Adding cocoa powder to a milk stout

[jman1972]

I am brewing the brewers best milk stout recipe kit this weekend. I really want to beef up the chocolate flavor by adding cocoa powder. I have researched it here on the forum and am thinking I will use 8 ounces of cocoa powder to the boil at 10 minutes. Thye recpie calls for .5 lbs of lactose and .5 lbs Maltodextrin. Does this sound correct? any comments are appreciated. Here is the recpie as I have it

Chocolate cream stout
Style: Sweet Stout OG: 1.053
Type: Extract FG: 1.013
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 5.24 %
Calories: 173 IBU's: 24.07
Efficiency: 80 % Boil Size: 4.00 Gal
Color: 26.3 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Preboil OG: 1.069 Boil Time: 60 minutes
________________________________________

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 10 days @ 70.0°F

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
0.50 lbs 6.17 % Lactose 60 mins 1.030
8.00 ozs 6.17 % Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L 60 mins 1.033
4.00 ozs 3.09 % Roasted Barley 60 mins 1.025
4.00 ozs 3.09 % Chocolate Malt 60 mins 1.028
3.30 lbs 40.74 % Briess Pilsen LME 60 mins 1.036
3.30 lbs 40.74 % Briess Dark LME 60 mins 1.036

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
0.50 ozs 20.38 Magnum 60 mins 14.00
0.50 ozs 3.70 Cluster 10 mins 7.00

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg Nottingham Danstar

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
0.50 lb Malto-Dextrine 60 mins Boil
8.00 oz Chocolate 60 mins Boil

Mash Profile
(none)

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
3.73 oz Corn Sugar - Bottle Carbonation 72.0°F 2.20

 

[Wig]

I can't seen the recipe, but...
I used 8 oz cocoa (unsweetened) at 15 minutes in my milk stout, 10 should be ok too. It is a nice amount. I used 1 lb of lactose. I am wondering about the maltodextrin, I don't think it will add any sweetness. Without seeing the recipe I can't comment on it, but the lactose sounds low in my opinion.

 

[jman1972]

Just updated my orginal post with the recpie. This recpie is exactly what comes in the brewers best milk stout kit that I have. I just put it into iBrewmaster format.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I did a chocolate milk stout that used 1 LB lactose powder and 1 lb light chocolate malt. Nice chocolatey sweetness. I've never used cocoa powder, but remember its very bitter. Not sure how to adjust the sugar and/or hops to compensate.

 

[Wig]

I think the recipe looks, for lack of a better term, light. Light on roast, light on lactose, light on chocolate. I guess it may taste decent, but, for reference and my experience, I made a sweet stout in December and it had double the the roast, double the lactose, double the chocolate malt. I guess the dark malt may bring something to the table, I don't know I have never used it. The crystal may bring some sweetness and depth. I understand the MD now, there is no flaked barley for body.

But to your original question, yes, 8 oz of chocolate powder will lend some nice chocolate flavor. I did use unsweetened (Dark chocolate for the record) as I did not want the extra sugar to throw some wierd variable in the "fermentation equation". It tastes great. It isn't bitter at all, but then again I used more lactose and started and finished a little higher on the gravity, .063-.023.

 

[jman1972]

Thanks for the response. Yes I plan on using unsweetened nestle cocoa powder. I also did not want to add an additional unknowns using extra sugars and trying to stay away from using bakers chocolate to keep the milk fats away.

 

[EMTbrewer]

Just a follow up how did this turn out? I'm looking to do the same thing.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Very informational. This will be my next beer.
Someone mentioned flaked barley. Is this absolutely necessary?