Brewing with chocolate.

So I am in love with Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence Stout and I want to take a crack at a brew of similar character.  I have never brewed with chocolate so I am not familiar with how to use it or what type of chocolate to use.  I am assuming that I have to go with something that is almost pure bitter chocolate (no milk involved).  Does anyone have any advice or experience to share?  If it helps, I know that I will be using a Belgian yeast.

James

I have only brewed with chocolate a few times. Every time adding the chocolate directly to the kettle in the last 5 minutes of the boil. The problem I have found is that the chocolate, even when melted and very fluid before adding, tends to settle directly in the bottom of the kettle; so therefore constant agitation is required, or it will burn. You are correct in using a bitter chocolate with no milk. Unless you are looking for a sweeter finish ( the lactose in milk is unfermentable ).

Darin

I did a chocolate peanut butter stout which turned out really well.  I used Hershey’s Dark powder last 15 min of boil. IF you want a sweeter stout, then add lactose in the secondary as it will not ferment out. But the real trick is to add Crème de Cacao and cocoa nubs as a slurry to the secondary, or at bottling.  This will give you good flavor and aroma. Some might also say that you can get the “chocolate” flavor by the grain in the bill.  I think it is a combo of all three….

Thanks for the replies fellas.  I think I'm going to go with 8oz. of cacao powder I found at the local store during the boil.  The add some vanilla and cacao nibs during the secondary.  I have read that the vanilla helps bring out the chocolate flavor.  I'm also considering adding some lactose during the secondary.  This should be a fun adventure!

Just a quick update on my Chocolate Stout.  It is fermenting just fine....but very slowly due to the cold weather we are having in San Francisco.  I ended up using 8oz. of Cacao powder in my boil but I feel that this was way too much.  My beer looks like chocolate milk right now.  I tasted it at my first hydrometer reading and it is has a very very dark chocolate bitter flavor to it.  I am hoping to let it sit long enough for the excess cacao powder to settle out, then I will transfer it to a secondary where I will add lactose and a touch a vanilla to try and sweeten and balance out the bitterness. 

When I do this brew again I will forgo the cacao powder and use cacao nibs in the secondary.  It seems like it will be much cleaner and I worry about any oils that might have come from the powder.......my fermentation had no krausen what so ever.  I'll keep this thread updated as the brew progresses.

James

I put baking chocolate in a beer that I plan on bottling tomorrow, if I have time.  I added it at flame out with 8 oz of coffee.  I had a strong coffee/chocolate smell.  I used a milk chocolate for some added sweetness.