Sweet Stout

Cuba · March 22, 2015, 09:30:50 PM

Based off recipe from this months issue of BYO. Doing extract w/ grains and I'm pretty sure I'm going to secondary with raw organic cacao nibs -----> any advice on whether or not to roast these nibs and how much to use would be appreciated.

Targets:
OG 1.064 FG 1.014 IBU 25 SRM 28 ABV 6.8%

6 lbs Golden LME
9 oz Light DME
0.5 lbs Caramel malt 80L
0.5 lbs Chocolate malt
4 oz Black malt*
6.75 AAU East Kent Goldings
1.25 lbs Lactose
Wyeast 1084, ferment between 18-21C

Actual OG 1.067
Brewed March 21st, 2015

*Recipe called for Briess Blackprinz, I couldnt find it with short notice. I found the wort tasted a little bitter, we will see how it does after ferment. and secondary.

robcoombs · March 23, 2015, 09:37:32 AM

I would roast the cacao nibs. I've used 8oz in a 5 gal batch with good results.

Roger · March 23, 2015, 09:44:34 AM

I've never roasted nibs prior to using so I can't say how well it works. But I have had good success at making a tincture using around 6 oz. of nibs and just enough vodka to cover the them for at least a week. Than add it to the secondary or strain out the liquid and add it at bottling/kegging. I recommend a little vanilla as well it helps bring our the chocolate flavours.

Al-Loves-Wine · March 23, 2015, 10:14:51 AM

+1 to Vanilla, it goes hand in hand with chocolate.

robcoombs · March 23, 2015, 10:21:16 AM

Yes, I should have said. I generally use a tincture as well. I also use vanilla with the nibs. Great combo.

pliny · March 23, 2015, 12:00:58 PM

I generally grind the nibs coarsely and put it in vodka for a couple of days or more.
If you use vanilla, I would advise you to use the pure stuff. No imitation. It costs more and there is a reason for that. I usually buy vanilla beans (they come in 2 in the tube). Split them lengthwise with a knife, scrape out the vanilla with a spoon and put in a glass container, then chop up what's left of the beans,put that in the same container. Add vodka for several days. Dump it in when you're ready.

I've never used both chocolate and vanilla in the same recipe.

WY1084 is a great choice for yeast for this style.

The recipe says to boil for 90 minutes. I wouldn't boil for 90 mins. but that's just me.
BTW, I'm not sure how long you need to boil for extract, I would probably follow the boil time of a kit used previously.

Cuba · March 23, 2015, 12:24:49 PM

Cool, I will grab a couple vanilla beans (or should I grab more?) from aura today and start the tincture. I probably won't roast them because I thought the point of that was to sanitize them and the vodka will do that just fine.

And I already boiled for 90 min pliny, I'm a newbie and basically followed the recipe as well as I could. I don't have the previous experience...probably should have posted this before I brewed it, oh well! I'll see how this one turns out and go from there; I really like this style so I don't mind making it again.

robcoombs · March 23, 2015, 01:07:55 PM

Two vanilla beans is enough for one batch.

pliny · March 23, 2015, 01:16:29 PM

Quote from: Cuba on March 23, 2015, 12:24:49 PM
Cool, I will grab a couple vanilla beans (or should I grab more?) from aura today and start the tincture. I probably won't roast them because I thought the point of that was to sanitize them and the vodka will do that just fine.

And I already boiled for 90 min pliny, I'm a newbie and basically followed the recipe as well as I could. I don't have the previous experience...probably should have posted this before I brewed it, oh well! I'll see how this one turns out and go from there; I really like this style so I don't mind making it again.

The 90 minute boil won't hurt it - no worries. About the vanilla; it doesn't have to be a $10 tube. Although I think it's something close to $8 these days - I've picked up some at the superstore, sobeys, bulk barn. I was only worried about you picking up the artificial extract or something that's modified. But if you get the bean, that's good.

robcoombs · March 23, 2015, 01:38:30 PM

costco always had the best price on vanilla beans, but they haven't stocked them for a while now. At least not that I've found. Bulk barn is the cheapest price I've found otherwise.

jamie_savoie · March 23, 2015, 02:23:11 PM

If you can find this variety of vanilla I highly recommend it. It's the major league of vanilla bean
http://spicetrekkers.com/products-page/shop-spices/new-caledonia-vanilla/
this is also really handy
http://spicetrekkers.com/products-page/shop-spices/vanilla-caviar/
I can get this locally in GF, if somebody's interested I can bring some

Cuba · March 23, 2015, 08:27:02 PM

I went to bulk barn, $5.30 for a tube. I've seen them at aura before but I'm sure they would have been double the price.