Rauchbier vs. PB Porter

EvanAltman36

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I only have room in the kegerator for 4 kegs, all of which will soon be full. However, I have 5 kegs. That said, I'd like to go ahead and brew up a batch that I can set aside for a while; I'm not a patient man, so being forced to wait makes this perfect.

I need some help deciding what to do though, so I'm reaching out. Do I go with a rauchbier or a peanut butter porter?

And if I do the latter, I've got even more questions:
Do I go chocolate (like a Reese's cup) or strawberry puree (PB&J) in secondary?
And if I go chocolate, do I go with cacao nibs or syrup (I've done the latter and it worked quite nicely).
 
I did a chocolate cherry stout with the cacao nibs recently and I wasn't too pleased with the chocolate flavor. The cherry came through great, but the chocolate flavor was over bitter and over powering. My next one I would probably try the syrup, so that's my vote for your PB porter.
 
how about smoked pb porter? that might be a bit much going on, or it might be great.
I did Midwest Supplies Chocolate Covered Beavr Nuts kit, which is pretty much a chocolate and peanut butter porter. it came with cocoa nibs, and everyone really liked the beer. I have never used syrup or cocoa powder in a beer, so I can't compare it though.
 
I think I'd do syrup again if I go that route. I used Hershey's Special Dark and regular in a beer a while back and it was money. I was really stoked about the PB&J idea, but then I started wondering about how well it'd come through. I would prefer to use strawberry puree, but my LHBS only has the 96oz wine base, which I fear is way too much to add. I would hate to spend all the money on it only to throw half of it out. And the ingredients are already quite expensive.

But, man, something in the back of my mind is still saying to do it.
 
Re cocoa, don't just buy the Hershey's stuff from the grocery store. Go to a spice shop and sniff the cocoas. They have very different aromas. I like Mexican cocoa, sometimes called Aztec - it gives chocolate flavor in a beer if, and only if, you add some vanilla. There are some that smell burnt, some overpowering.... Cocoa does not taste like chocolate! Cocoa and vanilla does taste like chocolate. As with everything brewing, use your nose, your taste, your senses in selecting ingredients and you won't be disappointed.
 
The Hershey's Syrup experiment I did a while back resulted in a fading chocolate flavor. I prefer what I get (and can manipulate it much better) with cocoa and vanilla. Add back a little lactose or sucralose (Splenda) and you can almost get chocolate soda for grownups.... (ewwwww....)
 

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