Copper Kettle Mexican Chocolate Stout Recipe

[doug293cz]

I let it sit over night to cool. I tasted the wort going into the fermentor. There was no heat from the pepper. I chopped up a scorpion pepper. I placed a small sliver on my tongue and expected immediate pain. It was barely hot.

That's my problem with this, trying to develope a pepper beer recipe. How can you predict heat without possibly tasting some ungodly hot pepper? ...or you have peppers with no power.

How much of what pepper to call out?

I may chop up a habanero into it later.

I solved the "how do I know how much pepper to add?" problem by making a tincture in grain neutral spirits (Everclear 151 equivalent), and then adding measured amounts of the tincture to the finished and carbonated beer. For the tincture I used 1.8 lb of Jalapeno and 0.2 lb of Habanero peppers, and about 3 cups of the 151 proof alcohol. Macerated the peppers in a food processor, and added the alcohol. Let sit for a couple of weeks. Ended up with about 3.5 cups of pulp free (strained thru polyester voile cloth) tincture.

Poured measured samples of the beer and added tincture with a graduated syringe. First try was way too hot. Cut the amount of tincture in half - still too hot. Cut the amount of tincture in half again - and this seemed about right. Ended up using 2.6 - 2.7 fl oz of tincture in about 4.5 gal of beer. Used a large syringe to inject the tincture thru the PRV port (valve removed) into the keg.

Gave some of the leftover tincture away, and still have enough for a few more batches.

Warning: PPE is advised when working with the macerated peppers and tincture. I don't want to know what it feels like to get it in the eyes, and you probably don't either.

Brew on

 

[tracer bullet]

Warning: PPE is advised when working with the macerated peppers and tincture. I don't want to know what it feels like to get it in the eyes, and you probably don't either.

You don't want to hear too ,much about me taking a leak after cutting habaneros without gloves. You don't notice it right away, but about 15 minutes later you're in for a treat.

I love tinctures, I rarely throw anything directly into a beer other than the obvious ingredients. You can customize how much you want with every glass, including having none at all. I guess if I made a recipe enough times I might stop , but it's too fun to experiment.

 

[doug293cz]

You don't want to hear too ,much about me taking a leak after cutting habaneros without gloves. You don't notice it right away, but about 15 minutes later you're in for a treat.

I love tinctures, I rarely throw anything directly into a beer other than the obvious ingredients. You can customize how much you want with every glass, including having none at all. I guess if I made a recipe enough times I might stop , but it's too fun to experiment.

There is an old saying about chemists washing their hands before they go to the bathroom.

Brew on

 

[Dynachrome]

I still have some of this batch. It's more heat than I care for.

I need to box it up and give it to the friends who requested it.