Cocoa nibs & coffee

[UB2]

What is the preferred method for adding these favors?

 

[Nosybear]

Cocoa: Three ways - first, add to the mash. The mashing process will extract the flavors nicely and give a "chocolatey" flavor. Second - add to the boil with 5-10 minutes remaining. Full disclosure - I haven't used this method. Third, add either cocoa nibs, powder, or chocolate syrup to secondary. Again, I haven't tried this one, I like mashing the cocoa powder so much.

Coffee: Haven't done it but when I do (it's inevitable I'll do a coffee stout at some point), I'll cold-brew my coffee, then test the proportion to add. You can add hot-brewed coffee or coffee beans/powder - I'd generally say secondary would be the place and you want to test to make sure the flavor is where you want it. I did chicory using a tea and got a nice, balanced flavor through trial and error.

On spices/flavor additions in general: Be sure to test. Invest in some basic measuring equipment - a pipette and a graduated cylinder - and test your additions. Teas, tinctures or other solutions of the flavor/spice are a great way to do this. And generally, if you're adding stuff directly to the beer, undershoot. It's a lot easier to add more than to take some out!

 

[UB2]

Thanks so much! Too late for mash, ( boil started 10 minutes ago, nothing like winging it). I will let you know how this plays out. I will add nibs to the boil late and add cooled, strong brewed coffee to the primary. Wish me luck! I have experimented before in other ways and find that to be the most enjoyable and I haven't made a stinker yet.
I appreciated your timely response, thanks again.

Hubie

 

[DanC]

Cocoa: Three ways - first, add to the mash. The mashing process will extract the flavors nicely and give a "chocolatey" flavor.

How much Cocoa did you add to the mash?

Dan

 

[Nosybear]

I added four ounces of cocoa powder to the mash. I've also added a can of Hershey's syrup to a 2.5 gallon secondary to get some cocoa flavor in the beer - advantage, the syrup is fat-free and the yeast eat the sugar, disadvantage, it contains preservatives. If I'm ever to do that one again, I'll go out on the Internet and find some home-made syrup recipes and avoid the preservatives.

 

[DanC]

I added four ounces of cocoa powder to the mash.

Was this a 5 gallon batch? The reason I ask is I have added 6 oz of cocoa powder to the boil (10 min) that turned out good. I also added the Hershey's syrup (30 oz) in secondary with good results but had the extra hassle of racking the beer to a secondary FV. So the next time I thought I would try the addition in the mash.

 

[Nosybear]

5.5 gal. Amount depends on the effect you want - if you want strong cocoa/chocolate go for more. If you want chocolate, add some vanilla.

 

[TheZel66]

coffee grinds in mash, do NOT BOIL... you'll get bitterness like you would if you boil grains.

 

[Nosybear]

Other options for coffee flavors include extremely dark roasted grains and chicory. I used chicory to good effect in an imperial brown ale. With the grains you have to be careful - coffee and cocoa are very close flavors but if you choose the dark grain correctly, you'll get coffee flavor without ever setting foot in a Starbucks. Added benefit: No caffeine.

 

[sbaclimber]

Added benefit: No caffeine.

That's a benefit....!? :?

 

[Nosybear]

Depends on when you drink your beer. You drink it in the morning, I can see a benefit but if you drink it in the evening as I do, then there could be problems.... ;-)

 

[sbaclimber]

Depends on when you drink your beer. You drink it in the morning, I can see a benefit but if you drink it in the evening as I do, then there could be problems.... ;-)

True enough. I only have one rule when it comes to when to drink beer, "no beer before coffee!"
I guess caffeine (coffee beans) in beer would be practically killing two birds with one stone for me. :mrgreen: