Question about adding coconut

[Reggiegentry123]

So I've purchased a chocolate milk stout extract kit from NB but wanted to add coconut flavor to it. To get the flavor I was thinking about buying some of the shredded coconut they sell in the baking aisle at grocery stores, but do I need to soak this in vodka first to sterilize? If so, do I pour in ONLY the vodka with the coconut flavor or add the coconut shavings? Or both? Any idea how much i should add for a 5 gallon batch?

Also, if I decided to toast the coconut in the oven first would that be sufficient to sterilize it?

 

[HomebrewSupply]

So I've purchased a chocolate milk stout extract kit from NB but wanted to add coconut flavor to it. To get the flavor I was thinking about buying some of the shredded coconut they sell in the baking aisle at grocery stores, but do I need to soak this in vodka first to sterilize? If so, do I pour in ONLY the vodka with the coconut flavor or add the coconut shavings? Or both? Any idea how much i should add for a 5 gallon batch?

Also, if I decided to toast the coconut in the oven first would that be sufficient to sterilize it?

Check to be sure what you're buying is only coconut (sometimes they have some preservatives that you might want to avoid). I'd toast it, but that's just because I like the flavor. Personally, I'd put in some vodka (or bourbon... mmm...) and add it all into the fermenter for a week or two. That worked well with vanilla and bourbon for me.

Not sure how much to add for a 5 gallon batch, but I'm sure someone will be able to help out there. Cheers!

 

[November]

I just kegged 5 gallons of chocolate coconut porter. I used 10 ounces (two packages) of unsweetened toasted coconut flakes. I soaked them in bourbon for a week then added the whole thing to the beer. I let it sit in the fermenter for a couple weeks before kegging. It isnt overpowering but the is no doubt that there is coconut in it.

good luck.

 

[Reggiegentry123]

How much bourbon did you use? I'm just worried about putting too much of that in and it throwing off the flavor. I love bourbon but just don't want to over do it

 

[Reggiegentry123]

November, were you pretty pleased with how it turned out with the coconut? Or do you think not would have been better without it?

 

[November]

I put the coconut into a one quart mason jar and added however much bourbon it took to cover it, it wasn't much since the coconut took up a lot of the volume. My beer is pretty strong and will take some aging to mellow out but that was because of the OG more than the bourbon.

I love the coconut. If I did it again, I would ditch the chocolate, at least at this point. As it ages the chocolate may come through better, but right now its the coconut that shines.

 

[m00ps]

FWIW, I used almost 2 pounds (30oz) in my 5gal of coconut porter and it still couldve used more. The flavor fades pretty quick

 

[November]

Also, don't expect any head retention. Even fully carbed I get pretty close to none from the oil in the coconut.

 

[drksky]

Also, don't expect any head retention. Even fully carbed I get pretty close to none from the oil in the coconut.

Could you eliminate the fat by making a vodka tincture, put it in the freezer to solidify the fat, then strain it and just add the tincture?

 

[day_trippr]

As much as I like old school approaches (being old, that's my wheelhouse ) from everything I've read on using real coconut in a brew, if I ever get the urge to add coconut to my stout, I'm going to take the short cut and avoid all the drama of toasting, dunking, avoiding infection and oiling up my beer by using
this instead...

Cheers!

 

[buzz1670]

Put a shot of coconut rum in your glass,add your beer.Yummy

 

[Reggiegentry123]

Hmm, that would actually make things quite a bit simpler. My only concern would be having any unpleasant artificial tasting flavors... Does anyone have any experience using this or a similar product?