Recipe Formulation: Chocolate Rye Stout

[adomka]

I want to make a chocolaty stout that I hope to eventually add some chilis to to try and make a Mexican "Hot" chocolate like stout (though I plan on brewing it first without). This is my first attempt. I thought the slight spicy rye character would play well with the chocolate taste I'm looking for.

Any opinions or recommendations, Thanks. Should I add or sub some #L of Caramel Malt

6 lbs 4.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) |53.1 %
2 lbs Chocolate Rye Malt (250.0 SRM) |17.0 %
1 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) |8.5 %
8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) |4.3 %
8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) |4.3 %
8.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) |4.3 %
1 lbs Lactose [Boil for 15 min] |8.6 %

0.33 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min |17.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min |11.4 IBUs

1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04)

 

[adomka]

Do I need to add some crystal Malt will it end up being too sweet?

 

[Queequeg]

My suggestions are:

Too much chocolate rye, I wouldn't include more than 12%. Add another roast malt, say roast barley.

Drop the lactose, Imo it won't work well with the rye.

Use 0.5lb of flaked rye, instead of flaked barley.

I would definitely include crystal malt. I would go 5% 80 and 2% special b.

 

[Gravity]

Queequeg is spot on

I would drop the lactose also as lactose and Rye are not friends and scale back the chocolate Rye

If you're looking for a Mexican "hot" chocolate stout (by hot i'm assuming you mean temperature and not spicy) the biggest problem I see with your recipe is that it has no actual chocolate included, like chocolate nibs

I highly recommend Abuelita Chocolate, you can find it in most national grocery stores or Mexican grocery stores. This will give you that classic Mexican Hot Chocolate flavor. I brewed something like this a while back and the chocolate was amazing.

I'm curious how yours turn out, keep us posted

 

[adomka]

So I want to try the Chocolate Rye in a sweet stout, so I dropped the regular rye malt and added crystal 60 and dropped Chocolate rye to 12%, to keep any prune and raisin tastes out. and by Mexican I was hopping to add Chilies in the next batch after I get the beer by itself where I want it.

Though I will probably be making a rye stout after this, taking all the recommendations here. I was just reading up on chocolate rye and people mentioned it being a smoother chocolate taste then chocolate malt and that you can use a lot more of it. And I think that sounded great in a milk stout.

 

[Queequeg]

Chocolate rye is more chocolatey than regular chocolate malt. However it still produce more of a coffee like flavour.

Ime you need a blend of Malta to get a chocolate character as well as actual chocolate.

Caraaroma provides a nice chocolate flavour. Go to your lhbs and try some. A some addition along side some chocolate malt will get you close to what you are after.

 

[madscientist451]

I recently made a chocolate rye porter and wasn't impressed. I still drank it, of course.
The last 3-4 pints from the keg went into some swing top bottles, I stuck them in the back of the cooler and forgot about them for 3+ months. Last night, I pulled one out and was surprised by how much it had changed. A much more pronounced chocolate character, smoother and seemed sweeter as well. So if I brew it again I'm going to lay it back a few months and let it develop.

 

[adomka]

Should I leave munich as base malt with using crystal 60 now, or switch to donestic 2 row and add a touch of munich 0.75-1 lb

 

[adomka]

My suggestions are:

Too much chocolate rye, I wouldn't include more than 12%. Add another roast malt, say roast barley.

Drop the lactose, Imo it won't work well with the rye.

Use 0.5lb of flaked rye, instead of flaked barley.

I would definitely include crystal malt. I would go 5% 80 and 2% special b.

What are you expecting to get from the 2% special b, Im trying to avoid dark sugar, and plum/raisin tastes from some of the darker crystals.

 

[Queequeg]

I would use weyermann caraaroma instead of special b. Combined with chocolate malt it brings a more confectionary chocolate flavour as opposed to cocoa.

As I said try some at your lhbs. Or get a lb and cold steep overnight and taste the proceeds.

I high quantities you'll get plum and liquorice.

Vanilla really helps too.

 

[adomka]

I would use weyermann caraaroma instead of special b. Combined with chocolate malt it brings a more confectionary chocolate flavour as opposed to cocoa.

As I said try some at your lhbs. Or get a lb and cold steep overnight and taste the proceeds.

I high quantities you'll get plum and liquorice.

Vanilla really helps too.

yeah I read adding vanilla is great for bringing out chocolate notes. I dont want to add any adjuncts the first time around as I want to be able to see how the chocolate rye shines through as I have never used it before.

Also doesn't look like I can get CaraAroma from LHBS...so maybe use some Carafa special ii?

 

[adomka]

This is where I'm sitting now, after adjustments.
I got enough chocolate rye to make another porter/stout without the lactose and adding the rye back in with flaked rye.


Mash temp 152 F:

7 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) | 60.2 %
1 lbs 5.0 oz Chocolate Rye Malt (250.0 SRM) | 11.3 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) | 6.4 %
8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) | 4.3 %
8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) | 4.3 %
4.0 oz Carafa Special II (Weyermann) (415.0 SRM)6 2.1 %
5.0 oz Roasted Barley (Briess) (300.0 SRM) | 2.7 %

1 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) [Boil for 15 min](0.0 SRM) | 8.6 %

0.40 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min 20.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 25.0 min 13.2 IBUs