Chocolate Stout cocoa powder/lactose question

So i've been looking at some chocolate stout recipes and it seems the go to for a lot of them is cocoa powder and lactose. I was thinking about doing a small side boil of the lactose and cocoa powder together and adding that at the end of the boil (somewhere round 15 mins). Has anyone tried this and how were the results? Does anyone know why this may not be a good idea? Thanks for the advice and Brew On friends!!

I wouldn't see an issue in doing a separate boil and adding before flameout. Only trouble with cocoa powder is that it gets lost in the mix IME - not very detectable. I'd taste it after primary and see how you like it. If you want more chocolate kick, do a secondary fermentation with 4-6oz of cacao nibs soaked in chocolate liquor or brandy. If you decide you want even more chocolate flavor (Young's double chocolate territory), add a splash of Still Spirits Chocolate Creme flavoring into your hot priming sugar solution. The Still Spirits combined with the cacao nibs is an incredible combo and my usual go-to when making chocolate stout

I do 8oz of cocoa at 10m before flameout and it works great. Takes forever to settle out though. Gelatin helps. 10m is also my go-to time for lactose additions. I think it adds a ton of chocolate flavor, and nibs are more there for aroma in my experience. Your plan sounds good.

fwiw...I use 8 oz of low fat cocoa powder at flame out, then 8 ounces of nibs and a stripped vanilla bean soaked in dark rum for a few days added after FG has been achieved.

Very tasty, and occupies a dedicated stout tap...

Cheers!

Thanks guys! So it sounds like I should go w/ 8oz cocoa powder. Should I do equal parts lactose? I bought the cocoa nibs so i'll do the brandy trick Hillsbrew was talking about for the secondary... Man. I want a chocolate beer right now, lol.

My experience with the cocoa powder was that it was nearly undetectable in the beer flavor. It existed in scent only. If I did it again I think I would take the advice offered above and maybe more lactose than what I used.

What is your batch size? For five gallons I add 100 grams of cocoa powder with 10 minutes left in the boil. I had no problems with it settling out in primary. I also add 1 pound of lactose along with the priming sugar at bottling. Or you can add it with ten minutes left in the boil; I've done it both ways, but I prefer to add it at bottling. I also soak 4 oz of cacao nibs in twice their volume of vodka for the two weeks I allow for primary fermentation, and then "dry hop" them in a muslin bag for two weeks before bottling. I have found that the best melding of flavor is after one month of bottle conditioning, but it is good as soon as it is fully carbonated. I carb to 2.4 volumes of CO2 and then after pouring 12 oz into a 20 oz glass I use the syringe trick to simulate a nitro tap. It really opens it up and gives it a nice, creamy head.

I've always done about 8oz cocoa nibs soaked in a good quality vodka (or other spirit like bourbon) and add them to the secondary. I also add my lactose there as well since it will not ferment then I know when the primary fermentation has finished. I have not used cocoa powder but I may next time I make something like my CBS (Chocolate Peanut Stout)!

8oz of nibs is a ton. I use 4oz but extract it differently. I cover them in water and boil them for a min. Let that cool and toss the whole mixture into the fermentor. Works much faster than vodka and it seems to extract more flavor

Alright... so i've considered everything here and here's what i've come up with. I'm going to try .25lbs of lactose combined with the cocoa powder, 8oz, at 10 min end of boil. I'm going to soak the cocoa nibs in vodka along with a vanilla bean, and add that to the secondary, and finally, another .25lbs of lactose to the bottling bucket. I'll let ya'll know how it turns out!!

Just did one of these kits, 4 oz of nibs in secondary. I've done Chocolate stouts using cocoa in primary and it doesn't impart a lot of flavor. I had some success using chocolate extract in the secondary but that just seems like cheating. Trying this recipe to see how the lactose adds mouth-feel/flavor and whether the nibs are a better flavor.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-ChocolateMilkStout.pdf

outdoorvtguy said:

Just did one of these kits, 4 oz of nibs in secondary. I've done Chocolate stouts using cocoa in primary and it doesn't impart a lot of flavor. I had some success using chocolate extract in the secondary but that just seems like cheating. Trying this recipe to see how the lactose adds mouth-feel/flavor and whether the nibs are a better flavor.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-ChocolateMilkStout.pdf

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Ive got the same kit in the fermenter now as well and am 1 week in, my plan is to either boil the nibs and add at week 2 or steep in vodka and add at week 2. I didn't add anything during the boil. How will you be adding your nibs? Whole, soaking or some other method?
Brett

I soaked them in Rum for about 24 hours and dumped them into the secondary for 2 weeks. Just tasted yesterday from the kew and it didn't really impart much chocolate flavor. Next time, I try just the nibs.

outdoorvtguy said:

I soaked them in Rum for about 24 hours and dumped them into the secondary for 2 weeks. Just tasted yesterday from the kew and it didn't really impart much chocolate flavor. Next time, I try just the nibs.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I have them soaking in some vanilla vodka and we'll see what happens when I add them in a week. I have to say the smell of them soaking is mouthwatering. lol !

Brett

FG at 1.020.

Used a fast fermenter for this batch.

At week 2 I removed the collection ball and left valve closed thinking it would allow more contact with the nibs that I added at week 2. They had been soaking in Vanilla Vodka for 2 weeks.
Week 3 I opened the valve and let the final settling take place.
Week 4. Kegged. Samples are not giving much chocolate at all, Somewhat disappointed in that so I'm thinking I'll try adding some cocoa at flame out for the next attempt.
Put 30 PSI on it for 24 hours. 15 psi for about 6 hours and sitting at 10 now. Test pint last night showed decent carbonation with a mild head but good retention. Tonight's sampling should be close to the final carb level.


Brett

Sometimes the simplest course isn't the right course. Want honey flavor? Don't put in honey, it will all ferment out anyway (unless you're a ninja). Want chocolate? Give us the IDEA of chocolate. Maybe some sweet, maybe some acrid, maybe some roasty, maybe some creamy...



Actual chocolate is not what you want. You want the idea of chocolate.


Your life will be easier now....

I recently made a chilli chocolate stout. 23L batch and used 200g of dark cocoa powder in the mash and 520g of roasted cacao nibs throughout the boil. Came out pretty good!!