American Brown Ale - Coffee, Maple, Chocoalte?

[halfbrew70]

I recently brewed my first all grain batch. I halved a 5 gal American Brown Ale recipe kit, and it's currently in the primary.

I'd like to do something different with the remaining ingredients (the grains came already blended). I'm thinking about brewing another 2.5 gal batch, but then halving it to create different flavors with each half (just to experiment and learn).

I'm thinking of coffee, maple, or chocolate flavors. Could you offer any tips or suggestions?

For coffee, I've read that I could either pour in some brewed coffee near the end of the boil or into the primary or into a secondary just before bottling. Read some info on using the grounds too.

For the maple, I've read that I could had maple syrup to the primary or to a secondary just before bottling.

Have not read anything on chocolate yet...

Any comments would be appreciated. Do, don't, how, if, could...lay it on me!

Thanks!

 

[RitsiGators]

Coffee is pretty easy to add to a beer, I have used brewed coffee. If you go with grounds make sure you figure the right amount as it can really add too much flavor if you are not careful. From what I hear about maple, you need grade B syrup to get flavor and alot of it. Its kind of expensive too... As for the chocolate, unless you have a pretty sweet base its going to taste weird as so much of the taste we associate with chocolate is sweetness. A combo of some chocolate malt and then either cocoa nibs or powdered baking chocolate is what I have heard works.

 

[halfbrew70]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I have bottles of Caramel and Maple extract (imitation extract). I wonder if I could add a flavoring extract to the primary or perhaps just prior to bottling?

I understand that I could change flavor by adjusting the grains in the recipe, but I'd like to split a base recipe into small fermenters (1 gal?) to try different flavorings. Just to see how it works out. If I stumble upon a result that I really like, then I could size it up to a full batch.

Thanks.