told me that with 70% efficiency I should end up around 1.060, but that didn't include the cocoa, as I didn't see that as an option in the software. I came in right at 1.060, but I am wondering if the cocoa added some points? Basically did I hit my 70% efficiency for my first AG brew, or did I come in less and make some of it up with the cocoa?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.