Help with Chocolate Bock & Santizing Caoca Nibs

[jwetzler]

Here recently I tried Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, and immediately wanted to make a 5 gallon batch. I'm new to home brewing, and have only brewed one extract kit so far. (Still waiting for them to age/condition in the bottles.)

My LHBS doesn't have a chocolate bock kit, but they told me that I could just get the True Brew American Bock, and then put a package of cacao nibs in the fermenter with the wort. (I think it's either a 6oz or 8oz package of nibs)

They said to add half of the nibs to my wort, during the last 1 minute of my boil. Then add the rest of the nibs into the primary fermenter.

Here are my questions:

1. Do I need to sanitize the cacao nibs, and if so what is the best way? I've seen people mention that they soak the nibs in Vodka for 24 hours before brewing. Is this the best way?

2. How do I get the maximum amount of chocolate taste in my brew?

 

[wilsojos]

Definitely soak in vodka like you mentioned because they're notorious for causing infection otherwise. You will get a noticeable amount of chocolate flavor if you rack your beer on the nibs in secondary and let it set for 3-4 weeks.

 

[BobC]

It seems to me that 24hrs in vodka would dissolve the nibs. I've always added cacao to the boil so defiantly not an expert, but if I where to do it I would place the vodka/nibs in the freezer.

 

[Scottanooga]

I racked my Moo Hoo clone to secondary on top of 3 ounces of nibs (for a 5 gallon batch.) I put them in a small bowl and added just enough vodka to cover and let them sit overnight before racking. They didn't dissolve or anything.

 

[jwetzler]

Definitely soak in vodka like you mentioned because they're notorious for causing infection otherwise. You will get a noticeable amount of chocolate flavor if you rack your beer on the nibs in secondary and let it set for 3-4 weeks.

I don't have a secondary fermenter, I just have the primary, and then the bottling bucket with spigot.

Will I be ok just leaving it in the primary for 3 weeks instead of the normal 7 days or so?

 

[jwetzler]

I racked my Moo Hoo clone to secondary on top of 3 ounces of nibs (for a 5 gallon batch.) I put them in a small bowl and added just enough vodka to cover and let them sit overnight before racking. They didn't dissolve or anything.

So how long did you let yours soak? Should I go ahead and add half to my wort while still boiling?

I'm sure i'm overcomplicating this, but I just want to make sure I do everything the right way.

 

[wilsojos]

I personally only ever do roughly 3 weeks in primary with no secondary unless I'm adding something or long term aging. Bottomline, you will be fine.

 

[jwetzler]

It seems to me that 24hrs in vodka would dissolve the nibs. I've always added cacao to the boil so defiantly not an expert, but if I where to do it I would place the vodka/nibs in the freezer.

How much chocolate did you taste when adding nibs to the boil only? Was it a pretty strong flavor, or just hints of it?

 

[jwetzler]

I soaked the cacao nibs (4oz) in just enough vodka to cover the nibs, then dumped everything into the fermenter. No contamination, so it worked like a champ.

 

[adiochiro3]

I just went back to look at my notes for my German Chocolate Stout. I added 2 oz. of nibs wrapped in a coffee filter at flame out -- which would sterilize the nibs. I left the nibs in through the 2 week fermentation. Great chocolate flavor.

 

[jwetzler]

I just went back to look at my notes for my German Chocolate Stout. I added 2 oz. of nibs wrapped in a coffee filter at flame out -- which would sterilize the nibs. I left the nibs in through the 2 week fermentation. Great chocolate flavor.

I'll apologize in advance for a newb question, but what do you mean you put 2 oz of nibs in at flame out?

Does that mean that after doing your full boil of wort was complete, you turned the burner off, and then let the cacao nibs steep in the wort for a while? If so, how long do you leave the nibs in?

I ended up just getting some Brewers best chocolate extract and dumping in there.

 

[krenshaw]

i just kegged my choc stout last weekend.. for mine i soaked .75 lb of choc pieces in just enough vodka to cover it for 24 hours.. i just gave it a swirl every once in a while when i walked by.. i added this after 2 weeks of primary and let it sit for 1 more week.. only been on gas a couple days, so i can't say what the final taste will be, but right now it has a nice choc flavor probably similar to the sam because theirs is rather strong from what i remember