I've been reading as many threads on cocoa (nibs, powder, bars, etc) and fruit additions as I can. Everything is starting to blur together. So I thought I'd start my own thread and get some "fresh" advice and perspective.
I have a deep dark wheat beer in primary. I'm looking in the next day or two to split the batch, I want to put cherries and chocolate on one half and keep the other half of the batch un-touched.
I will be using cocoa powder, does anyway see any problems with me just adding the cocoa powder to the cherries when I'm pasteurizing them, instead of water or vodka as some do?
It will be 3 gal. and my ratio so far:
2lbs Cherries
1 oz. Cocoa Powder
Does this look acceptable, or would you add more or less? I do want the cherries to shine through, but not overly powerful and just a slight hint of chocolate.
Also these are cherries from my in-laws back yard. They washed them and then froze them, I didn't have enough space in the freezer when I brought them back with me so I stuck them in the fridge. There is now a lot of cherry juice in the gallon jug since thawing. Should I get rid of most of the juice before secondary and just pasteurize the cherries and use what that produces? I'm afraid with the amount of juice that is there it will overpower the beer.
Any input, advice, warnings, would be great appreciated!
I have a deep dark wheat beer in primary. I'm looking in the next day or two to split the batch, I want to put cherries and chocolate on one half and keep the other half of the batch un-touched.
I will be using cocoa powder, does anyway see any problems with me just adding the cocoa powder to the cherries when I'm pasteurizing them, instead of water or vodka as some do?
It will be 3 gal. and my ratio so far:
2lbs Cherries
1 oz. Cocoa Powder
Does this look acceptable, or would you add more or less? I do want the cherries to shine through, but not overly powerful and just a slight hint of chocolate.
Also these are cherries from my in-laws back yard. They washed them and then froze them, I didn't have enough space in the freezer when I brought them back with me so I stuck them in the fridge. There is now a lot of cherry juice in the gallon jug since thawing. Should I get rid of most of the juice before secondary and just pasteurize the cherries and use what that produces? I'm afraid with the amount of juice that is there it will overpower the beer.
Any input, advice, warnings, would be great appreciated!