Infusion Additions

[NinjaBear]

So I’m making a chocolate stout. And the recipe calls for infusing the cocoa nibs in vodka then adding to secondary to give it the chocolate flavor.

I had read that when making infusions you will actually get a “cleaner” flavor making infusions with Everclear than diluting it with water.

Would it be better to soak the cocoa nibs in everclear? And should I dilute it with water or let the five gallons of stout do the diluting?

 

[day_trippr]

I can't imagine why one would dilute an extract before adding it to beer. What would be the point?
If the extract is too strong, make less of it and save some money in the offing.

Anyway...presumably alcohol can cut into cocoa better than water, and frankly any alcohol will work as well as another.
As to Everclear vs vodka, don't restrict yourself to just those. I marinate cocoa nibs and a couple of scraped and smushed vanilla beans in dark rum for a week then dump the works into a pair of carboys and rack 10 gallons of imperial chocolate stout on top...

Cheers!

 

[NinjaBear]

There is a difference between infusions and extracts. Though I understand that home “extract” kits of soaking vanilla beans in vodka (an infusion) have muddled the waters of the differences.

 

[day_trippr]

So...what would you call soaking cocoa nibs in alcohol and using all of it in a beer?

Cheers! (Hint: unless you plan on consuming the nibs, the correct answer has an "x" in it)

 

[NinjaBear]

Soaking cocoa nibs in alcohol is an infusion.

Making an extract is a completely different process.

 

[day_trippr]

Whatever, it's nothing worth arguing about, especially considering the major overlaps between infusion, tincture and extract. And the methods can be exactly the same with differences ascribed to one or the other as trivial as the amounts used...

Cheers!