Chocolate extract/essence?

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kakistos_uk

kakistos_uk
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Hi Folks

Has anyone ever used chocolate extract?

I want to make a milk stout with chocolate (more like a milk chocolate stout), does anyone have experience of this?

I've read that cocoa powder doesn't work well, lots of gunk/mess to deal with.

I don't really like dark chocolate so I don't want to use nibs. I want it to taste a cross between a milkshake and beer.

What does everyone think?
 
Easily done, but needs a little work. The hardest bit is seperating the cocoa butter from the chocolate.
Go big on this...its easier. Take 1kg (I know it sounds a lot but will last quite a few brews) of good quality chocolate 70-80%. Break this into pieces and put into a bowl over simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. After approx 30 mins the choc will melt. You need to take it further...leave it as it is and keep simmering. Keep your eye on the water and dont let boil dry..After approx 90mins the choc will start to seperate...the cocoa butter will float to the top. skim this off and throw away...you will now be left with 100% cocoa.
 
That's brilliantly detailed, thank you! How much would you add to a 35-40 pint batch?

If added to a milk stout, would it retain a milk-chocolatey flavour? I'm not a dark choc fan.

Hardly highbrow but cadburys is the flavour I'm shooting for.

Have you ever used an extract (small bottle similar to food colouring)? How do the two methods compare?
 
I did a chocolate milk stout back in March 2016 with two of these 20ml Prestige creme de cacao essence bottles, added just before bottling. Mine was brewed to 18L with 250g lactose, had an OG of 1.075 and finished at 7.2% abv. It had a strong chocolate aroma which was nice but perhaps a bit much as first. After 3 months it had mellowed nicely, but after a year it was superb. Sadly I only have one bottle left, so I'm saving it for a for a cold winters evening when I can best appreciate the rich aroma, taste and mouthfeel in front of the fireplace.
 
Hi Iain

That's really useful, thanks. Did you use a kit? I'm not certain what point the lactose goes in, I've read threads with differing opinions. I was planning on using a coopers stout kit, 2 x 500g of muntons extra dark spray malt (I've not used this before - any thoughts), 500g dark sugar or golden syrup) or maybe a holland and barratt malt extra kit. I want to brew to around 35 pints so would 500g of lactose and 3 creme de cacao bottle be sufficient?

Sorry for all the questions, your thoughts would be really welcome.

Thanks,
Kakistos
 
Hi Iain

That's really useful, thanks. Did you use a kit? I'm not certain what point the lactose goes in, I've read threads with differing opinions. I was planning on using a coopers stout kit, 2 x 500g of muntons extra dark spray malt (I've not used this before - any thoughts), 500g dark sugar or golden syrup) or maybe a holland and barratt malt extra kit. I want to brew to around 35 pints so would 500g of lactose and 3 creme de cacao bottle be sufficient?

Sorry for all the questions, your thoughts would be really welcome.

Thanks,
Kakistos

Yes, it was a Coopers Stout. I used 1kg dark spraymalt and 1kg Youngs brew enhancer. It doesn't matter when you add the lactose really, as it doesn't ferment or change during fermentation. Your recipe sounds good, though I would stick with 2 creme de cacao bottles as much more and it would be overpowering.
 
Hi Iain

That's really useful, thanks. Did you use a kit? I'm not certain what point the lactose goes in, I've read threads with differing opinions. I was planning on using a coopers stout kit, 2 x 500g of muntons extra dark spray malt (I've not used this before - any thoughts), 500g dark sugar or golden syrup) or maybe a holland and barratt malt extra kit. I want to brew to around 35 pints so would 500g of lactose and 3 creme de cacao bottle be sufficient?

Sorry for all the questions, your thoughts would be really welcome.

Thanks,
Kakistos

When you pitch the yeast on that brew forget an airlock just fit a blow off tube immediately, you're going to need it. That's a great looking recipe, I love the 1kg of extre dark spray malt for a stout, sounds wonderful but it will go off like a rocket and will be climbing out of the FV without a blow off tube.
 
But there is already 99% chocolate on the market: won't that be close enough to 100% chocolate?
(look what you've done! now I want to brew a stout too!)
 
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