First Wort Chocolating?

[EamusCatuli]

So I was thinking about trying a different technique for my double choco stout this time around to get more chocolate out of it. Aside from upping the amount to 2lbs (yeah i know its alot), I was thinking about adding some chocolate (8oz or so) to the first wort runnings, sort of going on the same reason why first wort hopping works.

The only reason why I feel it might go bad is if the chocolate gets burnt or scorched.

Thoughts?

 

[Chriso]

Just make sure to calculate your Chocolate Bittering Units for a 20 minute addition, k?


Nah but seriously. I don't know concretely if/how this would work, but I would suspect it'd be just fine!

As long as you stir thoroughly leading up to and for the first few minutes during the boil, I don't suspect that scorching would be an issue.

I'm interested to hear/see the results!!

 

[srm775]

So I was thinking about trying a different technique for my double choco stout this time around to get more chocolate out of it. Aside from upping the amount to 2lbs (yeah i know its alot), I was thinking about adding some chocolate (8oz or so) to the first wort runnings, sort of going on the same reason why first wort hopping works.

The only reason why I feel it might go bad is if the chocolate gets burnt or scorched.

Thoughts?

Try Cocoa Nibs (dehusked coca beans). Another brewer here uses them for a double-chocolate stout and they really do add a chocolate flavor.

There are a few specialty stores in Chicago and Chicago-land area that carries them. The manufacturer is Scharffenberger.

p.s.- forgot to mention they're added to secondary for about two weeks.

 

[jbodkin]

How much Cocoa Nibs would you add to a 5.5G batch? And how do you sanitize them before adding? (Heat)?

 

[EamusCatuli]

coco nibs, lol


Ill give em a look, thanks for the info

 

[EamusCatuli]

I brewed the double chocolate stout yesterday, I am now calling it the Confection Stout. The idea of First Wort Chocolating just may work. I added a half of a pound of bakers chocolate to the first runnings and MAN did the stuff look and smell amazing. When I started the boil it looked more like I was making chocolate syrup than beer (kind of looked like I bowl of chocolate ice cream when you whip it all up)....and the smell

Im not sure how much gravity point 1.5 lbs of total chocolate adds, but my gravity was about 10 points higher than my intended gravity of 1.069. But ill just pretend that I got an 85% efficiency

Ill let you all know how it turns out!

 

[ryox82]

Please update on this as soon as it finishes!! I looooooooove chocolate stout and might have to tackle this one soon.

 

[srm775]

How much Cocoa Nibs would you add to a 5.5G batch? And how do you sanitize them before adding? (Heat)?

I added two packages (16 oz). Though I think you could use just 8oz. No need to heat/sanitize. They're added to secondary and I really don't think chocolate beans are condusive to growing bugs.

 

[Revvy]

I was listening to a back episode of Craftbrewer Radio podcast from down under, they were talking about adding Coco powder in the mashtun...evidently it infuses the runnings and leaves the fat behind with the grain.

 

[Edcculus]

I'd lean toward cocoa powder. Cocoa nibs are just the roasted unground pre-chocolate form. Here is the chocolate making process:

-The pods are harvested
-workers split open the pods
-the seeds and white gunky stuff are spread on mats
-wild yeast ferment the mucilage around the seeds creating heat (and the chocolate flavor
-the seeds are washed then dried in the sun (like coffee)
-they are sent like this to manufacturers

at the manufacturer"
-seeds are dehusked (dehusked seeds are called nibs)
-the nibs are roasted
-the nibs are ground up into a paste called cocoa mass or cocoa liquor. The nibs are so high in fat that they make a pasty substance when ground. This is unlike coffee which makes a powder when ground.


From here, 2 things can be done:
-the mass goes into a press. The press seperates the cocoa solids from the fat. This leaves cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

OR

-the mass goes into normal chocolaate production where it is liquefied again and blended with sugar, vanilla, more cocoa butter and sometimes milk.

Sorry for the long explaination. I think some people might be confused on nibs vs. powder. Really, you get more flavor from the powder since it is around 95% cocoa solids. Nibs are really mostly fat. I think some people might be under the opinion that powder=ground nibs, which is not true. Cocoa powder is also not inferior than nibs.

Now if you really want to get technical, you need to look into what variety your cocoa powder is. In terms of coffee, forestaro=robusto, criollo=arabica. Unlike coffee though, criollo beans are VERY expensive and hard to grow. The are known for their earthy/fruity taste. Forestaro grows easily and is resistant to disease. It makes an inferior chocolate though.

 

[Chriso]

Whoa. That's pretty cool, Edcculus.

The only fact I know about chocolate.... is that it's yummy. I know nothing.

 

[zman]

I made a chocolate raspberry oatmeal stout recently and tried one yesterday. I added 10oz of Ghiradelli (sp) caco at 15 min left in the boil and then 4 oz of chocolate extract at bottling. I added the latter because I was not convinced about the presence of the chocolate flavor right before racking to the bottling bucket and I think a lot of it settled out post fermentation. I am waiting for the raspberries to mellow out a bit but the chocolately goodness is there making itself known

 

[Edcculus]

Whoa. That's pretty cool, Edcculus.

The only fact I know about chocolate.... is that it's yummy. I know nothing.

Haha

Yea I took a class this semester through the horticulture department called "Vines, Wines and Brews". It was all about the production, cultivation and making of coffee, tea, chocolate, beer and wine. It was the best class I took in college. I even got to give a lecture on all grain brewing. The problem, I'm now a coffee, tea, chocolate and wine snob. At least I was already a beer snob.

 

[Revvy]

Haha

Yea I took a class this semester through the horticulture department called "Vines, Wines and Brews". It was all about the production, cultivation and making of coffee, tea, chocolate, beer and wine. It was the best class I took in college. I even got to give a lecture on all grain brewing. The problem, I'm now a coffee, tea, chocolate and wine snob. At least I was already a beer snob.

And you mean you haven't posted every freaking note you took, and haven't scanned every handout you received for us yet?????

Please sir can I have some more knowledge?

Sounds awesome!

 

[Edcculus]

And you mean you haven't posted every freaking note you took, and haven't scanned every handout you received for us yet?????

Please sir can I have some more knowledge?

Sounds awesome!

I should post all of the powerpoint lectures and readings. I'll try to get around to that in the next few days. Right now, I'm celebrating graduation!!!

 

[flowerysong]

at the manufacturer"
-seeds are dehusked (dehusked seeds are called nibs)
-the nibs are roasted

I'm pretty sure you have these steps reversed. The roasting helps loosen the husk/shell. See Lindt Switzerland - Chocolate Production2

 

[Edcculus]

yea you're right. I was going from memory.