Sanitizing cocoa nibs & toasted coconut for secondary?

[Pyg]

I am sanitizing my cocoa nibs and toasted coconut 1 day before adding to my stout.
I put all items in a sock inside a mason jar.
I started to fill with vodka, however I ran out 1/2 way through.
I was going to top off with rum, but feared mixing rum and vodka would add a off flavor.
Not to mention rum has a very distinct flavor, where as vodka is kind of neutral.

Seems my options are:

shake the jar and get all the nibs and coconut in contact, will this suffice?

Imix all ingredients with a spoon to get everything in contact with vodka?

Top off with Rum?

buy more vodka to top off, submerge & sanitize before adding to the stout?

Any advise from past experience is appreciated!View attachment IMG_1598.jpg

 

[JimRausch]

Kinds of depends on what style you're doing this for. Personally, I tend to use more Meyers Dark Rum or Jack Daniels than vodka for my cocoa nib/vanilla bean/coconut/oak cube sanitizing. I like the little extra flavor they add to my Browns, Porters or Stouts. A light flavored beer? Then I'd probably use vodka.

 

[Calder]

Get more vodka.

I assume you are going to add the coconut and nibs to the beer while still in the mesh bag. If so, you should put all the bag in the container, so it too gets sanitized.

And add the vodka to the beer too as it will take on some of the flavor from the coconut and nibs.

I think I would have gone with Bourbon or dark rum in a stout, and added some oak and vanilla in there too.

 

[Pyg]

Get more vodka.

I assume you are going to add the coconut and nibs to the beer while still in the mesh bag. If so, you should put all the bag in the container, so it too gets sanitized.

And add the vodka to the beer too as it will take on some of the flavor from the coconut and nibs.

I think I would have gone with Bourbon or dark rum in a stout, and added some oak and vanilla in there too.

I did add 1 vanilla bean.
I can add some oak.
Never thought of using dark rum or bourbon!
Damn, now I feel like I missed an opportunity.
Will vodka not mix well with the stout or am I over thinking this?

I am sterilizing all of the bag

 

[nomadbear]

I second just topping up with vodka. I placed 4oz of nibs in vodka for a week for sanitation and flavor extract. After a week in vodka it smelled and looked like chocolate syrup. (What else would you expect from cocoa nibs? ) The beer came out amazing, had to hide it form the wife as she was running it dry...

 

[Pyg]

I second just topping up with vodka. I placed 4oz of nibs in vodka for a week for sanitation and flavor extract. After a week in vodka it smelled and looked like chocolate syrup. (What else would you expect from cocoa nibs? ) The beer came out amazing, had to hide it form the wife as she was running it dry...

I only used 2 oz of cocoa nibs & 14 oz of coconut.
Have been really tempted to up the nibs to 4 oz (or just save the left over 2 oz for next stout)

Mind if I ask what kind of beer?

 

[Pyg]

This seems like a ton of coconut and a ton of vodka (1/2 liter)
So far it is very intense smell of vodka,
Hope it does not affect the beer too much. Vodka turned white, so I still add this to the brew?
How long do I leave in vodka?
View attachment IMG_1603.jpg

 

[nomadbear]

I only used 2 oz of cocoa nibs & 14 oz of coconut.
Have been really tempted to up the nibs to 4 oz (or just save the left over 2 oz for next stout)

Mind if I ask what kind of beer?

It's a "specialty stout"
Smoked chocolate oatmeal stout.... That's a mouth full I know mildly smokey with some Carmel and chocolate notes and thick as motor oil.

 

[nomadbear]

This seems like a ton of coconut and a ton of vodka (1/2 liter)
So far it is very intense smell of vodka,
Hope it does not affect the beer too much. Vodka turned white, so I still add this to the brew?
How long do I leave in vodka?
View attachment 420477

I held my nibs on vodka for one week and added the 300ml of vodka along with the nibs to the fermenter. I'd have to check notes but I think I let the beer sit on the nibs for a week as week it may have two.

As for the coconut I'm not sure I do know that the vodka will extract a fair amount of flavor from the coconut. You may want to half or quarter it and add in small amounts and taste in over a few days of making slow additions. Just a thought.

 

[amyhowerton]

I am going through the same issue. hope I got a solution from here.

 

[BrianDorry55]

Just toast in the oven for a few minutes and add to the fermenter. I’ve done a ton of secondary additions (coconut several times and cacao a few) and have never soaked anything in alcohol and never had an issue. Usually I freeze and thaw fruit...but I’ve added fresh peeled/chopped cucumber several times and never got an infection.

 

[mr_stout]

The rum would add a nice flavor to the stout but I don't think that you would even notice it because it would be such a small amount. You can soak cocoa nibs if vodka for three months to get chocolate extract and add that to your brew.