Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout- How much spice?

[homebrewnewbie]

I'm brewing a chocolate stout, spicing it with dried ancho chilies, and using 1 lb. of lactose. Making a full-bodied 6 gallon batch.

***I just need a suggestion for how much of the ancho chilies to use, if anyone has had experience w/ this.

This recipe was inspired by Copper Kettle's Mexican Choc Stout, but I wanted to do a milk stout as well, it'll be great for the cold winter months!

Here's the recipe if anyone is interested:

7lb Pale Malt 2row
3lb Maris Otter
1lb Choc malt
8oz Pale Choc malt
4oz Black Patent malt
1lb Munich Malt
1lb Flaked Oats (head retention & body)
12oz Biscuit malt
8oz Carafoam (wanting a pillowy head)
1lb Lactose (last 10 minutes of boil)

90 Minute Boil

1oz Horizon 90Min ("first-wort" hop)
1oz Cluster 5min
1oz Bramling Cross (whirlpool after boil for 10min)
^This will be a little less that 40 IBUs, but the creamy-sweetness from the lactose will balance this pretty well I think.

White Labs British Ale yeast

*?Ancho Chilies into secondary for two weeks?
*Also, would anyone suggest using actual cocoa in this?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Drinking: Dark Nutbrown Ale
Tertiary: Smoked & Oaked Belgian Trippel

 

[Bassaholic]

I just recently bottled a chocolate chipotle stout and my recipe was similar to yours minus the lactose. I soaked 3 oz of cacao nibs , 2 vanilla beans and 7 small chipotles (about 2 oz dried) in vodka for a week. I added that to the primary after fermentation was completed.

I tasted it after two days and it was becoming a little spicy. By the third it was just enough heat on the aftertaste so I bottled then. It hasn't carbed yet so I can give you definitive feedback, but I would advise tasting everyday to see when the flavor is right for your tastes.

 

[Mangy17]

Bassaholic how did this beer come out? With fall and winter loomimg I'm starting to plan some cold-weather beers.

Thanks!