Choco-Marzipan Milk Stout

Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.075
FG: 1.030
IBUs: 15
ABV: 6%

MALT/GRAIN BILL
7.9 lb (3.6 kg) Maris Otter
2.8 lb (1.3 kg) Gambrinus Honey Malt
11 oz (312 g) crystal 120L
11 oz (312 g) crystal 40L
11 oz (312 g) chocolate malt
8 oz (227 g) Weyermann Carafa Special III

HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
1.2 oz (34 g) Fuggles at 60 minutes [15 IBUs]
10 oz (283 g) lactose at flameout
5 oz (142 g) marzipan or almond paste at secondary
5 oz (142 g) roasted cacao nibs at secondary

YEAST
White Labs WLP002 English Ale or other favorite English ale strain

DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 156°F (69°C) for 60 minutes.
Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6 gallons
Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule.
At flameout, add the lactose and ensure it dissolves.
Chill to 65°F (18°C), aerate the wort, and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 65–68°F (18–20°C) until complete.

In weighted, sanitized muslin bags, steep the marzipan and cacao nibs for 1–3 days, tasting along the way until the flavor extraction is where you want it, then remove. Once gravity has stabilized again, crash, package, and carbonate.

BREWER’S NOTES
“What makes this beer is the cacao nibs,” says Rooney at BKS. “You’ll want to use roasted nibs, not raw. I recommend adding them on the cold side at a ratio of 1–3 oz per gallon (7–22 g/liter) to achieve big chocolate character.”