Chocolate Clones
As craft beer continues to push the limits further and further with exotic ingredients and flavors, chocolate beers have become almost commonplace. It’s no longer surprising to find a chocolate porter on a brewery’s tap list or see a special release for a chocolate imperial stout. That doesn’t mean brewers have been stagnant with these styles, however. Instead, brewers are finding new ways to introduce chocolate character and creating new complementary flavors and adaptations of the original wave of chocolate beers.
To complement the story “Brewing Chocolate Beers” on page 36, we’ve pulled together six chocolate beer clone recipes that have come straight from some of our favorite breweries. These are six ready-to-brew recipes that should hit the mark for all chocolate lovers. And for homebrewers who prefer to create their own recipes, a lot of recipe development advice can be gleaned by observing the ingredient choices and processes that professionals of every size are doing to create their chocolate beers.
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, you should have time to surprise that special someone with a truly unique box of chocolate this year.
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.’s Tiny clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.090 (brew day)
FG = 1.024 IBU = 50 SRM = 50 ABV = 11.8%
Tiny, a Belgian-style imperial stout, embodies Weyerbacher’s philosophy of big, bold beers with a flavorful twist. While the craft beer world has largely gravitated toward stouts fermented with a clean-fermenting American ale yeast, leaving a window open for expressive adjunct ingredients, Tiny relies on the fruity esters of a Belgian yeast strain for its nuance. The result is a smoother, fruitier imperial stout that lacks astringency but still packs a big punch of flavor, with rounded stone-fruit and chocolate notes conjured by fermentation and a careful selection of dark malts. Perfecting this recipe will remind brewers how much can be achieved by simply respecting the power of yeast itself.
Ingredients
14.5 lbs. (6.6 kg) 2-row malt
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) white wheat malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (120 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Briess Blackprinz® malt (or Carafa® Special III) malt
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) table sugar (sucrose)
16 AAU Apollo hops (90 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 16% alpha acids)
LalBrew Abbaye, SafAle BE-256, or Wyeast 1762 (Belgian Abbey Style Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes with a thick mash, 1–1.15 qts./lb. (2.1–2.4 L/kg). Begin lautering process and sparge with 180 °F (82 °C) water. Collect approximately 7 gallons (26.5 L) of wort in the brew kettle.
Boil for 90 minutes adding the hops at the beginning of the boil. Adjusting water volumes accordingly to achieve desired fermentation volume and chill wort. Your target starting gravity on brew day should be about 1.090. Begin fermentation around 65 °F (18 °C), then raise temperature to 70 °F (21 °C) after three days. Add the table sugar just as fermentation begins to slow, around day 3 or 4. Final ABV listed for this recipe accounts for this sugar addition. After fermentation is complete, let settle for one week then transfer the beer off the yeast. Cold condition for one month between 32–40 °F (0–4 °C). Bottle and prime to 2.5 volumes or keg and force carbonate.
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.’s Tiny clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.090 (brew day) FG = 1.024
IBU = 50 SRM = 50 ABV = 11.8%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) light dried malt extract
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) wheat dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (120 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Briess Blackprinz® malt (or Carafa® Special III) malt
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) table sugar (sucrose)
16 AAU Apollo hops (90 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 16% alpha acids)
LalBrew Abbaye, SafAle BE-256, or Wyeast 1762 (Belgian Abbey Style Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Starting with 5 gallons (19 L) of water in your brew kettle, warm the water up to 160 °F (61 °C). Place all the crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the kettle for 20 minutes. Remove the grains and let them drip back into the kettle. Add the hops and both dried malt extracts and stir until all the extract is dissolved. Bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes total.
After boil is complete, adjust volume with cold water to achieve desired fermentation volume and chill wort. Your target starting gravity on brew day should be about 1.090. Begin fermentation around 65 °F (18 °C), then raise temperature to 70 °F (21 °C) after three days. Add the table sugar just as fermentation begins to slow, should be day 3 or 4. Final ABV listed for this recipe accounts for this sugar addition. After fermentation is complete, let settle for one week then transfer the beer off the yeast. Cold condition the beer for one month between 32–40 °F (0–4 °C). Bottle and prime to 2.5 volumes or keg and force carbonate.
Pelican Brewing Co.’s Midnight Malt clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 43 ABV = 6%
Pelican’s Midnight Malt takes the structure of a classic, balanced porter and turns the complexity knob up just slightly with the rich character of dark chocolate. Brewed with Meridian Cacao Company nibs sourced directly from cacao farmers in Tanzania, this clone recipe can be adapted by using a range of cocoa nib varieties, based on the brewer’s preference. Malts like Midnight Wheat offer an overall smoother mouthfeel and more refined roast character, with a grain bill designed to strike a balance between sweet, bitter, and roasty. Adapted from an earlier porter recipe (a draft-only exclusive, at the time), the base recipe of Midnight Malt makes for an ideal springboard into more adventurous adaptations, or simply a reliably easy-drinking porter ideal for all cold weather months.
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (80 °L)
14 oz. (400 g) flaked barley
9 oz. (255 g) Briess Blackprinz® malt (or Carafa® Special III) malt
9 oz. (255 g) Briess Midnight Wheat malt
9 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 12% alpha acids)
6–8 oz. (170–225 g) Tanzanian cocoa nibs
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), or Mangrove Jack’s M44 (US West Coast) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Begin lautering by bringing the mash up to a mash-out temperature of 168 °F (70 °F) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, vorlaufing until the wort runs clear then direct runoff to the boil kettle.
Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the beginning of the boil. Chill wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) until primary fermentation is complete. Transfer to secondary and add cocoa nibs along with the vodka. Allow for 3–5 days of contact time in order to extract the full flavor profile. After this, transfer beer to keg or bottle.
Pelican Brewing Co.’s Midnight Malt clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 43 ABV = 6%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (80 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Carafoam® malt
9 oz. (255 g) Briess Blackprinz® malt (or Carafa® Special III) malt
9 oz. (255 g) Briess Midnight Wheat malt
9 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 12% alpha acids)
6–8 oz. (170–225 g) Tanzanian cocoa nibs
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), or Mangrove Jack’s M44 (US West Coast) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Warm 5 gallons (19 L) of water in your brew kettle up to 160 °F (61 °C). Place all the crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the kettle for 20 minutes. Remove the grains and let them drip back into the kettle. Add the dried malt extracts and stir until all the extract is dissolved.
Bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the beginning of the boil.
After boil is complete, adjust volume with cold water to achieve desired fermentation volume. Chill wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) until primary fermentation is complete. Transfer to secondary and add cocoa nibs along with the vodka. Allow for 3–5 days of contact time in order to extract the full flavor profile. After this, transfer beer to keg or bottle.
Terrapin Beer Co.’s Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.066 FG = 1.021
IBU = 35 SRM = 42 ABV = 6%
For a beverage that’s only consumed by adults, craft beer is surprisingly good at playing upon nostalgia. Many of the most popular beer trends of the last decade, from milkshake IPAs to pastry stouts, explore the rich and vibrant flavors of childhood sweets in new and inventive ways. But perhaps one of the most classic childhood indulgences—especially in those parts of the country dotted with dairy farms—is a refreshing glass of chocolate milk. Striking the perfect balance between rich and wholesome, it should come as no surprise that the chocolate milk flavor profile would become a classic in the world of craft beer as well. Terrapin’s Moo-Hoo employs a generous addition of lactose sugar along with cocoa nibs from Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company to recreate the perfect equilibrium of that American favorite, demonstrating that the pairing of dark beers and chocolaty richness can be both endlessly adaptable and enduringly simple.
Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) 2-row pale malt
13 oz. (370 g) flaked oats
12 oz. (340 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) English chocolate malt
5 oz. (140 g) Carafa® Special III malt
3 oz. (85 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose sugar (0 min.)
2–3 oz. (57–85 g) cocoa nibs
6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nugget hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V),
or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Begin lautering by bringing the mash up to a mash-out temperature of 168 °F (70 °F) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, vorlaufing until the wort runs clear then direct runoff to the boil kettle.
Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list and the lactose at the end of the boil. Chill wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
When the beer has finished primary fermentation, transfer to secondary and add cocoa nibs along with the vodka. Allow for up to one week of contact time to extract the desired flavor profile. After this, transfer to a keg or bottle condition.
Terrapin Beer Co.’s Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.066 FG = 1.021
IBU = 35 SRM = 43 ABV = 6%
Ingredients
5.1 lbs. (2.3 kg) extra light dried malt extract
12 oz. (340 g) Golden Naked Oats malt
12 oz. (340 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) English chocolate malt
5 oz. (140 g) Carafa® Special III malt
3 oz. (85 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose sugar (0 min.)
2–3 oz. (57–85 g) cocoa nibs
6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nugget hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V),
or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Starting with 5 gallons (19 L) of water in your brew kettle, warm the water up to 160 °F (61 °C). Place all the crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the kettle for 20 minutes. Remove the grains and let them drip back into the kettle. Add the dried malt extracts and stir until all the extract is dissolved. Bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list and the lactose at the end of the boil.
After boil is complete, adjust volume with cold water to achieve desired fermentation volume. Chill wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). When the beer has finished primary fermentation, transfer to secondary and add cocoa nibs along with the vodka. Allow for one week contact time in order to extract the desired flavor profile. After this, transfer to a keg or bottle condition.
Evil Genius Beer Co.’s Purple Monkey Dishwasher clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.066 FG = 1.014
IBU = 35 SRM = 33 ABV = 6.7%
If a cold creamy glass of chocolate milk (or, perhaps, a smooth glass of chocolate milk stout) is a reliable throwback to the more innocent days of childhood, Evil Genius’ Purple Monkey Dishwasher is a twist on a more indulgent morning treat. Chocolate and peanut butter are natural complements, layering rich and roasty on top of savory and salty. This recipe spins the standard chocolate stout base in an even more indulgent direction, though without pushing flavor profiles as extreme as, say, a pastry stout. Since peanut butter is still a smoother, more savory flavor, no one should find this recipe too over-the-top. Though that’s certainly an option too. For those wishing to punch things up several more notches, consider that other classic pairing with peanut butter: Jelly. Once brewers have this baseline recipe dialed in, they should find themselves with a perfect foundation for layering ripe fruit flavors on top of a chocolaty porter base.
Ingredients
12 lbs. (5.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
12 oz. (340 g) crystal malt (30 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) chocolate malt
5 oz. (140 g) roasted black barley
9.6 AAU Warrior hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 16% alpha acids)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Tettnang hops (5 min.)
0.13 fl. oz. (3.8 mL) chocolate extract
0.1 fl. oz. (3 mL) peanut butter extract
Imperial Yeast A07 (Flagship), Omega OYL-004 (West Coast Ale 1), or SafAle US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Begin lautering by bringing the mash up to a mash-out temperature of 168 °F (70 °F) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, vorlaufing until the wort runs clear then direct runoff to the boil kettle.
Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Chill wort and ferment at 70 °F (21 °C) for one week.
When the beer has finished primary fermentation, transfer to secondary if desired and then add chocolate and peanut butter extracts. Allow two to three days for flavors to integrate. After this time, transfer to keg or bottle condition.
Evil Genius Beer Co.’s Purple Monkey Dishwasher clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.066 FG = 1.014
IBU = 35 SRM = 33 ABV = 6.7%
Ingredients
6.5 lb. (3 kg) extra light dried malt extract
12 oz. (340 g) crystal malt (30 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) chocolate malt
5 oz. (140 g) roasted black barley
9.6 AAU Warrior hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 16% alpha acids)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Tettnang hops (5 min.)
0.13 fl. oz. (3.8 mL) chocolate extract
0.1 fl. oz. (3 mL) peanut butter extract
Imperial Yeast A07 (Flagship), Omega OYL-004 (West Coast Ale 1), or SafAle US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Starting with 5 gallons (19 L) of water in your brew kettle, warm the water up to 160 °F (61 °C). Place all the crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the kettle for 20 minutes. Remove the grains and let them drip back into the kettle. Add the dried malt extracts and stir until all the extract is dissolved.
Bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list.
After boil is complete, adjust volume with cold water to achieve desired fermentation volume. Chill wort and ferment at 70 °F (21 °C) for one week.
When the beer has finished primary fermentation, transfer to secondary if desired and then add chocolate and peanut butter extracts. Allow two to three days for flavors to integrate. After this time, transfer to keg or bottle condition.
Kent Falls Brewing Co.’s Chocolate Spelt Porter clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.062 FG = 1.018
IBU = 32 SRM = 37 ABV = 5.6%
As the former Head Brewer at Kent Falls, a farm brewery that utilizes local ingredients while still distributing beer throughout a diverse market, I was tasked with developing unique, varied beers that took advantage of as many local products as possible. In the Northeast, the options for interesting, one-of-a-kind local malts are a great deal more accessible than the options for unique hop varieties. Several of the malt options we came across immediately caught my eye: Roasted “chocolate” versions of typical adjunct grains like rye and spelt. Chocolate (or “Midnight”) wheat has always been one of my favorite grains to employ in a dark beer, as it adds both body and a smooth roasted chocolate character without being overly bitter or acrid. Spelt and rye are even more flavorful, already contributing nutty, toasty flavor notes even in their typical forms. The possibilities for a beer based around chocolate spelt immediately leapt out to me. The intended result was a porter aiming for the classic rich, smooth body, with slightly punched-up chocolate notes. Being that I wanted to focus this beer entirely on unusual grain profiles, I chose to avoid adding any form of actual cocoa to this beer. Instead, this recipe relies on the nutty nuances of spelt, with its smooth roasty characteristics drawn out entirely by the malting process, bolstered by the complex earthy subtleties of chocolate rye. Chocolate spelt and chocolate rye may not be as easy to source as some other specialty grains, but in addition to local variations, they can usually be special ordered from German malt suppliers. The end result of this recipe is a great study in the nearly endless variety of flavors available within the world of beer — even if one sticks to only the traditional core ingredients.
Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate spelt malt (270 °L)
8 oz. (225 g) chocolate rye malt (240 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) brown malt (65 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) chocolate wheat malt (440 °L)
6.8 AAU Brewer’s Gold hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Brewer’s Gold hops (5 min.)
LalBrew BRY-97 (West Coast Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Begin lautering by bringing the mash up to a mash-out temperature of 168 °F (70 °F) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, vorlaufing until the wort runs clear then direct runoff to the boil kettle.
Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Chill wort and ferment at 69 °F (21 °C) for one week. Keg or bottle and force carbonate as usual.
Tips for Success:
While no special additions are called for in this recipe, this base beer does make for a great springboard for further experimentation. A small addition of cocoa nibs is recommended for a subtle boost to this beer’s chocolate flavor profile. For this variation, add 3 oz. (85 g) cocoa nibs to either primary or secondary after primary fermentation has finished. Let sit for three to four days before packaging.
Kent Falls Brewing Co.’s Chocolate Spelt Porter clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.062 FG = 1.018
IBU = 32 SRM = 37 ABV = 5.6%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate spelt malt (270 °L)
8 oz. (225 g) chocolate rye malt (240 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) brown malt (65 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) chocolate wheat malt (440 °L)
6.8 AAU Brewer’s Gold hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Brewer’s Gold hops (5 min.)
LalBrew BRY-97 (West Coast Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Mash the pale and brown malts in a muslin bag in 1.1 gallons (4 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 30 minutes. Add the crushed chocolate malts in a separate bag to the mash. Hold for another 30 minutes. Place both grain bags in a colander and wash with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Add water to total a volume of 5 gallons (19 L) and stir in the dried malt extract. Bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list.
After boil is complete, adjust volume with cold water to achieve desired fermentation volume. Chill wort and ferment at 69 °F (21 °C) for one week. Keg or bottle and force carbonate as usual.
Newburgh Brewing Co.’s Cherry Chocolate Cake clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.075 FG = 1.018
IBU = 36 SRM = 46 ABV = 7.5%
Chris Basso, the Head Brewer and Co-Owner of Newburgh Brewing Company, in Newburgh, New York made his way into craft beer from the world of fine dining as a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Food has therefore always informed the brewery’s identity. Many of the recipes Chris has developed for Newburgh are born with a food pairing in mind or are explicitly inspired by a specific food. The inspiration for this Cherry Chocolate Cake stout — a collaboration with Fruition Chocolate Works — is of course no mystery, though it’s a wonder that cherries and chocolate are not even more common in the world of dark beers, being that they make for such a naturally complementary pair. Pastry stouts with extreme adjunct flavors are now all the rage, but Newburgh’s take on the dessert stout concept is a bit more refined, turning a few flavor dials up enough to make this a memorable concoction without getting lost in excessive indulgence.
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Pilsner malt
12 oz. (340 g) white wheat malt
12 oz. (340 g) flaked oats
12 oz. (340 g) Simpsons chocolate malt
12 oz. (340 g) Crisp brown malt
5 oz. (140 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
5 oz. (140 g) Simpsons black malt
5 oz. (140 g) roasted black barley
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose (0 min.)
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) pure cherry puree
8 oz. (225 g) cocoa nibs
6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU East Kent Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V), or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Mash grains at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes. Begin lautering by bringing the mash up to a mash-out temperature of 168 °F (70 °F) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, vorlaufing until the wort runs clear then direct runoff to the boil kettle.
Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list and the lactose sugar at the end of the boil. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for one week.
When the beer has finished primary fermentation, add cherry puree and cocoa nibs. Allow an additional week for fermentation of the fruit sugars and conditioning. After this, transfer to keg or bottle condition.
Newburgh Brewing Co.’s Cherry Chocolate Cake clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.075 FG = 1.018
IBU = 36 SRM = 46 ABV = 7.5%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) light dried malt extract
12 oz. (340 g) white wheat malt
12 oz. (340 g) flaked oats
12 oz. (340 g) Simpsons chocolate malt
12 oz. (340 g) Crisp brown malt
5 oz. (140 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
5 oz. (140 g) Simpsons black malt
5 oz. (140 g) roasted black barley
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose (0 min.)
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) pure cherry puree
8 oz. (225 g) cocoa nibs
6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU East Kent Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V), or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Several days before brew day, begin soaking the cocoa nibs in vodka, using just enough to cover the nibs. Cover and store at room temperature.
Mash the wheat, brown malts, and flaked oats in a muslin bag in 2 gallons (8 L) of water at 149 °F (65 °C) for 30 minutes. Add the crushed roasted and crystal malts in a separate bag to the mash. Hold for another 30 minutes. Place both grain bags in a colander and wash with 1 gallon (4 L) of hot water. Add water to a total volume of 5 gallons (19 L) and stir in the dried malt extract. Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list and the lactose sugar at the end of the boil. Chill and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for one week.
When the beer has finished primary fermentation, add cherry puree and cocoa nibs. Allow an additional week for fermentation of the fruit sugars and conditioning. After this, transfer to keg or bottle condition.
