First Timer with PB2 and Cacao Nibs

[CarolinaMatt]

Made an imperial stout (5 gallon batch) that will be a more or less peanut butter cup stout. Around 8% abv. The base beer is really nice.

I soaked 4oz of cacao nibs in about 3/4 cups of vodka for a week. When racking to secondary I threw the nibs in to the bottom of the carboy and I gradually added in 16oz of PB2 as I transferred the beer and gently stirred after.

Tested it last night after one week on the nibs and PB2 and the flavor really was not very noticeable of chocolate or peanut butter. I went ahead and cleaned/sanitized my plastic mash paddle and again gently stirred the beer making sure to move the PB2/Nibs on the bottom around and tasted again and that seemed somewhat better.

Any others with experience in this? Does it just need another week for the flavors to come through more? Any other tips? Really hoping the flavors come through more

Thanks!
-Matt

 

[Rob2010SS]

4 oz of cocao nibs, in my opinion, isn't a lot. My last imperial stout, I did 8 oz of cocoa nibs that I roasted at 350*F. That had a pretty good effect and that was the 2nd time I'd used them. My first time using them, I also used 8oz. My opinion, I wouldn't go less than 8 oz for a 5 gallon batch.

With PB2, I have only used it once. However, it was in a chocolate peanut butter milk stout. I used 16 oz of PB2 in the boil but then in secondary, I used 2 lbs of natural peanut butter in secondary. I loved the flavor but the PB flavor was still pretty weak. Personal opinion, if you want more PB flavor, i'd add AT LEAST 1 more jar (16oz) of PB2. If it were my beer, I'd add 2 more jars of PB2, but I'm obsessed with the choc/pb combo, haha.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Also, another opinion, I wouldn't stir it. People do it with no harm to the beer but for me, too risky. I'd just let it sit on the PB2

 

[Jag75]

I used 4 oz of nibs and 3 vanilla beans in a choc milk stout . Nibs on vodka for 7 days. Vanilla beans for 4 which wasnt long enough. I poured it all in including the vodka and let it sit for 2 weeks before I kegged . Choc was good , not overbearing but vanilla wasnt as noticeable . Let it sit for another week and you should start tasting that choc a little more . You kegging or botteling? It actually depends on how much chocolate taste you want .

 

[RPh_Guy]

If you want peanut butter flavor, get some brewers best natural peanut butter flavoring.

 

[Rob2010SS]

If you want peanut butter flavor, get some brewers best natural peanut butter flavoring.

Not wanting a fight as you're more knowledgeable than I am in brewing, but I would disagree with this one. I bought what was supposed to be one of the best peanut butter flavorings (Apex/Silver Cloud) that everyone was suggesting I use and quite frankly, it was nasty. I threw it away. My mother in law actually found me a can of reeses flavored whip cream and bought it for me and the whip cream tasted just like that flavoring - chemically, fake, nasty. I threw that out too. I personally don't think flavorings will get the OP what he is looking for here. Again, that's just my opinion though...

 

[Jag75]

I'd try and find out how Belching Beaver adds their PB to their PB stout which is awesome.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

I used 4 oz of nibs and 3 vanilla beans in a choc milk stout . Nibs on vodka for 7 days. Vanilla beans for 4 which wasnt long enough. I poured it all in including the vodka and let it sit for 2 weeks before I kegged . Choc was good , not overbearing but vanilla wasnt as noticeable . Let it sit for another week and you should start tasting that choc a little more . You kegging or botteling? It actually depends on how much chocolate taste you want .

I will be kegging. Ideally keg it Sunday before I start watching all the Super Bowl festivities! I was wondering.... is it the same idea that you get from dry hopping that carbonation helps bring out the flavor more as well as getting a stronger aroma?

 

[CarolinaMatt]

Also, another opinion, I wouldn't stir it. People do it with no harm to the beer but for me, too risky. I'd just let it sit on the PB2

Yes I did not want to stir it, but I got a little worried haha Hopefully time will be my friend and get more flavor through in these next 7 days! I'm with you... Peanut Butter and Chocolate easily one of the greatest flavor combos of all time for me haha

 

[CarolinaMatt]

If you want peanut butter flavor, get some brewers best natural peanut butter flavoring.

I try to stay away from extracts such as that. Just a personal preference as I like the challenge of trying to get the flavors from the grains or the actual item

 

[CarolinaMatt]

I'd try and find out how Belching Beaver adds their PB to their PB stout which is awesome.

interesting I will check it out!

 

[RPh_Guy]

(Apex/Silver Cloud) ...it was nasty....

That's a different product than I recommended.

I like the challenge

That's fine. Good luck!

 

[Jag75]

I will be kegging. Ideally keg it Sunday before I start watching all the Super Bowl festivities! I was wondering.... is it the same idea that you get from dry hopping that carbonation helps bring out the flavor more as well as getting a stronger aroma?

Not too sure . I think its plausible because after a beer is carbed I think it has better flavor then uncarbed imo. Never thought of it that way

 

[CarolinaMatt]

Not too sure . I think its plausible because after a beer is carbed I think it has better flavor then uncarbed imo. Never thought of it that way

Yea from what I've read it has to do with the bubbles help release the aroma. No exact scientific way for me to show it, but my first time doing a heavy dry hop the nose after was not quite where I wanted and once it was carbed up it was much better!

 

[Rob2010SS]

That's a different product than I recommended.

That's fine. Good luck!

Sorry, should have prefaced it with "I know it's not the product you mentioned".

OP, however you choose to proceed, let us know.

And by the way, I can tell you that on my chocolate peanut butter milk stout, the carbonation did not increase the PB flavor or aroma. I would not rely on carbonation to increase that flavor. If you want more, i'd add more ingredients.

 

[ratinator]

If you want peanut butter flavor, get some brewers best natural peanut butter flavoring.

I agree with this, just use 4oz in a triple chocolate porter and after 2 weeks the flavors all meshed well together