coco nibs (when to add and how to sanitize)

[Pyg]

Going to add 4 oz of coco nibs to a oatmeal stout.
Do you soak in whiskey to sanitize?
I am trying not to impart too much of a whiskey flavor as I will adding oak and whiskey to a separate gallon.

How can I sanitize ?

Do I add to primary
Or add to secondary?
Which will result in best flavor extraction?

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

I usually crush them a bit first. You can put them in a zip lock and smack with a hammer or use a mortar and pestle, whatever works. Just a slight crush, not powder. Then put them in a clean jar and fill with booze until they are just covered and put the lid on. For a neutral flavor, use vodka or use bourbon or rum for some character. You may need to top off the jar to keep them covered. I do this on brew day and leave them to soak.

Two choices. Once fermentation is done, throw the whole mess into the fermenter and you're good to go. Or, if you bottle, add the tincture (just the liquid, not the nibs) into your bottling bucket a bit at a time until you like the flavor, then bottle.

Another tip is that, if you are going for more of a milk chocolate flavor rather than really dark chocolate, cut up and soak some vanilla beans with the nibs. It cuts the bitterness of the nibs a bit. Good luck.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Going to add 4 oz of coco nibs to a oatmeal stout.
Do you soak in whiskey to sanitize?
I am trying not to impart too much of a whiskey flavor as I will adding oak and whiskey to a separate gallon.

How can I sanitize ?

Do I add to primary
Or add to secondary?
Which will result in best flavor extraction?

+1 to what @BlueHouseBrewhouse said. If you want a neutral flavor, soak them in vodka for a week or two then add them to secondary. You can also toast the nibs if you so desire. I've heard this brings out more of a chocolate flavor. So you would toast them in the oven, then soak in vodka, and add to secondary.

As far as sanitizing, that's part of what the vodka/whiskey is doing.

As far as doing this in primary or secondary, I'd probably vote to do it in secondary unless you're fermenting in a bucket with a wide opening where you could GENTLY get the nibs in. Then you could add them to primary. But even still, I'd probably vote for doing this in secondary.

Good luck

 

[Pyg]

I usually crush them a bit first. You can put them in a zip lock and smack with a hammer or use a mortar and pestle, whatever works. Just a slight crush, not powder. Then put them in a clean jar and fill with booze until they are just covered and put the lid on. For a neutral flavor, use vodka or use bourbon or rum for some character. You may need to top off the jar to keep them covered. I do this on brew day and leave them to soak.

Two choices. Once fermentation is done, throw the whole mess into the fermenter and you're good to go. Or, if you bottle, add the tincture (just the liquid, not the nibs) into your bottling bucket a bit at a time until you like the flavor, then bottle.

Another tip is that, if you are going for more of a milk chocolate flavor rather than really dark chocolate, cut up and soak some vanilla beans with the nibs. It cuts the bitterness of the nibs a bit. Good luck.

Thanks for advice.
Do you put the nibs in a strainer bag or keep loose?

 

[IslandLizard]

Don't use a bag, steep them loose. Swirl up once or twice a day.

Don't do a secondary, just add the vodka- or whiskey-steeped potion, nibs and all, to the (primary) fermentor when fermentation has completed. Let sit for a few days to a week, then package.

If you're adding the potion directly to the bottling bucket, just strain the nibs out.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm on the side that smaller pieces extract quicker, better, and more complete. I'm not saying you should turn the nibs into cocoa powder, most should be larger than 1/16" and none of the pieces should exceed 1/4". You'll get some powder too, it will all sink in your whiskey jar or in the fermentor.

I'd use 3-6 oz of 80 proof liquor per oz of nibs.

 

[Jag75]

Would it make a difference as to what kind of fermenter you have ? For instance if you have a fast fermenter with the collection ball at the bottom wouldn't the nibs just sink down and collect in it , not allowing the flavor to be mixed in fully? A carboy I could see just dumping em in , but the collection ball type I think using a bag for the nibs and suspending it would allow for the flavor to be more profound .

 

[IslandLizard]

Would it make a difference as to what kind of fermenter you have ? For instance if you have a fast fermenter with the collection ball at the bottom wouldn't the nibs just sink down and collect in it , not allowing the flavor to be mixed in fully? A carboy I could see just dumping em in , but the collection ball type I think using a bag for the nibs and suspending it would allow for the flavor to be more profound .

Most of the essential oils will be extracted by the (two) week-long soak in strong alcoholic liquor. Now some of that extract will be retained inside the nib pieces, and the beer will then extract most of that over that week in the fermentor. But you are right, they do tend to sink and end up in the trub on the bottom of the fermentor after adding. Without intermittent agitation only (slow) diffusion will extract what's left in them.

As long as you can prevent O2 (air) entering the headspace and the beer when adding the bag, and during agitation, I guess it will be OK. At least you can easily agitate them once or twice a day, if kept suspended.

I used to add dry hops in roomy nylon mesh bags (weighed down with glass marbles), and flushed them with CO2 right before lowering them into the fermentor. Then flushed the headspace with CO2. I now add them loose, and flush the headspace afterward. Or add them through a 1" utility access hole in the lid while streaming CO2 into the headspace. That's using buckets or a small, 7 gallon SS conical. I do give the beer a stir once or twice a day over the next few days, again, while keeping air out by streaming or purging/flushing with CO2.