Today I’ve moved our fourth batch of chocolate stout into its secondary fermentation. The first batch was more of a porter. The second was solid, especially after about 10months of bottle conditioning. The third batch was excellent from the beginning, to the point we didn’t manage to hold onto any long enough to see how it aged. Each time I tweeked the recipe a bit. This fourth batch has the addition of a half pound of Peet’s Major Dickason’s Blend espresso beans (minimally ground at a #13) that was roasted just this week and added to the carboy before racking the brew for secondary in order to cold extract the coffee flavors.
As it currently stands the recipe comprises:
- 1c. Ghirardelli Natural Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- grains:
- 0.5lbs rolled oats
- 1lb chocolate
- 1.5lbs roast barley
- 0.5lbs 80L crystal
- 7lbs amber malt extract
- hops:
- 2oz fuggles (60minutes)
- 1oz goldings (20minutes)
- White Labs liquid London Ale Yeast or better Dry English Yeast…or even better is to swing by HUB during their Friday afternoon dock sale for a bottle of their amazing fruity yeast (supposed to be the same as used in Young’s ales)
The house has an amazing aroma of fruity yeast and dark espresso.
