Chocolate type

[Rdracera1]

Getting ready to brew up a sweet stout and I'd like to have it finish with a bit of chocolate flavor. Which type of chocolate would best accomplish this?
A piece of a Hershey's bar?
Hot coco mix
piece of unsweetened baker's chocolate
Hershey's powdered baking coca (bitter)


Thoughts?

edit:
Wouldn't the wax in an actual chocolate bar kill head retention?

 

[magno]

Ive made a couple chocolate stouts. Ive always used as pure bakers chocolate as I could find (90%+)

In my chocolate cherry stout I also added lactose. This sugar is unfermentable and added to mouthfeel as well as some sweetness.

If you are interested I can get you more details when I get to my brew log.

- magno

 

[sirsloop]

i used pure cacao chocolate powder. In the future I would use a less fermentable DME so the beer finishes sweeter. I used muntons, which is a dryer malt extact. Either that or you could use a yeast with a lower attenuation

 

[Rdracera1]

Thanks for the input. This brew will indeed have some lactose for sweetness.

 

[sirsloop]

i wouldnt use the bakers chocolate cause it has fats added that would inhibit head retention...

 

[Rdracera1]

I'm leaning towards the dry Hershey's coca because I already have it on hand from another baking project.

 

[sirsloop]

right on... just keep in mind its VERY bitter, so I think you have the right idea with additives to balance it out. I used 4oz, and lucky for me I enjoy a dry bitter beer

 

[Rdracera1]

I also have instant hot coco mix that isn't bitter but, I'm not sure what that would do. I've never heard of anyone using it.

Anyone have thoughts/comments on hot coco mix or Ovaltine???

 

[Brewiz]

I have used Baker's on many occasions and had great results.

 

[david_42]

A good cocoa powder and/or chocolate malt. A little vanilla (not vanillin) 1/2 oz. helps bring out the chocolate.

The instant hot cocoa mix probably has preservatives in it and not much cocoa, ditto Ovaltine.

 

[Beer Snob]

i wouldnt use the bakers chocolate cause it has fats added that would inhibit head retention...

Well I dont know about all chocolate, but this is indeed what happened with mine. Taste great, but no head. When we were talking about it the thought was that chocolate does this.

 

[Beer Snob]

Incidently, the chocolate taste in mine seems to diminish with time. Not sure if this is a common thing to happen or not.

 

[veggiess]

I would love the recipe for the choc cherry stout. Good head retention? Sweet? Bitter? Thanks!

 

[Rdracera1]

I would love the recipe for the choc cherry stout. Good head retention? Sweet? Bitter? Thanks!

Let me know how it is if you make it.

Linky

 

[sirsloop]

I cant vouch for head retention on my german chocolate stout yet as its only been on bottles a few days. After a couple weeks i'll be able to see how the head is. The first one I cracked open after 4 days pulled a little head, but its only 4 days. Its 7.75% ABV too, so that may have something to do with it