Coconut Cherry Chocolate Milk Stout

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

That is way too much cherry juice. I would only add a few onces, meaning less than 10.

The batch is 640oz. You're suggesting only 1%-2% juice or less. You might be right, but I don't think that will be enough for me. I don't want to have to struggle to taste the cherry.

I think the magic number will be one 46oz bottle of juice which will make the beer 7% juice, but I'm going to test with another stout to find a good ratio.

 

[Nantana]

yeah that set up is sweet for a beginner, definitely jumped in with both feet into this hobby huh?

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

If my beer sucks, I can't blame the equipment.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

transferred to secondary today. Had to use a blowoff tube after about an hour. The yeast must have liked the cherry juice.

I added the full 92oz of cherry juice after testing more concentrated ratios.

30% juice was where the cherry overpowered the stout note. I used 14% juice. It sounds like a lot, but the cherry isn't too strong at this concentration.

The stout was pretty robust out of the primary with a nice caramel and chocolate note and mild bitterness from the hops. It smelled nice. It was quite a bit better tasting than the wort sample.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Here is something I don't get.

The gravity was 1.020 out of the primary or 7.3% abv.

I then added 92 oz of cherry juice and some water to the secondary. I took a sample and the gravity was still 1.020.

Is it supposed to stay the same or did I misread it at least once?

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I think I get it. The gravity of the cherry juice was cancelled out by the top up water.

 

[uncleben113]

It sounds like that's what happened. How does it taste

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I drank about 8oz of what went into the secondary. It tasted decent. It is a little less concentrated of an overall flavor than I was going for. The stout by itself was fairly robust. The cherry juice mellowed it out quite a bit, added some tartness, fruityness and not too much sweetness.

If I could redo it, I'd use a little less top off water and maybe avoid the need for a blowoff tube as well.

I think it will be drinkable.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Bottled this recently. Added 2oz of cocoa to the priming sugar solution. It tasted ok. Still a little less concentrated than I was hoping for, but not too watery. It's adequately boozy at 7.3%, but not harsh at all.

I added about a half gallon of topping water to the secondary and should have skipped it. I made up for the primary fermentation loss, which I think was a mistake. If I make it again, I'll probably use 10% juice instead of 14% and use more steeping grains.

I put 1tsp of bakers coconut extract in the last gallon. It provided a noticeable coconut aroma and a mild coconut flavor that blended well with the cherry and chocolate.

Should be decent with some carbonation.

 

[uncleben113]

I'd be interested in trying one or two if you don't mine sending one my way. I've got a bourbon vanilla porter that came out great and a few other brews I could trade

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I'd be interested in trying one or two if you don't mine sending one my way. I've got a bourbon vanilla porter that came out great and a few other brews I could trade

I'm sorry Sir, I didn't see this post until today. You're probably a fine person, but I'm not ready to trade brews at this time. Please don't be offended by that. Nothing personal.

I did try the carbonated version today and I'm pretty happy with the result. I was worried because at no point in the brewing process did this beer taste good until today. The sample at bottling tasted dilute. I thought it was going to be weak in flavor. The two weeks in bottles made a big difference. It could be a little more robust, but it isn't weak in flavor.

The flavors are surprisingly well balanced. It actually tastes like a Cherry Chocolate Milk Stout.

I think I got really lucky for my first brew. The cherry isn't overpowering even at the 14% ratio. It adds a nice tartness and a mild cherry flavor.

I think the only change I'd make to this brew for next time is maybe 25%-50% more steeping grains and I think I'd add all the cocoa to the secondary instead of putting most of it in the boil. Some of it was lost in the yeast cake.

The commercial beer that this reminds me of is Ommegang Seduction. Not a clone, but in the right direction.

This stuff is more than adequately boozy too. I've had two beers and have a nice warm buzz. It's in the 7.5%-8% range and isn't harshly boozy in flavor.

I got lucky :rockin:

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Too late to edit the OP, but I also added 3 tablespoons of Saigon cinnamon to the secondary and I can taste it, but not strongly.

 

[uncleben113]

I'm sorry Sir, I didn't see this post until today. You're probably a fine person, but I'm not ready to trade brews at this time. Please don't be offended by that. Nothing personal.

No problem. Glad it turned out good!

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

No problem. Glad it turned out good!

Thanks! I was prepared to fail, but was pleasantly surprised with the result.