Chocolate additions

[chicknwsl]

I am currently making a Oatmeal Chocolate Stout. I could not get nibs but I found 100% Cacao bar. My plan is to add 2-3 oz in my secondary but I was wondering if I should add it to the boil. I am afraid to make astringent taste by adding to the boil. Thoughts?

7 Marris Otter
.75 Flaked Oats
1 Munich 10
1 Chocolate Malt
1 Crystal 60
1 Flaked Barley
1 Roasted Barley
1 Lactose 15 min BFO

 

[NickersonC]

Hmm, not too sure about this. If the 100% cacao bar is anything like the 100% cacao powder I sometimes mix with water, it is going to have a super bitter and honestly not too pleasant taste. Also, you never know what kind of other stuff is in any kind of packaged chocolate like that, even if it does claim to be 'organic' or something. Honestly, I think you'd be better off buying nibs, or I've heard people use the cans of 100% coco powder you can get at the grocery store. Nibs I believe would work in secondary, but I think I've read that people use the powder in the boil.

Just my $0.02

EDIT: Just re-read that you couldn't get nibs. I'm sure you can find them on the internet if your LHBS doesn't carry them, or just go with the can.

 

[Mobrewtwo]

I have made a chocolate porter that has about the same grains as you are using.
I use 4 oz of Hershey's Cocoa Powder 100% CACAO Special Dark and add at Flame Out,
stir VERY well and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to my plastic fermentor. It turned out very nice. When you take the FG reading use a beer thief, so you have enough to taste, if not chocolaty enough, make up some more and add to keg or bottling bucket. Good luck
Cheers
Ron

 

[chicknwsl]

My plan is to add cacao to a little bit of boiling water melting the cacao for a secondary addition. Im on a 21 day night shift work schedule so I had to bang out 3 batches yesterday and today. I do have some time to buy powered cacao if you think this would be too astringent.

 

[NickersonC]

Like I said I'm just not sure what exactly your cacao bar is like. Maybe try a little, and if it tastes right go for it. Again check for extra crap in the ingredients if you haven't already

 

[chicknwsl]

yeah good call ill try a piece of it... its 100% cacao so thats good. thanks for the help! Cheers

3 batches in 2 days. Red IPA, Oatmeal Chocolate Stout, and Citra Blast IPA

 

[chicknwsl]

Ok so I tried the bar of cacao and it was horrible... off to amazon.com to purchase cocoa nibs going to soak them in vodka if they taste any better than the bar

 

[bleme]

I've tried Hershey's powder at flame out and I've tried nibs in a bag with marbles, in my serving keg. Both worked fine, but I definitely preferred the nibs. I would think any kind of bar would have too much oil.