7 replies to this topic

[wengared]

I was copying some of the recipes off the old board and came across liquid sex, chocolate mead. so i'm going to go it one furthure and make a chocolate raspberry mead, so would this be a melomel or a melomelmethaglen(say that real fast.) were shooting for a o.g. of 1.120 using d-47 yeast. 18-19 lbs of basic clover honey , 6 gallon batch, here's where i'm at, make a basic sweet mead, add 6 lbs raspberries and one lb of chocolate to the secondary. now my big problem is the chocolate, what type to use, : powder, syrup or nibs? and is a pound enough? how much will the raspberries and chocolate add to the fermentables? Also, would an addition of dme help this ?Meadmakers, Matt, Scott, and Armagh, any help is appreciated.

[ScottS]

I got nothing.I've never used chocolate in mead, I'm a little bit biased against it because I've read of other people having a mess in the carboy from the oils in the chocolate. But I know other people who've had great success with it, so I know it can be done well.I can't really tell you how much the raspberries will add in terms of fermentables either. I always add fruit in the secondary with the intent of sweetening afterwards, so the sugar content of the fruit doesn't really matter to me.Good luck, and I'm curious to hear how it turns out.

[wengared]

I got nothing.I've never used chocolate in mead, I'm a little bit biased against it because I've read of other people having a mess in the carboy from the oils in the chocolate. But I know other people who've had great success with it, so I know it can be done well.I can't really tell you how much the raspberries will add in terms of fermentables either. I always add fruit in the secondary with the intent of sweetening afterwards, so the sugar content of the fruit doesn't really matter to me.Good luck, and I'm curious to hear how it turns out.

I've got an antique 6 gallon jar with a 4 inch opening i can seal so the cleaning won't be a problem, i now realize what your saying about the raspberries, so now i just need to figure what chocolate to go in the secondary. thanks.

[wengared]

Did you ever figure this out? I would think powdered cocoa would solve the oils in the carboy problem.

I am still thinking of using chocolate nibs, the reason is i suspect my double chocolate stout took on a off taste from chocolate powder. got to clear a carboy before i can start on this.

[armagh]

I made a batch using some slight variations that I think I posted in that thread at the time. Clean up is a pain in the ass and it is because of the oils, but I thought it was worth the trouble, YMMV. I used Montmorency cherry concentrate from Leelanau Fruit Co. - unadulterated - instead of raspberries. Use nibs if available, failing that, a good unsweetened chocolate will work, I use Scharffen Berger. An unsweetened chocolate will have between 50-60 percent cocoa butter, bittersweet/semisweet only 35 percent (plus sugar, vanilla and lecithin) and milk chocolate about 10 percent with the rest filler. Avoid cocoa powder because it's just the dried solids that are left after the cocoa butter is extracted, and often times is treated with alkalai.IIRC, I used 4 oz softened in a microwave in secondary so one pound will certainly get it done. Good luck.

[armagh]

I use plain (not Dutch Processed) cocoa baking powder. This avoids the oils and the alkali issue of either chocolate or processed powders. Of course, you will have to be mindful of the pH using non-Dutch Processed powder, they are acidic. Cocoa butter contains no flavour. The flavour is all in the solids of the powder.

I find the oils add the dimension of mouthfeel to the eventual beverage that I have not been able to get with powders. I liken it to the practice some winemakers use of adding glycerin. But it may not be to everyone's taste.

[wengared]

I'm glad i set this project back, this is the info i needed, alkali in the powder is probably what pooched my stout, the nibs will be mail ordered, raspberry or cherry will probably come from oregon puree and local honey. I expect to have some carboys open the first of august and can rotate this into the schdule.