Chocolate Stout Problem

[husker]

So I have had my Chocolate in the secondarywith cocoa nibs for a week and a half and I had a taste yesterday but it is not near chocolatey enough. I was hoping for a Rogue Double Chocolate stout that has a ton of chocolatey flavor but this is tasting more like a run of the mill sweet stout. I was wondering if I should add some cocao powder or chocolate extract or something and wait another couple weeks? any tips would be nice, Im really going for thick and chocolatey. TIA

 

[JRems]

I would add chocolate extract and vanilla extract. The vanilla will actually make it taste more chocolatey. Probably no more than 1/2oz of each. Do a sample with a pint and a small syringe of extract so you can measure. Add more until it taste right. Then scale it up for the whole batch. Also remember Carbonation will help the flavor and aroma so you might want to go a little light on the flavor until it's carbed. You can always pop the top off the keg and add more.

 

[postal_penguin]

Did you add any unfermentable sugars like lactose or maltodextrin to the beer? Chocolate on its own is very bitter and a little sugar helps give that characteristic "chocolate" flavor. In a dry beer you might just end up with a bitterness.

 

[husker]

Yes I did use lactose, essentially it is an oatmeal milk stout with cacoa nibs in the secondary. I know some people use actual chocolate or cacoa powder in the boil, I can't seem to find chocolate extract around... can I possibly use powder instead or would that not work in the secondary?

 

[postal_penguin]

I used 8oz of powder in my chocolate stout and lost about a gallon of beer due to the "pudding" it forms when it settles. Its got a real nice chocolate flavor but you lose a lot of beer to it. I don't see why you couldn't add it to secondary just keep in mind the volume you will lose.

 

[usfmikeb]

I would add chocolate extract and vanilla extract. The vanilla will actually make it taste more chocolatey. Probably no more than 1/2oz of each.

You can start with a 1/2 oz of chocolate extract, but only need a smaller amount of vanilla.