Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Andes Mint Chocolate Stout

[motleybrews]

Bump so I can find it easier.

 

[Sjorge3442]

Just brewed this yesterday. Hit 1.056 so im happy as its been my best efficiency yet. As I was aerating it seemed like the wort was just not taking in the air (there was few to no bubbles). Fermentation began today so I don't see it being a problem, just curious as to why this happened.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Just brewed this yesterday. Hit 1.056 so im happy as its been my best efficiency yet. As I was aerating it seemed like the wort was just not taking in the air (there was few to no bubbles). Fermentation began today so I don't see it being a problem, just curious as to why this happened.

Not sure about that. May have been less obvious because of the cocoa? It's a dark, dark beer. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though! Glad you enjoyed the brew

 

[Sjorge3442]

as of right now (48 hours after pitching) the yeast are having a good old time and I have about 2 inches of airy krausen. I ended up using WLP002 as I didnt want the dryness associated with the 004. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Chadh4x]

This is going to be my second all grain batch. What strike water temps and sparge water temps do you guys use.

 

[brewseeker]

Hey I need some advice, I brewed this last night and this morning I realized that I had forgotten the coco powder. After 10 hours in the fermenter, I opened it and tossed in 7oz of powder. In your opinion was this a good move or did I just ruin my batch? Any advice is appreciated, thanks

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

This is going to be my second all grain batch. What strike water temps and sparge water temps do you guys use.

That's tough to say without knowing your own system. I'd find a temperature calculator online. This is a good one: http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Hey I need some advice, I brewed this last night and this morning I realized that I had forgotten the coco powder. After 10 hours in the fermenter, I opened it and tossed in 7oz of powder. In your opinion was this a good move or did I just ruin my batch? Any advice is appreciated, thanks

You will get some chocolate flavor from the malts. It might not be as chocolately as it could be but it should still be fine.

 

[Chadh4x]

Brewed this last night. Something went wrong. From using online calculators I mashed with 3.5 gallons of water and archived 156-157 mash temps for an hour. I drained the wort to a bucket and got 2 gallons. Then batch sparked twice with 2.25 gallons of water and had temps of 168-170 during the batch sparge. Got 6.5 gallons of wort. Continued to boil and follow hop schedule. Ended up with a little more the 5 gallons... And got an OG of 1.034. Seems weak. Need to go back to the books to figure out my failure.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Brewed this last night. Something went wrong. From using online calculators I mashed with 3.5 gallons of water and archived 156-157 mash temps for an hour. I drained the wort to a bucket and got 2 gallons. Then batch sparked twice with 2.25 gallons of water and had temps of 168-170 during the batch sparge. Got 6.5 gallons of wort. Continued to boil and follow hop schedule. Ended up with a little more the 5 gallons... And got an OG of 1.034. Seems weak. Need to go back to the books to figure out my failure.

Did you check the gravity before the boil? How was your grain crush? Is your hydrometer working properly? Did you make any gravity adjustments for temperature? The rest sounds perfect. Not sure what could have happened.

 

[Chadh4x]

I did not check my gravity before boil because I thought it would be too hot to check it... My LHBS did the crush on the grains and it looked good. Hydrometer works. Checked with bottled water and was at 1.000. No gravity adjustments for tempature. I did stir vigorously on each batch sparge. I sparged at 185. I don't think I reduced it enough on the boil. I might try 6 gallon boils next time.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

I did not check my gravity before boil because I thought it would be too hot to check it... My LHBS did the crush on the grains and it looked good. Hydrometer works. Checked with bottled water and was at 1.000. No gravity adjustments for tempature. I did stir vigorously on each batch sparge. I sparged at 185. I don't think I reduced it enough on the boil. I might try 6 gallon boils next time.

When did you take the gravity? What temperature? Actual values can be MUCH higher if you took the sample at a high temperature. http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

For example, 1.034 taken at 140 degrees is actually 1.047

 

[Chadh4x]

When did you take the gravity? What temperature? Actual values can be MUCH higher if you took the sample at a high temperature. http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

For example, 1.034 taken at 140 degrees is actually 1.047

I checked it when I was at the end of cooling my wort, about 70F.
When I get home from work ill check it again if the yeast have not already started going to town.

 

[BitterBomz]

I did not check my gravity before boil because I thought it would be too hot to check it... My LHBS did the crush on the grains and it looked good. Hydrometer works. Checked with bottled water and was at 1.000. No gravity adjustments for tempature. I did stir vigorously on each batch sparge. I sparged at 185. I don't think I reduced it enough on the boil. I might try 6 gallon boils next time.

A 185 degree sparge? Man, that's dangerously high, IMO. I never go above 170, usually 168 max. Don't think this would correlate to your SG problem, but geez that's some hot sparge water!! Let us know how it turns out. Also, did you use a starter? They work wonders...

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

A 185 degree sparge? Man, that's dangerously high, IMO. I never go above 170, usually 168 max. Don't think this would correlate to your SG problem, but geez that's some hot sparge water!! Let us know how it turns out. Also, did you use a starter? They work wonders...

I usually hit my first sparge at around 185. Once it hits the grain bed it usually correlates to 170, which is perfect.

 

[Chadh4x]

A 185 degree sparge? Man, that's dangerously high, IMO. I never go above 170, usually 168 max. Don't think this would correlate to your SG problem, but geez that's some hot sparge water!! Let us know how it turns out. Also, did you use a starter? They work wonders...

I started with 185F. Once it was in the grain it went down to 168-170F. No starter used. It's fermenting really good right now. Kitchen has a chocolate aroma to it since its in my kitchen. I just hope it does not taste watered down. ABV might be another story. We will see.

Are there any other way to check for alcohol content when it's finished?

 

[Sjorge3442]

I started with 185F. Once it was in the grain it went down to 168-170F. No starter used. It's fermenting really good right now. Kitchen has a chocolate aroma to it since its in my kitchen. I just hope it does not taste watered down. ABV might be another story. We will see.

Are there any other way to check for alcohol content when it's finished?

Using a hydrometer, you must know the OG in order to calculate the FG. Not sure if there are other methods besides the good old taste test.

 

[grifmo]

I am itching to make this recipe but I am curious about the long term taste of the mint. Other recipes I have read that have used mint have mentioned how the mint taste seems to fade with time. Has anyone experienced that with this recipe? The other recipe which experienced the taste fading used fresh cut mint in a vodka tea.

I am also curious as to why people are adding the mint during the boil. To my knowledge the mint wouldn't interact with the yeast at all and it seems that it would be easier to add and control the flavoring by adding the mint to the secondary or as you are bottling.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

I am itching to make this recipe but I am curious about the long term taste of the mint. Other recipes I have read that have used mint have mentioned how the mint taste seems to fade with time. Has anyone experienced that with this recipe?

Well I'm going to give you that answer tonight. I made a recipe with Andes Mint Chocolate Stout as my inspiration about a year ago and I still have one bottle. I've been wondering when would be a good time to crack it and now seems as good a time as any.

I'll be sure to report my findings. I added six peppermint tea bags with 5 minutes left in the boil for a 3 gallon batch.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Well I'm going to give you that answer tonight. I made a recipe with Andes Mint Chocolate Stout as my inspiration about a year ago and I still have one bottle. I've been wondering when would be a good time to crack it and now seems as good a time as any.

I'll be sure to report my findings. I added six peppermint tea bags with 5 minutes left in the boil for a 3 gallon batch.

I am interested to hear this, too! Mine never lasts long enough for this type of experiment.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Didn't get to cracking that beer open... got distracted by carving pumpkins and Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale. Tonight should be good though

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Didn't get to cracking that beer open... got distracted by carving pumpkins and Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale. Tonight should be good though

You have me waiting with bated breath!

 

[brewbeerry]

Im also very curious about your taste test. Just finished brewing this up and pitching yeast like 20 mins ago...bring it on hurricane sandy! didn't taste much chocolate after wort was cooled and the Carrington peppermint tea I used tasted more "tea-y" than minty, but will see how it finishes on bottling day. was slightly concerned about extracting tannins by adding tea to last 5 mins of boil but went along with everyone else's method anyway- all the instructions for making the tea said boil water then take off heat and add to bags so considered steeping 5 mins after flameout (i dont think 3 tea bags will be too big of a deal though).

might consider adding an Altoids/vodka infusion or peppermint extract if the mint is too far gone on bottling day. it had a slight cooling sensation at the end of the taste. did a 1 gallon batch hitting 1.064, had .8 oz of unsweetened cocoa powder but upped the tea bags from 2 to 3. cant wait to try! thanks for the recipe.

 

[modernlifeisANDY]

Im also very curious about your taste test. Just finished brewing this up and pitching yeast like 20 mins ago...bring it on hurricane sandy! didn't taste much chocolate after wort was cooled and the Carrington peppermint tea I used tasted more "tea-y" than minty, but will see how it finishes on bottling day. was slightly concerned about extracting tannins by adding tea to last 5 mins of boil but went along with everyone else's method anyway- all the instructions for making the tea said boil water then take off heat and add to bags so considered steeping 5 mins after flameout (i dont think 3 tea bags will be too big of a deal though).

might consider adding an Altoids/vodka infusion or peppermint extract if the mint is too far gone on bottling day. it had a slight cooling sensation at the end of the taste. did a 1 gallon batch hitting 1.064, had .8 oz of unsweetened cocoa powder but upped the tea bags from 2 to 3. cant wait to try! thanks for the recipe.

The lack of peppermint flavor might be due to the tea bags used. I specifically use Celestial Seasonings peppermint tea because it is ONLY peppermint leaves - no tea leaves at all.

 

[brewbeerry]

the Carrington box lists "100% natural peppermint" as the only thing under ingredients. will just have to see what happens i suppose! could have also been influenced by the fact that i am getting over a cold, so tastebuds aren't quite 100%

 

[user 81791]

Didn't get to cracking that beer open... got distracted by carving pumpkins and Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale. Tonight should be good though

do tell. I'm looking to brew this in a week or so and looking into the different mint options.

 

[Sjorge3442]

i sat in the primary for 2 weeks, racked onto .5 oz spearmint. Gonna let it sit for about 5 days, then bottle with about 60% of the recommended peppermint extract. I may do 75%. I really want this beer to warm your mouth up. We'll see how it turns out

 

[grifmo]

i sat in the primary for 2 weeks, racked onto .5 oz spearmint. Gonna let it sit for about 5 days, then bottle with about 60% of the recommended peppermint extract. I may do 75%. I really want this beer to warm your mouth up. We'll see how it turns out

Sjorge, what did you do with the spearmint? Did you cut them up, or infuse them in vodka or just dump them in whole leafed?

 

[Sjorge3442]

well, that was what I was gonna do. I rushed it and just bottled it straight with the 2 tsp of peppermint extract.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Jeez it's about freakin time I drank the year old version of this.

I used 6 bags of Raley's Full Circle Organic Peppermint Tea (100% peppermint) in 3.5 gallons. After a year the bitterness of the cocoa has severely subdued and, you'll never believe this, the mint had a very strong presence. Not overpowering but definitely there.