Ancho and Cocoa recipe

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MaynardX

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Im brewing a Semi-dogfish head Theobroma clone and would like some feedback on the recipe. I am not going for the full out clone, but would like some of the same flavors in the profile. Here is the recipe and tell me what you think i might adjust.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 13.25 gal
Boil Time: 90 min

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
27.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 84.38 %
1.50 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.69 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.13 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 1.56 %
1.00 oz Annato Seed (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
4.00 oz Ancho Chili (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
4.00 oz Cocoa Nibs (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
2.00 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 6.25 %
1 Pkgs Burton Ale (White Labs #WLP023) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.083 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.022 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.04 %
Est Color: 22.7 SRM

I guess what im looking for is amounts for the adjuncts to add. Im trying to make a brown ale with pronounced ancho chili spice and chocolate flavor(with the cocoa nibs or can add some cocoa powder). Anyone have any experience with these ingredients?
 
I've used ancho and annatto before. 9g/gallon of Ancho resulted in a good strong pepper flavor without being too overbearing, and I used 1/3 tsp per gallon of whole annatto and it was possibly bordering on slightly too strong, though mellowed nicely with age. For the annatto I tested a couple teas, one with just cold water soaked for a few days and one where I added boiling water to the seeds and soaked for a few days. I liked the characteristics of the boiled one more so added both the water and the seeds to secondary.

My experience with cocoa powder hasn't been very positive but others seem to have had better luck. I have had great success with cacao shells (hard to find without a bean to bar chocolatier nearby) and have just started playing with nibs and I like how that's gone so far, but the beer hasn't been finished yet.

I actually did something quite similar to what you're going for
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/xocolatl-ancient-chocolate-beverage-179794/

When I try doing it again, I'm going to use basically the same recipe but convert it to AG and mash high (like 156ish), use corn instead of oats for more authenticity, lower the annatto slightly, lower the aniseed, raise the habanero/ancho, use REAL cinnamon, and use nibs/shells instead of cocoa powder.

It's smoothed out quite a bit since I first tasted it, with all those spices I'd plan on giving it a little longer than normal to condition.
 
I used anchos and chipotles on a cocoa chili porter. I haven't put the keg on yet but it has good chili and cocoa flavors. I "dry hopped" with them. I don't have the recipe in front of me but for a 5 gallon batch I believe I used 6 oz dried ancho and 5 oz of dried chipotle. Left it on for about 3 weeks. oh and I did 6 oz of cocoa powder 15 min boil. Get ready for some thick sludge in primary
 
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