Questions about a Holiday beer

[Amishbrewing]

Since the Holiday season is almost upon us I was wanting to make a special beer for friends and family. I thought of a Chocolate Peppermint Porter or a Chocolate Cream Peppermint Stout. I believe I would rather go with the Stout. I am not sure how to go about this other than I would prefer to go All Grain with a peppermint extract oil to help control the mint flavor. I would like the mint to hit after swallowing the beer and just a very soft note of it. I do know that to get an extra chocolate flavor I will be using a bakers chocolate in the final 10ish minutes of the boil. My main problem is Where do I start? As per usual I will be noting everything down so I can duplicate or change as needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and Happy Brewing

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I'm not sure about peppermint in beer, but hey, give it a shot.

You can use chocolate malt for this...provides a nice chocolately flavor and color.

You might want to try Deception Stout as a base recipe (there is an all grain version) and just add your peppermint oil to taste prior to bottling. Many folks say (and I agree) to use a full pound of lactose in the recipe for body versus the 0.5 pound indicated in the recipe. The roasted malt is pretty toasty and requires some aging to smooth out, so if you are looking for a smoother, sweeter experience you may want to reduce the roasted malts and up the chocolate malts to compensate.

 

[Amishbrewing]

Cool thank you. Will try the Deception Stout All grain recipe. I will definitly let you all know how it turns out...good or bad.

 

[BlackGoat]

You can always throw some mint leaves in at flame out or into the secondary. Peppermint extract is obviously an option, or even using altoids. I've been known to keep a pack of altoild "minis" on my desk at work and will throw one into my coffee during the holidays, instantly dissolves and gives it a minty flavor.... just throwing out ideas.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

You might look into gruit (beer that utilized herbs in place of hops, before hops were available in many areas). Peppermint is not an unusual herb in some of those. A peppermint "dry hop" might be a way to keep it herbal and mellow and make it play nice in the beer.

 

[rjthomas21]

I made a chocolate mint stout based on the recipe here. To get the mint flavor, I added 10 peppermint tea bags to the wort at flameout and the result was a nice minty aftertaste. It wasn't overwhelming and was just right. The longer it aged the more subtle the mint flavor got and mellowed with the rest of the beer. It was great at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months.

 

[Amishbrewing]

I made the Deception Stout with a few modifications. Did an All-Grain style and sparged it to the best I could. Looked like a thick chocolate milk when I poured it into the primary fermenter. Pitched the yeast and put in the pantry. Monitering the temp and with any luck it will turn out great.

 

[Amishbrewing]

I bottled the modified deception stout on Sunday the 15th of December. I ended up with 4.5ish gallons of finished product. To that I added 2.5 teaspoons of peppermint extract oil adding a little at a time. I am hoping it doesn't get stronger as it conditions. The flavor is not exactly what I wanted but very close. Hope it turns out ok. Ended up being around 5.5%

 

[FatsSchindee]

I bottled the modified deception stout on Sunday the 15th of December. I ended up with 4.5ish gallons of finished product. To that I added 2.5 teaspoons of peppermint extract oil adding a little at a time. I am hoping it doesn't get stronger as it conditions. The flavor is not exactly what I wanted but very close. Hope it turns out ok. Ended up being around 5.5%

How is the peppermint flavor in this beer after a month (almost)? I'm looking at taking a chocolate stout and adding peppermint in the secondary, as was wondering about amounts and strength. I'm just doing one gallon, so maybe 1/2 tsp extract at bottling, based on your above? Also was going to do about 1/2 oz muddled/crushed peppermint leaves (fresh) in the secondary for 1-2 weeks, so depending on the flavor from that I may dial back the extract at bottling...