Chocolate malt - Yech

[jjones17]

Hi all,

I am wondering how others feel about using chocolate malt. It seems like each time I use this malt in a recipe, the outcomes always basically taste the same. the chocolate malt just takes over, and I get an unpleasant almost 'chocolate milk' type flavour. This, for me, is not desirable in a beer unless its a stout/porter. I tried that malt in american & english browns, porters, and even a small amount in a Pale and they all taste the same ! I went to a brewpub last night and tried the 'bitter'.... Chocolate malt, and it tasted exactly like all the other beers I have made with this malt.

Are my taste buds just 'off'? Lol... I will still use it in my stouts, though. However anything else I think I will skip it. Anyone out there enjoy this malt in other styles?

 

[Yooper]

I agree with you- I use very little chocolate malt, and even less black patent. I tried using "pale chocolate" from austinhomebrew.com, and liked that much more. I get a bitter flavor from chocolate malt, so only one of my recipes (the Fat Squirrel clone) uses it. And that is in a 4 ounce amount!

 

[david_42]

I like chocolate malt, but restrict its use to dark beers. Can't see any reason to use it in most styles, as it doesn't fit the flavor profile I'm shooting for.

 

[PT Ray]

I'm rather partial to chocolate rye. Being a huskless grain it doesn't quite have that bite. Used it at 1% in my dopplebock for some color and 2% in my pecan smoked rauch also for color and spice. Also been playing around with pale and coffee chocolate malt. Used them in a couple browns at 7% of the grist and was rather pleased.

 

[jjones17]

Well, good to see I am not alone. I must stress, this brewpub 'bitter' I had is at a fairly highly regarded place. The beers there have done very well, and I was surprised to find a bitter that tasted like "a porter with lots of chocolate malt, and the brewer forgot the black patent or roasted barley". I immediately regretted ordering the bitter, as I am used to a much different flavor profile from an English bitter.

Oh well, I guess its also nice to see that my bitter is better than theirs!!!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

1 ounce in 20 to 30 pounds doesn't offer any real color but it does add a twinge to the beer that many have a really hard time pinpointing.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I like using chocolate malt, in the correct beer (porter, stout, etc). I've even used more roasted instead of chocolate and like that result. Haven't heard of using it in a pale, though.

 

[babalu87]

Its MINT in a Mild

 

[KYB]

I use it in my Stouts and Kentucky Common. Both are dark. Never tried it in anything else.

 

[yodalegomaster]

I think you came to the same conclusion I did, That I don't enjoy the roasty, burnt coffee flavor in chocolate malt. My solution is to 1/2 the chocolate malt in any recipe I try, it work great even in stouts. I get the color I am looking for and lessen the roasty flavors.

 

[remilard]

I use way more pale chocolate than regular chocolate malt.

 

[goose1873]

I'v never used more the 2 oz but have had good results

 

[Brewenstein]

Guess I am the opposite. I like chocolate, roasted barley AND black patent in my stouts. Usually all in equal measure (8 oz of each for a 1.060 OG stout).

 

[Yooper]

I use way more pale chocolate than regular chocolate malt.

That's what I'm finding in my brew logs, too. I really like the pale chocolate malt. It's less bitter and harsh, but still full of flavor.

 

[jjones17]

I made a mild and I hate the taste of the chocolate in it, lol! Probably just my brain, looking for hoppiness, and the non-hop flavors are dissapointing

 

[StAnthonyB]

Well, good to see I am not alone. I must stress, this brewpub 'bitter' I had is at a fairly highly regarded place. The beers there have done very well, and I was surprised to find a bitter that tasted like "a porter with lots of chocolate malt, and the brewer forgot the black patent or roasted barley". I immediately regretted ordering the bitter, as I am used to a much different flavor profile from an English bitter.

Oh well, I guess its also nice to see that my bitter is better than theirs!!!

Although I have it in stock, I haven't used it. I have thought of giving it a try sometime soon. Thomas Fawcett is my source for the pale chocolate. They recommend using it in bitters, milds, and stouts at 3% to 5%.

Maybe when I am bored, I will give it a whirl, but for now...

In one of my bitters I use 1oz black malt and 3oz amber malt per 13lbs pale malt with pale crystals at 9 SRM. It comes out very bready. In my stronger bitter, I'll use 2oz black malt and 8oz amber with slightly more pale crystals per 15lbs pale malt at 12 SRM. This one is distinctly more toasty.

 

[david_42]

Its MINT in a Mild

Good point, it is critical to the flavor of a dark Mild. About 5%.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I usually use Pale Chocolate or Carafa Special I instead of Chocolate Malt.

 

[Berlbrew]

I usually use Pale Chocolate or Carafa Special I instead of Chocolate Malt.

+1 on the Carafa Special. I love that malt, I use it in place of chocolate very often. It's de-husked and delicious.

 

[jjones17]

Although I have it in stock, I haven't used it. I have thought of giving it a try sometime soon. Thomas Fawcett is my source for the pale chocolate. They recommend using it in bitters, milds, and stouts at 3% to 5%.

Maybe when I am bored, I will give it a whirl, but for now...

In one of my bitters I use 1oz black malt and 3oz amber malt per 13lbs pale malt with pale crystals at 9 SRM. It comes out very bready. In my stronger bitter, I'll use 2oz black malt and 8oz amber with slightly more pale crystals per 15lbs pale malt at 12 SRM. This one is distinctly more toasty.

I love black malt. I have not tried Amber malt, though.

I am also interested in the comments about Carafa special, I must try this one. I am thinking about remaking my northern brown and subbing the chocolate I used in it. I may try that Carafa

 

[jjones17]

Although I have it in stock, I haven't used it. I have thought of giving it a try sometime soon. Thomas Fawcett is my source for the pale chocolate. They recommend using it in bitters, milds, and stouts at 3% to 5%.

Maybe when I am bored, I will give it a whirl, but for now...

In one of my bitters I use 1oz black malt and 3oz amber malt per 13lbs pale malt with pale crystals at 9 SRM. It comes out very bready. In my stronger bitter, I'll use 2oz black malt and 8oz amber with slightly more pale crystals per 15lbs pale malt at 12 SRM. This one is distinctly more toasty.

I love black malt. I have not tried Amber malt, though.

I am also interested in the comments about Carafa special, I must try this one. I am thinking about remaking my northern brown and subbing the chocolate I used in it. I may try that Carafa

 

[Berlbrew]

Carafa special is great! It's got lots of delicious coffee/chocolate flavor at around 5% of your grain bill and because it's de-husked it doesn't give you any of that astringent, burnt bitterness that you would get from black patent or sometimes chocolate. I definitely recommend it in porters, stouts, and American brown ales.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I don't use it in bitters or pale ales at all. My amber has 60 grams (~2 oz) of it in 21 liters, though, and that works good for me. Dark beers, yeah, love it. But for me it has no place in bitters or pale ales.

 

[manticle]

Choc malt is fine. Like any ingredient it just has to be used in the right recipe in the right proportion.

 

[JimE]

I used chocolate in my Northern English Brown Ale. It is appropriate with that style. The chocolate was 4% of my total grain bill. It worked out fine in that style. I also used 1 lb. of Crystal 40L, which was 12% of the grain bill.

I'm sure I wouldn't like it in a pale. Would it even be pale after adding the chocolate?

 

[Synovia]

I love black malt. I have not tried Amber malt, though.

I am also interested in the comments about Carafa special, I must try this one. I am thinking about remaking my northern brown and subbing the chocolate I used in it. I may try that Carafa

Second that. What actually is carafa? Is it just a trade name?

 

[PT Ray]

Second that. What actually is carafa? Is it just a trade name?

It is registered to Weyermann. They have a Carafa and a Carafa Special. The Carafa Special is generally what I see people referring to. It's a dehusked roasted barley available in 3 different roasts. The lightest starts in the 300 lovibond and the darkest is in the 500 range.