chocolate / vanilla stout

[YorkshireTiger]

Sorry to reprise such an old thread, but gonna try this again, three years later! Was re-reading for tips, I do like a stout thicker than I usually manage and was thinking about adding some black treacle as someone advised above. Just thinking would that detract from the quite delicate vanilla aroma and taste, also how much flaked barley is advisable, does that add to the body? Thanks for any advice, ta matt

[fego]

Don't know about treacle (not tried it) but what I can say is that the brew I mentioned above was the best stout I've ever made. It was chewy and malty and had a lovely vanilla hint about it too. It all went in one weekend it was that good (a few of us had it).

I remember adding the chocolate powder (Bournville) a small bit at at time towards the end of the boil and that it needed a long time to settle before running it off. Chucking it all straight in would have over awed the elements. This has reminded me to do it again...

[YorkshireTiger]

Cheers fego, did as you suggested with the chocolate. It's looking good at this stage, I don't have a wort chiller so waiting to pitch the yeast probably tomorrow a.m, hydrometer reading when I was running it off this morning suggested potential alcohol content of 8%! I did put nearer to 7kg pale malt in, but I usually get very low efficiencies. Was just wondering whether the 125g of chocolate powder would cause an artificially high hydrometer reading, I.e by making the wort 'heavier'? Don't understand the science behind it all so apologies if it doesn't make sense!

[critch]

I remember adding the chocolate powder (Bournville) a small bit at at time towards the end of the boil and that it needed a long time to settle before running it off. Chucking it all straight in would have over awed the elements. This has reminded me to do it again...

nibs are better but bloody expensive hence why we use cocoa,I mix it with a little hot wort and add it over a minute or two (takes 3 30 litre buckets when I do it im up and down that fekkin ladder like theres no tomorrow )

[AnthonyUK]

I've been reading about adding chocolate nibs as I made a sweet stout for xmas recently.
I settled on the soaking in Vodka and freezing to remove the extracted cocoa butter as it affects head retention.
Not a massive issue for me but as there was a way to avoid it which was relatively straightforward I used it.

[Barley Water]

Well I am doing a Milk Stout Sunday. I got the recipe out of a book Gordon Strong wrote and I suspect this stuff will be a bit over the top if I'm lucky. I will be cold steeping all the dark grains so I can keep it smooth (a new procedure for me so we will see how it goes). This beer is rather large; 1.072 is the O.G. target and it should be down right chewey. In a 5 gallon batch there is 1 pount of flaked oats (Mr. Seymour would be proud) 1/3 of a pound of flaked barley and of course a pount of lactose powder plus a pound of crystal (can you say body?). On top of all that, I'm using WLP02 (Fuller's strain) plus mashing on the hot side. A desert beer for sure but yeah, my daughter wanted a Milk Stout for the holidays so I must comply.