I was going to write how I failed to douse the water supply good enough, since the SPI Forum went nuts and half the Island decided they were a bunch of crotchety old biddies and all went to heck. And then I decided maybe I'll write about this wonderful economy we have, where only three houses sold since January - bummer, boring, and not sponge worthy! Then I saw the light: chocolate beer. To heck with the downer stuff I want to know about this stuff.
I turns about that long before being used to make chocolate, cacao beans were used to make a fermented drink. The LA Times reports on a story about some archaeologists that found evidence of the chemicals in cacao in pottery shards in present-day Honduras which date back to maybe 1,500 years B.C. Now how cool is that? Scientists conjecture that the hootch was maybe 5% alcohol and had cacao beans, honey, and chilies in it.
Of course, over in the Old World beer and wine had been stump juice favorites since about 5,400 B.C., back when your knuckles still dragged on the ground when walking (I should know). But chocolate beer? Who would have thunk it? I think I love the Olmec people now. I mean, aren't these the same folks that invented mole?
Well, I'll get with my Island brewers and see if we can throw 5 gallons of it. No telling if we get it right, but dang it, honey, chocolate, and some chilies are going down the hatch!
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6 comments:
Chocolate Beer!
Hey Sammy! The best commercial example is “Young’s Double Chocolate Stout”
If you can find some also get a couple of bottles of “Linderman’s Frambroise Lambic” which is a raspberry flavored beer open fermented in one specific region of Belguim.
After enjoying both styles separately, then make a “Chocolate Truffle” 2 parts Young’s to 1 part Frambroise
As far as home brewing a Chocolate stout we have tried it many ways. Primarily you use Chocolate malt as a specialty grain and then add cocoa to the boil. We tried many versions and never quite hit it. A buddy came up with the solution, Chocolate Liquor!
He added an entire fifth as he kegged a five gallon batch but I prefer to start a pint glass with a shot or two before I build a nice pint of “Catfish Hole Stout” (can’t see the sun through it!) I have some on tap now, If UPS brings you a couple of bottles of “Diet Coke” open them carefully
Tha Beerman!
Catfish Hole Stout
An Imperial Stout
Specialty Grains: 1 lb. Crystal Malt 60 L. 4 oz. Roasted Barley,
4 oz. Chocolate Malt
Malt Extract: 6.6 lb. British Dark Syrup + 3 lb. light DME
Sugar: 1 lb. Dark Brown Sugar (add to wort)
Bittering Hops: 12 AAUs Northern Brewer (1.4 oz.)
Finishing Hops: None
Yeast: Whitelab’s Irish Ale
Original Specific Gravity 1.082
Terminal Specific Gravity 1.015
Potential Alcohol 8.5% by Volume
Wow Beer Man that's over 10 pounds of goodies in there, like whoa. Only thing I made richer was a double Stout, which was darn near gravy. Hmm, like Willy says, "I like gravy!"
We'll see what the locals say ... I like the beers with lots of goodies in it because weak, thin beers tend to get infections easier.
Thanks for the recipe.
sam
Well, I am not a suds-drinkin' kinda gal, but Chocolate Beer actually sounds like something I could enjoy quaffing.
Yum!
Hey Lucinda, some of that designer beer is actually sipped more like wine it is so tasty and powerful. Meade and some Belgians are also very close to wine ... think you might like some of these. /sam
Chocolate Beer....It is a lovely thing. Two great things that taste great together!
Here's and idea - get a bar of your favorite chocolate - and your favorite beer - bite then sip - bite then sip - instant chocolate beer!
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