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Chocolate Malt

El BrewCamino

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Northwest Indiana
I have been brewing for over 6 years now (all grain) but mostly just brewed recipes out of books and I've been starting to form my own recipes now with the help of the BS software.  I also have been listening to podcasts new and old from several sources and I have heard many times about how chocolate malt doesn't taste like chocolate and that it is more of a harsh burnt coffee flavor. I have always used chocolate malt because that is what the recipe calls for but now I have been making my own recipes I wasn't sure what a good alternative would be that might actually give a chocolate type flavor. I'm not looking for extreme chocolate flavor otherwise I would just add cocoa nibs.
Thanks for any help and sorry if I ramble or don't use good format this is only the second forum I've ever been on
🍻
 
Hi,

Chocolate malt or pale chocolate is what you want to use. Pale chocolate is lighter and is softer in taste so you may want to try that first. IN higher percentages, both pale and regular chocolate malt can be over-the-top roast flavored.

Mark
 
Welcome, El BrewCamino,

I agree with Mark.  The term 'chocolate' tends to denote color more so than flavor.  Chocolate malt offers subtle chocolate notes when added in small quantities.  Greater amounts leads to harsher roasted flavors. 

Pale chocolate malt, in my experience, tends to be more nutty with a slight roasted flavor. 

If you want intense chocolate, cocao nibs or cocao powder will give you a stronger chocolate flavor, especially when backed up with a bit of the pale chocolate malt and a touch of deeper roasted malts, especially the debittered varieties such as the Carafa Special malts from Weyermann.

Another trick I learned through trial and error is that just a bit of vanilla intensifies and really rounds out the chocolate flavor from cocao powder.  I usually add this at bottling/kegging as a tincture to taste. 

 
Thank you for the help I will definitely try some pale chocolate but in Brad Smith's article https://byo.com/article/avoiding-harsh-zone/ he says that pale chocolate "From the name, one might assume
that this is merely a lighter, gentler version of chocolate malt. While the color is indeed slightly lighter than chocolate malt, it actually imparts a more piercing coffee-like roast flavor to the finished beer." He goes on to say in the chocolate malt section "They taste nothing like chocolate!" So I was wondering if there was any malt that actually tastes like chocolate
 
In my opinion and experience, chocolate malts can exhibit chocolate like character that reminds you of chocolate and thus you sense the taste of chocolate.  The same general process for making the chocolate we love is also used to make coffee and roast/kilned barley.  Thus, we often perceive chocolate and coffee when using dark roasted grains.  Use a lot of them and the darker roastiness flavors dominate (often coffee like) and the softer chocolate go away.

As you noted, to be more deterministic, adding cocoa nibs directly contributes to the chocolate flavors and aroma.  Adding cocoa powder significantly increases the chocolate flavors.  Use cocoa cautiously as it can add an unpleasant dryness.  I will design my recipe for more body and maybe add some lactose to compliment the cocoa.

Cheers!
 
How much cocoa powder would be a good starting point in a 10 gallon batch? I am wanting to give my bock a subtle chocolate flavor without overpowering the rest of the beer.
 
El BrewCamino said:
How much cocoa powder would be a good starting point in a 10 gallon batch? I am wanting to give my bock a subtle chocolate flavor without overpowering the rest of the beer.

I think cocoa nibs are better used them in my stout got just enough of a chocolate flavor but not enough to toss it out of balance.

Just pick some up and add them to the boil at like 10 minutes from the end. And you will get a good amount of flavor but not overpowering.
 
El BrewCamino said:
How much cocoa powder would be a good starting point in a 10 gallon batch? I am wanting to give my bock a subtle chocolate flavor without overpowering the rest of the beer.

I used 2lbs in 5 gallons and that was WAY too much.  took three months to mellow out.  I'd use 6oz in 10G added during the last few minutes of the boil for a light chocolate flavor. 
 
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