Chili pepper chocolate stout

[geary51]

I am planning on doing a mini batch chocolate stout, and adding some heat to it. Probably cayenne peppers. My question is how to go about this, should I steep with specialty grains, add powder to the boil, or drop a couple peppers into the primary? Also, how much should I use? I dont want anything overpowering, but I want to know it is there. I know its "to each his own" but if anyone has experience with something like this I'd love to hear it.

PS this is the recipe im starting off of.... http://www.brewingkb.com/recipes/Chocolate-Stout-631.html

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

When I make peppered beer, I usually add the peppers to secondary for 1 to 2 weeks. I use either fresh or frozen sorano peppers and add about 3 per gallon. This is for a blonde with peppers as a major part of the flavor. If adding just a little for a hint of pepper flavor, don't use much, you can taste it after a week or so and if it needs more, add more.

This will probably also work in the primary if you like to keep your beer on the yeast until bottling time.

 

[RogueVassar]

I use either fresh or frozen sorano peppers and add about 3 per gallon.

Are you dicing them up or keeping them whole? If diced, are you including the seeds? How spicy does your blonde ale turn out?

 

[SevenFields]

I have always wanted to make a spicy chocolate stout. I hope you get some good advice!

 

[brewt00l]

I did a spiced chocolate chili pepper stout and added my chilies to the kettle in the last 5 minutes or so...in retrospect, I like the heat and flavor influence of beers that have the peppers added post-fermentation; it's a cleaner more upfront flavor than what I wound up with.

 

[SevenFields]

What kind of Chile do you use, how do you prepare it, and how much do you use?

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

Are you dicing them up or keeping them whole? If diced, are you including the seeds? How spicy does your blonde ale turn out?

I split them in half and toss 'em in, seeds and all. It's not real spicy, but lots of pepper flavor. Several people who don't like spicy hot food, like this beer.

 

[BigTexun]

How do you sanitize the peppers before tossing them in the cooled wort? I'd worry about an infection without first pasturizing them?

 

[AirBronto]

Capsaicin, heat agent, is soluble in alcohol so it makes sense to put it in the secondary.

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

How do you sanitize the peppers before tossing them in the cooled wort? I'd worry about an infection without first pasturizing them?

I actually spritz the whole peppers with Starsan before I split them with a sanitized knife. I don't worry too much about it beyind that since the peppers are a somewhat inhospitible on their own and they are going into an alcohol environment. So far so good after 45 or so gallons.

 

[RogueVassar]

Six O, what's the rest of the recipe for your spicy blonde?

 

[NorCalAngler]

Is there a commercial craft brew with peppers out there I can try? This is an interesting idea, but I'd like to see how the pepper flavor plays out before brewing five gallons.

 

[PanzerBanana]

I like this idea. I've never had the occasion to try fresh cayenne peppers. But if they're heat is similar to what you get from the ground, I don't know how well that would translate into the beer.

I've had chocolate with cayenne, and regularly use it when cooking(for myself lol) and the heat from cayenne seems pretty consistent in whatever it's in. It is pretty..."prickly". You eventually get a "full heat" from it, but you always have the initial "scratchy-tingly-prickly" sensation.

Where as peppers such as fresno, jalapeno, serrano, even habanero, all have a pretty even heat when they're an ingredient.

I'm pretty well addicted to spicy foods, I'd suggest trying an assortment of peppers. The way heat feels is likely going to be the characteristics that go into the beer.

If you're looking for a bit of heat more than flavor, you might be able to get away with a fine mesh bag and some crushed red pepper added to the boil.

 

[RogueVassar]

Here's a link to the only one that I've had before and it was a lager. I glanced at the (terrible) reviews and it looks like it's pretty much hated. What I remember of it as been an interesting spicy drink. Maybe my memory is kind to it though. I do remember that it wasn't anything I would want to drink a few of in a night since the heat dissipates and then you're left with mediocre beer (I've never been a big fan of lagers).

Putting "pepper" into beer advocate brings up a few hits though so I'll go read up on the others...

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

Six O, what's the rest of the recipe for your spicy blonde?

I scaled this down to 5 gal from 15, but its pretty close. And simple.

Amount Item
7.67 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 92.00 %
0.33 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
0.33 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 55L (55.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %

1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 20.8 IBU
0.33 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.5 IBU

1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale

Mash at 152* for 60 minutes, single batch sparge

Est. Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Est. Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.54 %
Bitterness: 23.3 IBU Calories: 200 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.6 SRM


Ferment in primary for 2 weeks at 66 degrees ramping up to 70 after the first 4 days of active fermentation.

Transfer to secondary and add approximately 3 fresh or frozen sorrano peppers per gallon. Secondary at 68-70 degrees for 2 additional weeks, cold crashing for the last 48 hours. Then keg bottle with about 4.5 oz corn sugar.

I would have used a lower Lovibond crystal (15 or 30), but I had 55. Turned out great.

 

[PanzerBanana]

I would be all over a beer like that, I love sorranos. I'd imagine they mingle well with the malt and hops with a nice bite.

I had one chili beer....It had a pickled chili in it. You couldn't even taste the beer, it just tasted pickled. The only good that came of it, was showing me that spicy could be a fun touch to beer. Just not pickling.

 

[MarsColonist]

Is there a commercial craft brew with peppers out there I can try? This is an interesting idea, but I'd like to see how the pepper flavor plays out before brewing five gallons.

Someone already mentioned Cave Creek, but I was unimpressed. Found Billy's Chilies beer the other day, and while the reviews for it were pretty mixed, it met my expectations for a beer that smelled like hot peppers without the lingering burning bite that knocks down the drinkability. There is also Rogue Chipolte beer that I found to be too hot in the back of the throat to really drink more than 12oz (I choked down a bomber, but slowly.)

Disclaimer: I like hot food, and generally, its not "hot" unless Im sweating.

 

[boostsr20]

Founders in Michigan makes an AWESOMELY hot Habanero Stout called Hole Mole. Its crazy. If you use a Habanero you'd probably get your heat element quicker and wouldn't need to leave it in the secondary as long. I'd just make sure to check it sooner/more often.

 

[PanzerBanana]

Founders in Michigan makes an AWESOMELY hot Habanero Stout called Hole Mole. Its crazy. If you use a Habanero you'd probably get your heat element quicker and wouldn't need to leave it in the secondary as long. I'd just make sure to check it sooner/more often.

Well my local retailer is definitely getting a special order!

 

[boostsr20]

They don't bottle it. Tap only and I'm not even sure they will be brewing it again. Its a shame too, Founders makes sooo many good beers that never get Bottled. Canadien Breakfast Stout, Hole Mole, Barrel aged rye porter, Hand of doom (double trouble barrel aged), etc....

I'm just lucky enough to live close by.

 

[PanzerBanana]

That would explain why I didn't see it listed on their website. hehe. I guess it's up to me!

 

[geary51]

kind of diggin up this post. But I am about to transfer my chili pepper choc stout to my secondary, and have to pick my peppers. I want to use some Ancho's to get a nice flavor, and then Serranos for a little heat. Does anyone know if a dried pepper (ancho) will provide me with good flavor in a secondary situation? Or do I have to stick with fresh peppers

 

[PanzerBanana]

I would imagine you'd get some flavor from the anchos once they started soaking up some of the beer. I would almost think they'd go a little better in the boil.

I say try adding them as you mentioned and see what happens. No matter what you're still going to have a good beer. I think the anchos are a great idea.

 

[boostsr20]

Rehydrate by boiling in a small amount of water for 1-2 minutes and add the water right in the secondary with them. Ancho Chili's go really well for flavor. Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City does an awesome Ancho chili Double Dutch Chocolate porter.

Serrano's would be nice for a little heat addition.

 

[geary51]

Dont know if anybody still cares but I figured I would update you guys on my progress. I just racked to my secondary and added my peppers. I took 4 Ancho's and 2 serranos, cut them up, boiled in some water, and dumped everything in. Seeds and all. I'm a little worried that its going to be "vegetabley" because of the fresh serranos. I'll keep you updated!

 

[mixmasterob]

I did just a a chocolate stout. I might spilt it up and toss some chipotle peppers on half of it. hmmmmm. so dry peppers should work?

 

[geary51]

From everything I have taken in, dry peppers should work. Also I talked to the brewer over at Tyranean, and they he showed me the chipotle's (dried) that they use. Although I didnt ask whether they boil or dry hop them.

 

[DocBrown]

I just thought I'd mention my experience with adding pepper to a beer. Here was the original thread:
Dry Stout Additions

I should go and post the verdict in there in case anyone else comes across it later. In a nutshell, the base beer (extract dry stout recipe) didn't turn out great by itself, which means the beers with additions weren't going to turn out especially great either. Also, 1.5tsp of ground chipotle pepper in 3qts of beer was probably about 3 times what I needed. It turned out very spicy. Unless you just want a constant burning sensation in your throat, ~4oz is the limit. Also, let it sit for a good long while. The flavors mellowed a bit after sitting in the bottle a couple months. It's much better now than it was 3 weeks after bottling (when I was afraid I was just going to have to dump the whole thing).

 

[BigPerm]

Bringing an old thread back from the dead....

Working on a Chocolate-Chile RIS, inspired by a fantastic brew at a local brewery. Largely looking for some subtle, building heat, with little pepper flavor. Considering 2 options: ground chile powder at the end of the boil or fresh habaneros in secondary.

Compared to other topics, this seems to be covered more infrequently than others. Anyone made a successful Chile Imperial Stout?

 

[thejuanald]

Is there a commercial craft brew with peppers out there I can try? This is an interesting idea, but I'd like to see how the pepper flavor plays out before brewing five gallons.

There was the 11.11.11 Stone Vertical Epic that was brewed with Hatch chile. That was the only good chile beer I've ever had (note: I'm using the correct spelling of chile ). It's delicious, though.

Here's the recipe straight from Stone: http://www.stonebrewing.com/epic/111111recipe.pdf

 

[thejuanald]

Bringing an old thread back from the dead....

Working on a Chocolate-Chile RIS, inspired by a fantastic brew at a local brewery. Largely looking for some subtle, building heat, with little pepper flavor. Considering 2 options: ground chile powder at the end of the boil or fresh habaneros in secondary.

Compared to other topics, this seems to be covered more infrequently than others. Anyone made a successful Chile Imperial Stout?

You can order the best chile in the world, New Mexico chile, here: http://www.newmexicocatalog.com/html/fresh_green_chile.html

 

[BigPerm]

Thanks. I think green chiles would probably bring more flavor than heat. Thinking to use habanero powder at knockout. Anyone see a big problem with this?