Crazy Holiday Ale idea

[bweatherly]

Aight, so a local coffee place serves a holiday coffee that is brewed with white chocolate and cinnamon. So I was thinking if that incredible taste in the coffee defines my holiday season, why can't it be served in beer? I was considering brewing a regular amber ale from extract (kit) and then adding about 3 oz cinnamon 3 min before end of boil, and about 8 oz of Torani sugar-free white chocolate syrup before pitching. Thoughts?

 

[EricCSU]

What about this?

 

[bweatherly]

Was thinking less stout-ish. And trying white choc instead of regular. Basically this but minus the mace and nutmeg, and then add in some white chocolate syrup. Gotta be original or I'll never make a name for myself!

 

[EricCSU]

I think that 3oz cinnamon is too much for a 5gal batch. Start with 1oz. What is the fat content on the white chocolate syrup?

Eric

 

[bweatherly]

Ok, so how about 2 cinnamon sticks from the market? That seems to be a fairly common amount in some holiday ale recipes. And the syrup is 0 sugar, 0 fat.

 

[munchen]

Please don't post the same question in multiple places. ;-)

My reply is in the other thread you started.

 

[bweatherly]

don't think they make white chocolate power. can't use white chocolate chips cause of all the fat. but the syrup like I said is 0 sug 0 fat.

So if I did this, would I add the syrup before pitching or before bottling?

 

[EricCSU]

I would add the syrup before bottling. If you can get an eye dropper, it would be best. Before bottling, siphon wort into 4 or 5 two ounce samples. Then use the eye dropper, filled with syrup to make a spectrum of syrup concentration. For example:

Sample #1: 1 drop
Sample #2: 2 drops
Sample #3: 3 drops
Sample #4: 4 drops

Taste each sample. If #2 is too little and #3 is too much, then your approximate dosing is 2.5 drops/2 fl oz. Then it is just some simple math to determine how much syrup to add:

100 drops=1 oz for example

5 gallons x 128oz in a gallon = 640oz

Ratio (from above) is 1.25 drops per oz

640 oz x 1.25 drops = 800 drops

800 drops = 8 oz.



These numbers are all just made up in my head, but it gives you an example to work with.

Eric

 

[vespa2t]

don't think they make white chocolate power. can't use white chocolate chips cause of all the fat. but the syrup like I said is 0 sug 0 fat.

So if I did this, would I add the syrup before pitching or before bottling?

if its zero fat, zero sugar, its not chocolate at all...just flavoring.

Chocolate goes really well in a stout. An excellent example is Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout, except that they dont actually add chocolate flavoring, it just gets an awesome chocolate flavor from the malts and their superb process.

If you are adding any flavor, do it right before bottling. Fermentation will carry away the flavoring with the CO2 out the airlock since most flavors are volitile.

 

[Benjibbad]

just because it says 0 fat does not mean there isn't in there. All it means is that it doesn't meet the FDA tolerances for fat content. I would also be concerned about the oils in the syrup. That would seriously kill your head.

 

[WIP]

The syrup is made from sugar and water mostly. I have considered using white choc powder for priming, yes they make it, most speacialty coffee shops have it.

 

[munchen]

If you weren't dead set on white chocolate, you could try using cocao nibs.

 

[bweatherly]

Its not that I'm dead set on not using white chocolate, I was just wanting to "push the boundaries" so to speak. What if 400 years from now people look back on me like they do now on the first belgian monks.... "that guy who put white chocolate syrup in his beer, he forever changed beer the world of beer." So maybe not really, but I do REALLY like white chocolate on my pretzels. Tomorrow I'm going to talk to my local coffee shop folks about this supposed white choc powder

 

[WIP]

If you have a problem with finding it or the ingredients etc. send me a PM and I will look into it on my end. I work for a Coffee Roaster/Supplier.

 

[WIP]

http://www.seriouschai.com/i1713.asp that has the ingredients.

 

[bweatherly]

Ok, I think I've changed my mind to it being a stout. Just make a dry stout with cinnamon and white choc... you guys are gonna be SO jealous of my success

 

[loctones]

How about crème de cacao liqueur? Chocolate flavored and clear or light-colored, but it may not necessarily be the white-chocolate flavor you're looking for.