darthbogart
Member
This right here is my first ever brewing forum post. Took me long enough.
I'm about to make an altered version of this recipe. I made the recipe as is (swapping the LME for DME) last year, and it was quite successful. This time around, I'm going to be taking my first tentative steps into the world of brewing experimentation by using cacao nibs and maybe lactose.
What's a standard amount of nibs to throw in there for a 5-gallon recipe? I've read that one typically adds them like dry hops, during secondary. Should I mill them at all? Or are they sufficiently small on their own?
Also, since I'm trying to bring out the chocolate flavor profile, how else might I achieve this? I thought perhaps upping the amount of chocolate malt in the steeping grains? Thoughts?
As far as the lactose, I've never brewed with it either- I had an inkling that it might help bring the chocolate sweetness out. At the same time, though, I don't want the beer to be too sweet. I really just want a little sweetness and a nice smooth mouthfeel, which I believe lactose is supposed to provide as well.
Any thoughts or advice on the matter would be much appreciated!
Cheers.
I'm about to make an altered version of this recipe. I made the recipe as is (swapping the LME for DME) last year, and it was quite successful. This time around, I'm going to be taking my first tentative steps into the world of brewing experimentation by using cacao nibs and maybe lactose.
What's a standard amount of nibs to throw in there for a 5-gallon recipe? I've read that one typically adds them like dry hops, during secondary. Should I mill them at all? Or are they sufficiently small on their own?
Also, since I'm trying to bring out the chocolate flavor profile, how else might I achieve this? I thought perhaps upping the amount of chocolate malt in the steeping grains? Thoughts?
As far as the lactose, I've never brewed with it either- I had an inkling that it might help bring the chocolate sweetness out. At the same time, though, I don't want the beer to be too sweet. I really just want a little sweetness and a nice smooth mouthfeel, which I believe lactose is supposed to provide as well.
Any thoughts or advice on the matter would be much appreciated!
Cheers.