I'm making a Chocolate Milk Stout that I'm planning on adding coconut to. The cacao nibs need to be soaked in 10 oz vodka overnight according to the instructions and numerous places I've read. I've got pear vodka, habanero vodka, and cucumber vodka, but no plain vodka. I also have Bacardi Superior White Rum and Trader Vic's Dark Rum and Kahlua. I assume the alcohol needs to be at least a certain proof to work for sanitizing. Any thoughts on using any of this in place of plain vodka? Would 10 oz make a difference in flavor of 5 gallons of beer?
Soaking cacao nibs in rum or other possibilities...
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10oz sounds like a lot but I'd use the Habanero. Have a RIS on tap with coconut, coconibs, and chillies. The heat will slowly go away but adds nice character. I usually just secondary nibs for 5days or so. Vodka is 40 proof so it sanitizes but I've never had an issue.
Put your cocoa nibs in a jar . Pour the alcohol of your choice over them to where it just covers them . Leave in a dark closet for 7 days . Over night isnt long enough. Then pour all the contents in secondary.
Personally, I use Meyer's Dark rum for all my soaking needs. I like the little extra flavor it adds.
Personally, I only use vodka for cleaning or filling my airlock.
Any infusion of sweet or savory seems to balance better with rum tha vodka.
Same goes for cocktails. Sweet is usually rum, savory or neutral tends to be gin.
Any infusion of sweet or savory seems to balance better with rum tha vodka.
Same goes for cocktails. Sweet is usually rum, savory or neutral tends to be gin.
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I've used vanilla vodka for soaking cocoa nibs but think maybe the rum would go well with the coconut in your recipe.
If you want to minimize adding additional flavors use white rum. I personally would choose dark rum though because it goes really well with chocolate. When I soak oak cubes in rum or bourbon for a stout I use 12oz which adds a nice level of flavor without overwhelming the beer.
OG-wan Kenobi
Arcane Artisanal Ales
The longer you soak the nibs the better I have nibs soaking for a month usually, I leave them on top of the fridge so every time the door opens and closes it gets a little movement in the container
Braumeise
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I soaked cocoa nibs in Bourbon for a stout.
I did soak them for 3 weeks though and it turned out awesome.
I was amazed how much chocolate aroma it had.
Your rum idea should work perfectly fine (imo).
Dammit man, reading all this has me wanting to brew a stout this weekend. That's all I seem to brew lately and the warm weather is coming!!
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I cant remember if it was soulshine on here who just did a choc coconut porter. He used coconut toasted in his recipe . I wanna say he used quite a bit but said he wished there was more coconut flavor . Brewers best has a coconut extract that is really good . That was my very first beer . Toasted coconut cream ale .
Toasted coconut plus a splash of coconut flavoring + cocoa nibs +dark rum would made a crazy good stout; I imagine about 1.060-1.070 could support all that flavor while being light enough to enjoy year round. Man this changed my whole weekend.
Makes me want to get on the train lol
10oz of vodka? Holy **** what a waste of vodka and treating your beer like a 16 year old girl your trying to sleep with. In all of my heavy chocolate beers there is like 4oz of nibs and like a shot or two would cover them that is all you need. And in all honesty your beer is done fermenting...there is probably atleast 5% alcohol in there. Just toss em in
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I don't use ever clear with some chocolate liquor just to throw it up a notch
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