All-Grain Recipe

(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.

Partial Mash Recipe

(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.