Mashing in additional flavours

[Beer Terrorist]

I have been thinking of having a mess around with my mash tun by adding extra ingredients, dried fruit, chocolate, coffee etc. in an attempt to see what flavour it adds if any. Has anyone tried anything like this before?

[anomalous_result]

chocolate

Don't let DaaB see that!

The March 2006 Brewer's Contact had them adding elderflower to the boil (Link to pdf, you'll need acrobat).

[Beer Terrorist]

I'm not even sure how well chocolate would work really considering its fat content. I was thinking if I could get a really high coco percentage it might add some subtle flavour without affecting the beers body.

[mysterio]

If you want a chocolate beer try about 200g of plain cocoa at the end of the boil of a porter or stout. I might do it at some point as a curiousity for people to try when they want something different. I wouldn't sit down and drink 40 pints of it though.

If you're adding coffee, my preferred method would be to brew some espresso and dose the keg/secondary, so as not to drive off the aromatics.

[Bryggmester]

[oblivious]

i would leave those addition to late in the boil or secondary. You could try mash hopping or if you can get some date sugar , which is basically ground date they need to be mashed

[Beer Terrorist]

If you want a chocolate beer try about 200g of plain cocoa at the end of the boil of a porter or stout. I might do it at some point as a curiousity for people to try when they want something different. I wouldn't sit down and drink 40 pints of it though.

If you're adding coffee, my preferred method would be to brew some espresso and dose the keg/secondary, so as not to drive off the aromatics.

I've heard of brews using these methods and no doubt they give quite an intense flavour. As you say with the coffee, boiling it would affect the flavour but there must be something that remains through mashing, boiling and fermentation. I'm not looking for massive falvours, just something a little different.

[charlie]

IMHO chocolate only works in beer if combined with peanut butter.

[ritchie]

where along the brew would one add fruit or fruit pulp? and would pulp be better?

[Garth]

IMHO chocolate only works in beer if combined with peanut butter.

you got your foil hat on tonight Charlie?

[Beer Terrorist]

IMHO chocolate only works in beer if combined with peanut butter.

you got your foil hat on tonight Charlie?

It might just be me, but that doesn't sound all that ridiculous. Come to think of it I'm sure I've read somewhere of someone using snikcers bars in a brew.

[Vossy1]

Chocolate beer....

[Stonechat]

Looks as if there is a lot of Daab-baiting going on here, as I'm sure you all know of his aversion to c*******e in beer
I guess most people are checking this thread to see if he has bitten yet

[Beer Terrorist]

I'd like to point out that I didn't start this to specifically discuss choclate, although I did realise it might ruffle a few feathers

[delboy]

I've brewed with chocolate, the whole to much fat content and no head retention thing is overstated hookum in my experience. That said brewing with real chocolate is a waste of time in my experience, save yourself a lot of hassle and add some chocloate extract/essence just before kegging/bottling it'll give you the character/aroma you are looking for without wasting a whole lot of the real stuff.