Using Fresh, Non-Roasted Cacao Beans

[rthiessen]

hello
I have a friend who gave me some cacao beans from a trade show for cacao buyers and I would like to use them for a beer I have in Primary. It is basically a hoppy brown around 6.5% and I need to add some ‘chocolate’ character to it for a competition in January.

So my plan is to split this beer in secondary and add the cacao beans somehow. Any recommendations for these beans(see attached pic) since they are whole and not roasted?

I assume I should crack them up into Nibs and sanitize with vodka? How much to add for 2.5 gallons for a moderate chocolate flavor/aroma?

Thanks!
rob

 

[bpgreen]

I've used cacao nibs before, but I don't remember the details. After a little Googling, I'd suggest using about 2oz for a 2.5 gallon batch. You can crack them into nibs or grind them into powder. You'll get more out of them the finer you crack/grind them. Using vodka to sanitize sounds like a good idea. I'd proably toss the vodka in along with the cacao.

 

[thehaze]

I would definitely sanitize them in vodka/whiskey and definitely crush them. Try to toast them for a few minutes. I've used organic, raw cocoa beans before and I usually use something like 6 oz for 5-5.5 gallons.

 

[Leezer]

I’m in the midst of my fourth batch of a 2.5G chocolate stout. Each time I soaked 4 ounces of cocoa nibs in vodka for several days in a covered jar that I swirled each time I walked by. I added nibs and vodka to primary, putting nibs in hop socks tied with sanitized dental floss and weighted with sanitized glass beads. I got the best results when they soaked in primary for almost a month before I had time to get around to bottling. A couple times I used whipped cream vodka which has a nice vanilla flavor.

 

[rthiessen]

I've used cacao nibs before, but I don't remember the details. After a little Googling, I'd suggest using about 2oz for a 2.5 gallon batch. You can crack them into nibs or grind them into powder. You'll get more out of them the finer you crack/grind them. Using vodka to sanitize sounds like a good idea. I'd proably toss the vodka in along with the cacao.

Thanks for the info. So if they aren’t roasted, does that change the amount of chocolate flavor? Do they need to be roasted? I couldn’t raalt

Appreciate it!

 

[bpgreen]

I don't really know. I used them raw, but I see that one of the other people who responded suggested toasting them.

 

[Steve-Ooo]

I used roasted cocao nibs in a strong chocolate stout recently in a 5 gallon batch. 2 ounces at flame out and 2 ounces soaked in rum for several days in the primary. Added a nice roasty bitterness but not overwhelming.