"Dry hopping" with dark chocolate?

[r0b0t1c]

I recently racked my Irish Stout, Monday, and it hit me that it might be nice to add a chocolate quality to my Guinness clone. Any thoughts on what would be most effective?

Get some chocolate and break it into cubes and drop it in? I have about 4 1/2 to 5 gallons so how much would I need? Should I use a milk chocolate instead of a dark? Is it too late to add something to my secondary since it's already gotten under way and I would risk causing an infection?

 

[BigRob]

I'd be worried about all the cocoa fats ruining my head retention, maybe buy some chocolate extract instead, start small and you can add more until it comes to the taste level you're aiming for. Regardless I'd avoid any kind of Milk Chocolate, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Bittersweet Chocolate, etc. Anything that you could actually eat as it is packaged will just add a bunch of extra unwanted crap to your beer. Highest % Cocoa Solids and least ingredients would be the best bet.

 

[HokieBrewer]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FRXHM6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Go easy at first.

 

[ScottD13]

Coco powder or coco nibs is what you want to use. Chocolate candy bars, and even some baker's chocolate I believe, contains coco butter which as a vegetable fat will kill head retention and a possibly go rancid in time thus ruining the beer.

 

[ChshreCat]

+1 on cocoa nibs. Crack 'em and rack onto 'em for secondary.

 

[TopherM21]

I've had great luck with cacao nibs (especially when I've had a bit of lactose in there)

 

[ChshreCat]

I still want to secondary a stout on nibs, then wash the nibs and use them in a dark chocolate stout cheesecake. *drool*slobber*drool*

 

[Cowbizzoy]

I still want to secondary a stout on nibs, then wash the nibs and use them in a dark chocolate stout cheesecake. *drool*slobber*drool*

You sir may be onto something there...

 

[HexKrak]

+1 cocoa nibs. I use them in my chocolate porter.

 

[critch]

i use cocoa powder in the boil in my chocolate vanilla stout, but ive been told that nibbs would be superior, theyre hard to get in the uk. as mentioned before DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE!!!!

itll turn your beer rancid, headless mess!

 

[r0b0t1c]

Great! Thanks for the info guys! I'm looking into cocoa nibs. I plan of letting the stout sit in the secondary for about 3-4 weeks.

When would you reccommend adding the nibs? Or is it one of those things where it just depends if I want an aroma hint of chocolate versus a full flavored quality?

 

[ChshreCat]

I'd rack it on the nibs and then sample it every week or so and bottle when it tastes ready to you.

Just make sure that you don't transfer early. Let it ferment out completely, let the yeast clean up by-products, etc. Basically don't rack to secondary until it's to the point where you'd be comfortable bottling it as is.

 

[Jebu1788]

You may get better bang for you buck if you soak the nibs in a pinch of vodka or whiskey (just enough to cover them) before you add it to the beer.

When I used nibs for a stout, I had done that with about an ounce or two of whiskey and a vanilla bean and just tossed it all in the secondary.

 

[GatorDad]

You may get better bang for you buck if you soak the nibs in a pinch of vodka or whiskey (just enough to cover them) before you add it to the beer.

When I used nibs for a stout, I had done that with about an ounce or two of whiskey and a vanilla bean and just tossed it all in the secondary.

yum...