Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout Recipe

[rickyn06]

My wife has been wanting me to make one of these and I am finally going to give it a go. Let me know what you think of the recipe. The idea is to have a nice peanut butter flavor, with nice chocolatey notes, but not really much roasted flavors, some are ok, but don't want it to be dominate.

5 Gal Batch:

11# 2 Row
12 oz Chocolate Malt
12 oz Flaked Oats
8 oz Crystal 120L
8 oz Roasted Barley
Mash: 156F for 60 min

Hops:
1.5oz Fuggle (4.5% AA) 60 minutes
0.5 oz Fuggle (4.5%AA) 10 minutes

Yeast:
Essex Ale Yeast

Extras:

1# Peanut Butter Powder at 10 minutes
1# Peanut Butter Powder after primary
.5# cocoa nibs after primary

 

[rickyn06]

any thoughts?

 

[myerstyson]

How about a tincture of cocoa nibs? And, I guess you can make a tincture from the dried PB powder, yes?

 

[rickyn06]

I'll have to look into the tincture for the nibs. I was planning on adding the PB starting to kettle and fermenter.

 

[Capnblack]

I read the best way to get the peanut butter flavor was to just use extract. I have one fermenting right now that I'm hoping turns out like a Reese's peanut butter cup.

 

[how1]

I've used PB2 twice and was disappointed both times. It gave the beer a "nutty" flavor, but it didn't taste like peanut butter. Hope it turns out well for you.

 

[Eubanks]

How1, how much PB2 did you use and at what stages in the brew or ferment did you add it?

 

[NEMaker]

I've used PB2 twice and was disappointed both times. It gave the beer a "nutty" flavor, but it didn't taste like peanut butter. Hope it turns out well for you.

I cant comment fully yet because I used it in a PB Brown Ale that I still have in the primary, but after 3 weeks it comes across like a roasted peanut flavor more than peanut butter. It seem to have a bit more chewiness in the mouthfeel, but there was something harsh I was also picking up which is why I left it to condition for a bit. Just based on my experiment though (split it into (3) 1 gal batches), I might try it one more time but would rely on it less for the peanut butter flavor.

 

[antony]

I've used PB2 after primary (worried the yeast will scrub the flavor out) and was fairly pleased with it. I think the key is to use a lot...more than you want to. Mix it with water (as the instructions say) and add that to secondary. Heads up, it'll be a sloppy mess and will increase the level of trub substantially. Rack off in 5-7 days and you should be good to go.

My favorite cocoa addition is powder in the boil (10' before the end). I've added cocoa nibs to the keg as a dryhop but felt that there was a lot of oil that killed the head on the beer and it took longer to carb. Still very good, but I liked the powder in the boil better. They also make PB2 w/chocolate---I'm gonna use that in my next PB Porter and see how effective that is. Good luck

 

[how1]

How1, how much PB2 did you use and at what stages in the brew or ferment did you add it?

I put one jar (6.5 oz I think) with 15 mins left in the boil, then I put two jars in the secondary. I think my mistake was letting it sit in secondary for three weeks. I was busy and didn't have time to keg it. It was an Imperial Brown Ale. I thought about dumping it. But, I also had 5 gallons of an IPA that tasted like cat piss. So, I blended the two together and it actually tastes decent, hoppy, nutty imperial red ale. Different, but not too bad. I'll probably never duplicate that recipe again (I hope):cross: It is potent, though. After drinking it all night I was trying to make my way to bed in the dark. Tripped over the dog and woke the whole house up!!!

 

[Steve3730]

I did the captin pb stout recipe and loved it. steeped a box of pb captin crunch in the kettle before the boil added caco tincuture and pb2 is the secondary. Really came out great PB was on the back end but still there

 

[plankbr]

I would skip the boil addition and just use the total amount in secondary (blending it with boiled water to a tomato soup consistency). THEN: here's the kicker.. Add 1/2 oz of this at bottling / kegging:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AC5U7I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


BOOM!

 

[rickyn06]

I've used PB2 after primary (worried the yeast will scrub the flavor out) and was fairly pleased with it. I think the key is to use a lot...more than you want to. Mix it with water (as the instructions say) and add that to secondary. Heads up, it'll be a sloppy mess and will increase the level of trub substantially. Rack off in 5-7 days and you should be good to go.

My favorite cocoa addition is powder in the boil (10' before the end). I've added cocoa nibs to the keg as a dryhop but felt that there was a lot of oil that killed the head on the beer and it took longer to carb. Still very good, but I liked the powder in the boil better. They also make PB2 w/chocolate---I'm gonna use that in my next PB Porter and see how effective that is. Good luck

Good to know. I was thinking of using 2 pounds of PB2. I was planning on adding powder directly to secondary. But you recommend mixing it with water first?

 

[Eubanks]

I am brewing a version of this today.

10lb 2-row
1lb chocolate malt
8oz Carafa III
8oz CaraPils

Boil
1lb lactose 60 min
1oz Warrior 30 min
8 oz PB2 15 min

Yeast
Wyeast Irish Ale 1084. Starter

8oz PB2 in secondary

My only question is where and how to add my 1lb of cocoa nibs. Add to boil? Secondary? Both?

 

[rickyn06]

My only question is where and how to add my 1lb of cocoa nibs. Add to boil? Secondary? Both?

I am making a tincture with vodka. Put the cocoa nibs into vodka for a few days and then just pour in the liquid portion to secondary, or at bottling. I have a friend that said he finds it is the best way to control the flavor of the nibs. You just taste the vodka mixture until you get a flavor you like.

 

[edco76]

Terrapin Liquid Bliss is the best Chocolate PB beer I have found. They call it a porter but I have seen them be very responsive to homebrewers before. may be worth a shot to send them an email.

Here is what info is on their site

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: 30

OG: 15.5

HOPS: US Goldings

MALTS: 2-Row Pale, Wheat, Crystal 86, Crystal 120, Chocolate, Chocolate Wheat, Black

OTHER: Olive & Sinclair cocoa nibs, essence of peanut butter

 

[Eubanks]

I am making a tincture with vodka. Put the cocoa nibs into vodka for a few days and then just pour in the liquid portion to secondary, or at bottling. I have a friend that said he finds it is the best way to control the flavor of the nibs. You just taste the vodka mixture until you get a flavor you like.

Hmmm. I have read a few posts about this but everyone seems to have their own technique. I may give it a shot though. Whats the benefit of soaking in vodka vs adding to secondary?

 

[TwistedHops]

Hmmm. I have read a few posts about this but everyone seems to have their own technique. I may give it a shot though. Whats the benefit of soaking in vodka vs adding to secondary?

I can answer this one, woo! This is so you can control the actual flavor of the beer, instead of guessing how many nibs you want to throw into the secondary. You can pour yourself a small glass, add tincture to flavor and then scale that amount to your batch

Hope that helps!

 

[rickyn06]

Terrapin Liquid Bliss is the best Chocolate PB beer I have found. They call it a porter but I have seen them be very responsive to homebrewers before. may be worth a shot to send them an email.

Here is what info is on their site

Thanks for idea. I might just do that. Plan on brewing this mid-March so I still have some time to alter recipe if need be.

 

[rickyn06]

Similar to what twistedhops said. it is mostly to help you control the flavors and not overpower the beer, or not have enough that you can not even taste it. Also, some advice from my friend that uses them quite a bit, don't get the cheapest nibs you can find. He has found that a good quality/brand nibs do taste better.

 

[WSB-MBC]

Trying my version of this tomorrow. I was thinking of using about 16 oz cocoa powder and 2lbs of crushed, raw peanuts.
I'm planning on adding the nuts about 10 minutes before flameout and the cocoa at flameout.
I've used cocoa nibs before and there is a lot of oil secreted from it. What are your thoughts of doing a cold-crash prior to kegging so that the oil will coagulate and (hopefully) harden on top. That way the siphon can bypass pulling that into the keg as well

 

[Marc77]

Unfortunately no answer for you but sub'd because I'd like to know and see how your recipe turns out.

 

[m00ps]

Ive just got my 3rd PB stout carbed and I used 3 sources of peanut buttter to round out the flavor since its very hard to lock in. a single container is PB2 is nowhere near enough to actually make it detectable. I used 1 box of captain crunch in the mash, racked on top of 2 jars PB2, another capn crunch box as a dry hop, 4 oz cacao nibs and 2 vanilla beans boiled in 100ml of water and added to primary, and finally 1 dram of PB flavoring.

if you use actual peanuts, the oil will sit atop the beer and likely interfere with fermentation sicne the yeast wont be able to rise to the top for oxygen and stuff

 

[AQUILAS]

This thread couldn't have been bumped at a more opportune time. I was actually talking to my girlfriend last night about what beer she would like for me to brew for her and she said this, well, a peanut butter milk stout, similar to what we had at San Diego's Belching Beaver brewery.

Subbed.

 

[m00ps]

For any starting reference points, here's my 3rd iteration of the PB stout. What really makes it is the different PB additions IMO

8 lb 2 row
2 lb flaked barley
12 oz overn toasted 2 row (this is important to get more nutty flavors)
12 oz crystal 80
12 oz roasted barley
8 oz blackprinz
8 oz lactose

@60min: 1 oz willamette
@20min: 1 oz willamette

primary 2 weeks
secondary 1-2 weeks

in mash: 1 box PB captain crunch
in secondary: 2 jars PB2, 2 vanilla beans, 4oz cacao nibs
dry hop 1 wk before bottling: 1 box PB captain crunch
at bottling: Lorann's PB flavoring to taste

 

[WSB-MBC]

Here's a crazy thought....

Concerning the oils from fresh peanuts forming on the surface of the wort and hindering fermentation, how about a quick cold-crash maybe 3 days after pitching in order to solidify the oils and make it easier to remove from the top.
Then bring it back up to normal temps (using an Ale yeast) and letting her go for a few weeks.

??

 

[MJDore]

For any starting reference points, here's my 3rd iteration of the PB stout. What really makes it is the different PB additions IMO

8 lb 2 row
2 lb flaked barley
12 oz overn toasted 2 row (this is important to get more nutty flavors)
12 oz crystal 80
12 oz roasted barley
8 oz blackprinz
8 oz lactose

@60min: 1 oz willamette
@20min: 1 oz willamette

primary 2 weeks
secondary 1-2 weeks

in mash: 1 box PB captain crunch
in secondary: 2 jars PB2, 2 vanilla beans, 4oz cacao nibs
dry hop 1 wk before bottling: 1 box PB captain crunch
at bottling: Lorann's PB flavoring to taste

Any update on how this turned out?

 

[mnm6677]

Ill second an update. I am thinking about making this next month.

 

[m00ps]

My last PB stout turned out well. It had major PB flavor without any head retention issues from oils. It still does fade with age though

 

[rickyn06]

So I never updated this, like I thought I did. The base beer tastes good after primary. Added 2# of PB2 powder to it. Less than a week later it started to get a weird flavor. I eventually dumped it after letting sit in bottles for a while. I think something in the PB powder soured my beer. I'm not the best sanitizer, but I do my best to make sure anything touching the wort/beer after boiling is sanitized. I could have made a mistake, but I've never had a batch sour before.

Since the base tasted good I assume it was the powder since it soured so quickly. Anyone else have an experience like this?