Cocoa Nibs and Oak Spirals

[guitarist_713]

I've never used either ingredient before and I'm hoping to incorporate both of them into a robust porter. When should I add the cocoa nibs? How long should I leave the oak spirals in the beer?

 

[bassballboy]

Personally I use cocoa nibs in the secondary, I can't say anything about the spirals.

 

[HopOnHops]

Nibs are best utilized in secondary. I've used 4oz soaked in liquor with great results

 

[Brew-boy]

I just used cocoa nibs for the first time as well. I have 5 oz of them in a sac sitting at the bottom of my keg.
I am going to let them sit there for a week and transfer to another keg. I soaked the nibs is a glass jar filled with vodka for 3 day prior to using them.

 

[mikecshultz]

I soaked 8 oz of cocoa nibs in about a cup of vanilla rum for about 24 hrs and then dumped them in the primary. It imparted a great, but not overpowering, chocolate flavor. I left them in there for about a week.