Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Nothing Fancy Chocolate Milk Stout

[woknblues]

I'm sure you'll be just fine with that.

On a side note, I just had a 1 year old bottle of this, I was very pleased.

Sounds great. I may scale this to get 6.5 gallons or so I can keg 5 and then bottle up a case when done fermenting. I have stepped my yeast up once so far, second step on Monday, then I'll be brewin' this!! Gonna go a bit heavier on the nibs, since I have a ton of it from an accidental amazon subscription!

 

[woknblues]

Sounds great. I may scale this to get 6.5 gallons or so I can keg 5 and then bottle up a case when done fermenting. I have stepped my yeast up once so far, second step on Monday, then I'll be brewin' this!! Gonna go a bit heavier on the nibs, since I have a ton of it from an accidental amazon subscription!

Got my ingredients today, and will be brewing tomorrow. My LHBS was out of crystal 160, so I subbed with 120L and added a bit more. Gonna do a 6.5 gallon batch . Can't wait for this one!! I am going to do 8oz of cacao nibs soaked in a cup of jameson's, for fun.

 

[DrSnake]

14.5 LB Maris Otter
2 LB Flaked Barley
1.25 LB UK - Chocolate
1 LB Roasted Barley
1.25 LB UK - Brown
.5 LB Extra Dark Crystal 160L
2 LB Milk Sugar (5-10 Minutes left in the boil, it's not science)

Hops:
1.5 OZ Northern Brewer 7.8 AA (60 Minute)

Additions:
8 OZ Cacao Nibs (KA-KOW!)
2 Whirlfloc Tablets
Wyeast Yeast Nutrient

Primed with 8 oz Corn Sugar

Mashed at 155 for 60 minutes.
Sparged at 174.

The nibs work best if you soak them in vodka for ~3 days before you throw them into the primary. Cover them with vodka and then pour the whole thing into the fermenter, cheap ABV boost! Do this after the 2 week mark and let them sit for 3-4 days. I didn't secondary this, I threw the nibs into the primary. The longer they sit, the more chocolate you'll get, but I like how 3-4 days tastes. No overpowering chocolate, but enough to make you smile.

A friend tried it with cocoa powder and got similar results, but I still prefer the nibs.

The beer snobs, SWMBO and regular beer folks all loved this, so I wanted to share it. I can't seem to keep up with demand.

It only gets better with age, the last batch was fantastic at the 2 week after bottling mark and ungodly delicious at the 2 month mark.

Cheers for now.

Yum

 

[woknblues]

Got my ingredients today, and will be brewing tomorrow. My LHBS was out of crystal 160, so I subbed with 120L and added a bit more. Gonna do a 6.5 gallon batch . Can't wait for this one!! I am going to do 8oz of cacao nibs soaked in a cup of jameson's, for fun.

Sounds great. I may scale this to get 6.5 gallons or so I can keg 5 and then bottle up a case when done fermenting. I have stepped my yeast up once so far, second step on Monday, then I'll be brewin' this!! Gonna go a bit heavier on the nibs, since I have a ton of it from an accidental amazon subscription!

Brilliant brewday! Was a bit worried about my substellar last efficiency, so I slapped on an extra 1/2# of M.O., then naturally hit all time high efficiency and got an OG of 1.072! Partigyled the spent grain bag into a black IPA and pulled a 1.020 out of the left overs, to which I added 8lb of LME and some centennial and cascade (and SA-04) to. I guess I'll name this one "Son of Nothing Fancy"

 

[eviljay]

Nothing Fancy 2: Electric Boogaloo

 

[woknblues]

Update. I am so glad that I made a starter! This thing took off in 30 minutes. I put it in large fermenters, so I put it under a bubbler, and that thing was raging in my 60 degree garage for 24 hours plus with wlp004, and only now has slowed down to a big bubble every few seconds. Very nice. I gotta come down from 1.072!!!

The "Son of Nothing Fancy' Black IPA was pitched with sa-04 and took about an hour (rehydrated with ferm-go) to start. Once it took off about 3 hours later, It too started chugging away and even now, is going very fast, big bubbles every 2 seconds or so. This will be a pretty big IPA, my refractometer told me 1.061!!! I hope it drys out a bit. I am also hoping the sa-04 stays clean. I may have to dry hop in the keg to balance this one out!! It's gonna be a toasty/roasted/coffee yummy IPA. I did a 2 ounces each of cascade and centennial in it. I am figuring to dry hop 2 ounces or so in the keg when finished.

 

[DolemiteGK]

Tastes like a bandaid crossed with a rubber stopper

 

[woknblues]

Tastes like a bandaid crossed with a rubber stopper

I can't tell what is more out of place, the comment or the picture... lol

 

[eviljay]

What in the actual **** is going on here?!

 

[DolemiteGK]

 

[woknblues]

pic#1 a Northeastern outdoor antique roadshow
pic#2 sheriffs conducting some kind of masonic ritual

I can't wait for pic#3.....

 

[woknblues]

Just tossed the nibs in. Those suckers are pretty nasty tasting. I hope whatever good is in them goes into my beer!

 

[DolemiteGK]

 

[woknblues]

Just tossed the nibs in. Those suckers are pretty nasty tasting. I hope whatever good is in them goes into my beer!

Its been almost a week on the nibs. I don't have the space yet to keg this. (I couldn't drain my keg of American Wheat because I hurt my back and was taking some heavy anti-inflammatories). Now the back is better, and I have to go to work for 4 days.. Do you think there would be anything particularly wrong with leaving the beer on the nibs for around 2 weeks?

I could rack it off into another clean secondary, I just don't really want to if the only drawback is more chocolatey flavor.

Speaking of meds, Dolomite, are you on any? :fro:

 

[eviljay]

No, theres nothing with leaving the nibs on longer. You get much more chocolate at that point.
Which I liked, but my wife didn't. So I went with just a few days for a more mild flavor.

Dolomite is a local hero in Maryland. He's ok.

 

[woknblues]

No, theres nothing with leaving the nibs on longer. You get much more chocolate at that point.
Which I liked, but my wife didn't. So I went with just a few days for a more mild flavor.

Dolomite is a local hero in Maryland. He's ok.

Glad to hear about the nibs. I don't think there is an upper limit on how much my family likes chocolate, so I think it will be safe!!

Oh, I see, he's just giving you some grief. I really thought the dude was whacked. All though, takes one to know one...:rockin:

 

[hunter006]

How much coco powder should I use in place of the nibs?

 

[ArcticBear]

Just brewed another batch of this, ten gallons. But like a dummy i just doubled what i had in beersmith of my laptop.... Im pretty sure i futzed with the recipe after brewing it last time (for no reason but to show someone something about beersmith later) and i added about a pound extra of roasted barley.... I can try and offset this with a little more nivs but im afraid im going to end up with harsh roasty crap now...ffffffuuuuu

 

[woknblues]

Just brewed another batch of this, ten gallons. But like a dummy i just doubled what i had in beersmith of my laptop.... Im pretty sure i futzed with the recipe after brewing it last time (for no reason but to show someone something about beersmith later) and i added about a pound extra of roasted barley.... I can try and offset this with a little more nivs but im afraid im going to end up with harsh roasty crap now...ffffffuuuuu

Bad luck. Maybe with some aging, the roastiness will mellow? To be honest, this is my first stout, and I have little knowledge of what roasted grains do over time. This may be a good candidate. It's a pretty robust stout in general. (well, it's not an Irish Dry stout anyway). It might just end up a sipper. Nothing wrong with that, unless you don't have the space, and want to brew more! Also, those nibs may be contributing to a more "bitter" type of chocolate profile, like very dark chocolate, and I think that might accentuate what you are trying to offset. Not saying don't do it, it's just what I perceive having tried the nibs on their own (almost a harsh chocolate bitterness)

*edit- I just notied that you have brewed this before... Hmm. Well, maybe a little age.. Anyways, it looks like "homercidal" did exactly what you did, and it turned out OK https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/nothing-fancy-chocolate-milk-stout-331956/index9.html#post4560756

 

[woknblues]

How much coco powder should I use in place of the nibs?

I think "homercidal" was doing 8 ounces. IIRC, he has done this recipe a couple times

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/nothing-fancy-chocolate-milk-stout-331956/index5.html#post4469009

 

[ArcticBear]

Bad luck. Maybe with some aging, the roastiness will mellow? To be honest, this is my first stout, and I have little knowledge of what roasted grains do over time. This may be a good candidate. It's a pretty robust stout in general. (well, it's not an Irish Dry stout anyway). It might just end up a sipper. Nothing wrong with that, unless you don't have the space, and want to brew more! Also, those nibs may be contributing to a more "bitter" type of chocolate profile, like very dark chocolate, and I think that might accentuate what you are trying to offset. Not saying don't do it, it's just what I perceive having tried the nibs on their own (almost a harsh chocolate bitterness)

*edit- I just notied that you have brewed this before... Hmm. Well, maybe a little age.. Anyways, it looks like "homercidal" did exactly what you did, and it turned out OK https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/nothing-fancy-chocolate-milk-stout-331956/index9.html#post4560756

Problem is that this was kind of snap brewed in a pinch for a charity festival im pouring at the first weekend in june and then at the end of june (depending on how it turns out)

Oh well we'll see how it turns out

Also, after about 3-4 days in vodka, cacao nibs smell like beautiful milk chocolate

 

[woknblues]

Three days so far on the carb. Hoping the stuff will settle out (forgot the whirlfloc), although this is my first time using lactose. My wife just came out of the garage with a full pint of it. She said it was great. I am waiting until Sunday.

 

[eviljay]

Excellent sir.

 

[woknblues]

Three days so far on the carb. Hoping the stuff will settle out (forgot the whirlfloc), although this is my first time using lactose. My wife just came out of the garage with a full pint of it. She said it was great. I am waiting until Sunday.

After 7 days on serving PSI of 12, the carb is around 50% there. This stuff is great! I took a taste, then just poured off a pint. Wowza, there is a lot going on here, but it is also so very well balanced. Coffee and chocolate playing very nice and classy in this. I can already tell this is the best beer I have brewed to date. I think I am a fan of the brown malt, I have not used that before and I believe that is what is really "marrying" these wonderful flavors.

I am already trying to figure out how to fit this into my pipeline again. I won't be changing a thing, except to remember the whirlfloc next time! Amazing! Thanks!

 

[woknblues]

After 7 days on serving PSI of 12, the carb is around 50% there. This stuff is great! I took a taste, then just poured off a pint. Wowza, there is a lot going on here, but it is also so very well balanced. Coffee and chocolate playing very nice and classy in this. I can already tell this is the best beer I have brewed to date. I think I am a fan of the brown malt, I have not used that before and I believe that is what is really "marrying" these wonderful flavors.

I am already trying to figure out how to fit this into my pipeline again. I won't be changing a thing, except to remember the whirlfloc next time! Amazing! Thanks!

Carb is perfect. Head is perfect. Taste is perfect. Amazing beer! I was worried about it being "inappropriate for the season", but it is so damn good, I don't give a hoot if it hits 90!

I can't tell which flavor stands out the most, so I guess it is pretty well balanced.

 

[woknblues]

Problem is that this was kind of snap brewed in a pinch for a charity festival im pouring at the first weekend in june and then at the end of june (depending on how it turns out)

Oh well we'll see how it turns out

Also, after about 3-4 days in vodka, cacao nibs smell like beautiful milk chocolate

I have had this at different temperatures now, and though this might be true about all roasted malt, it seems to take a front seat when the brew is served colder. If I drink it at my serving temp of 38, I do get more roastiness, though maybe the other flavors are just muted more at lower temps... something to consider anyway when serving your "Double roasted by accident" version.. At around 45 or so, everything is wonderfully balanced.

 

[rdljr27]

Could this recipe be used for for a coffee milk stout? If so what changes would you make to the grain bill?

 

[woknblues]

Could this recipe be used for for a coffee milk stout? If so what changes would you make to the grain bill?

To be honest, I would go ahead and brew as is. I am getting plenty of roasted "coffee" type flavors with the roasted malt choc nibs and lactose. Also you could always boil off a extra half gallon of wort then top off with a half gallon of cold steeped coffee... either way, you'd have a winner here..

 

[ArcticBear]

took a hydro sample before adding the cacao... still sitting at 1.028 after a couple weeks... don't have much time so i added the cacao anyways...

tasted the sample and the roasted barley has mostly been scrubbed out, still has the lactose twang and deep coffee notes... it's going to be on the sweeter side due to the higher FG but i need to get this on gas by thursday for it to be ready for the fair on saturday

 

[yono1986]

Three days so far on the carb. Hoping the stuff will settle out (forgot the whirlfloc), although this is my first time using lactose. My wife just came out of the garage with a full pint of it. She said it was great. I am waiting until Sunday.

I made the same mistake, but it's not like you're going to see chill haze anyways. If you can see through the beer you've done something wrong

 

[eviljay]

I'm making this again soon for a charity event.

Can't wait.

 

[woknblues]

I'm making this again soon for a charity event.

Can't wait.

Gonna stick with the recipe? Nibs/booze? Just curious...

My Brother, Sister-in-Law and Sister are coming out this weekend. This beer will be the star of the show, they are all stout lovers. This will blow their minds!

 

[ArcticBear]

I'm making this again soon for a charity event.

Can't wait.

Everyone loved it when i poured it at the recent fair here in ct

 

[brew2enjoy]

Brewed up another batch of a slightly modified version of this last night (no brown malt, crystal 120). Threw in 1/2 oz of orange peel zest for the last 5 minutes of the boil. Not sure if it will be enough to add anything to the final product but I didn't want to overdo it. I think a touch of orange on the finish would make this a great holiday beer.

 

[wanderer316]

I brewed this earlier in the year. My only exposure to stouts up to then was an occasional Guinness. When I first tried this beer, 2 weeks after bottling, I thought it was really sweet and harsh at the same time, and I thought that maybe I just didn't like stouts all that much. I then left it in my basement and ignored it for a few months. When I tried another one at that point, it still was a little bit too sweet for my taste, but it had become much smoother, with a hint of chocolate; pretty darn good.

I just brewed up a second batch last night. This time I decided to cut the lactose in half and add a pound of oats for a little more body and maybe some head. Also, I am thinking of adding just a touch of raspberry to it by using Chambord raspberry liqueur with some vanilla bean soaked in it, as McBob does for his Raspberry Milk Stout. I'm going to give it quite a bit of time in secondary (I'll add the nibs near the end of secondary) and won't touch it until at least 3 months from brew day. Although this seems like it would be a great winter beer, mine won't see a glass until early spring. I think I can deal with it, though.

 

[eviljay]

I think the best thing I took away from this recipe is that oats and lactose work really well together in moderation.

 

[eviljay]

Brewed up another batch of a slightly modified version of this last night (no brown malt, crystal 120). Threw in 1/2 oz of orange peel zest for the last 5 minutes of the boil. Not sure if it will be enough to add anything to the final product but I didn't want to overdo it. I think a touch of orange on the finish would make this a great holiday beer.

How did the orange work?

 

[TimFarAway]

Has anybody tried mint? A mint chocolate milk stout sounds fantastic for St Patty's day. A day made for drinking beer. May be too late for 17 March drinkability tho. And... I just had my first Thin Mint of the season, so its on the brain.

 

[MW66]

What BJCP category would this best fit? 13B Sweet Stout or 21A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable beer because of the cocoa nibs addition.

 

[brew2enjoy]

How did the orange work?

Couldn't detect it in the finished product. I'll try adding a little more next time. This batch turned out great though. Definitely better with the nibs! I have 4 ounces soaking in the keg and it's awesome.