Brewing with Chocolate

[Raptor99]

I occasionally see chocolate mentioned on brewing forums and I would like to try a Cherry Chocolate Wine. Does anyone have a recipe to suggest?

I also have some general questions about brewing with chocolate. I have found only limited info on brewing with chocolate online, mostly about adding chocolate to beer. Here is a good article about that.
I am interested in adding chocolate to fruit wine, not beer.

Based on my research so far, I have been able to put together this list of the various forms of chocolate:

• Raw cacao beans from the cacao tree
• Raw cacao nibs (crushed cacao beans)
• Roasted cacao nibs
• Cacao powder
• Cocoa powder (not the same!)
• Chocolate candy bar
• Hersey's syrup

This list moves from the least processed to the most processed options. One eye opener was that there is a difference between "cacao powder" and "cocoa powder. Cacao powder is made from beans that are fermented and cold pressed. Cocoa powder is made from beans that are roasted at high temperatures. (Here's a link). The less processed versions are more rich in anti-oxidants. Both kinds of powder have the cocoa butter removed, while the nibs include the fat from the cacao beans. The different forms will also have different flavor profiles.

Do you have experience brewing with chocolate? Which form(s) of chocolate do you use?

 

[G259]

I never have, but my quick take is to avoid the fats, someone else may have more knowledge though.

 

[cmason1957]

You probably want to use a product called Dutched Cocoa, most of the taste none of the oils.

 

[Raptor99]

I found this explanation of the process of making Dutched Cocoa. From the explanation, it sounds like the cocoa fat is removed from both types of cocoa powder. But the nibs would have more of the fats.

 

[hounddawg]

ask @sour_grapes , i just read a post where he told someone about a chocolate cherry recipe, sadly i was surfing and don't remember where it was at,,,
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

You probably want to use a product called Dutched Cocoa, most of the taste none of the oils.

so you got any interesting wines going, um non grape, @NorCal has talked me into doing my first grape wine ever, he was right grapes are fruits too, and beings he's as slick as a greased pig, the one he pointed out is one that can be done sweet, i fear he is like @Arne and @sour_grapes , they've got me figured out, but hey I'm like a single syllable word, Like unbelievable , and yes that's a single syllable word, if I'm buzzed enough and say it very fastly,,,,, lol
Dawg

 

[Ty520]

I just wrapped up a mead that sat on nibs. The oils need a couple years to break down and smooth out, but I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor during my last taste test.

Most commercial chocolate wines seem to use syrups and other (imho) nasty ingredients like corn starch; I know a lot of people seem to like using Hershey's, but I would avoid it because it is mostly corn syrup; if you're going to go the syrup route,at least go with something higher quality and more natural ingredients than Hershey's.

 

[salcoco]

ASP Test Page this is a strawberry chocolate recipe from Jack Keller's archives his recommendation is the Dutch cocoa powder. I found it at Penzy's. it does not have the oils. use I believe 4oz per gallon see below for recipe the link doesn't work

 

[salcoco]

this is a recipe from Jack Keller's archives note the sue of Dutch chocolate powder. modify for a cherry chocolate recipe I would remove the red grape concentrate and go with about 6 lbs of cherries.




Strawberries and chocolate go together like a hand and glove. The intense aroma and distinctive flavor of strawberries pairs wonderfully with chocolate. This wine is easy to make and one will want to scale the recipe up to at least 3 gallons or regret it when you taste it.

The strawberries should be ripe and sliced. For this reason, look in the frozen foods for a 32-ounce tub of frozen sliced strawberries (you need two per gallon). These will be processed at the height of ripeness and are perfect for this recipe. Other container shapes and sized can also be used.

Strawberry-Chocolate Wine

• 4 pounds sliced ripe strawberries (frozen sliced have best ripeness)
• 4 oz Dutched cocoa powder
• 11.5-oz can Welch's 100% Red Grape frozen concentrate
• 1 1/2 lb finely granulated sugar
• 2 tsp acid blend
• 1 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient
• 3/4 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1/8 tsp powdered grape tannin
• 1 finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
• 5 pts water
• 1 pkt Gervin Wine Yeast Varietal B, or Lalvin 71B-1122

If using frozen strawberries, thaw. In a primary, pour into a fine-meshed nylon straining bag and tie closed. Do not mash.

Measure the Dutched cocoa powder (see Dutched Cocoa Powder, my February 5th, 2012 WineBlog entry for background on Dutched cocoa powder) in dry ounces and add to one pint of warm water in a blender, pulsing until thoroughly mixed. Add tannin, pectic enzyme, acid blend and yeast nutrient and pulse again to ensure all are well mixed and then set aside.

Pour the sugar over the strawberries and pour the boiling water over the sugar. Stir very well to dissolve sugar. Add the thawed grape concentrate and stir again to integrate. Finally, add the cocoa water while stirring and continue stirring for a full minute. Cover the primary and set aside to cool to room temperature.

When cooled, add activated yeast in a starter solution and cover primary. Punch down the bag of strawberries several times a day, checking their condition after several days. When they start looking thoroughly ravaged by the yeast (about 4-5 days), remove the bag and hang to drip (do NOT squeeze) to extract readily available liquid (I hang the bag from a kitchen cabinet door handle with a bowl underneath for about 20-30 minutes). Add dripped liquid back to primary and cover primary. Discard the strawberry pulp.

When the vigorous fermentation slows, transfer to secondary and attach an airlock. Do not top up. Allow fermentation to finish and rack, adding the finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet and then top up. Set aside in dark place for 60 days and rack again; top up with distilled water (this will not noticeably affect the flavor or alcohol level).If wine has not cleared, add another 3/4 tsp pectic enzyme. Return to darkness another 60 days and rack again, topping up as before. Set aside in darkness 4-6 months to bulk age. Rack if required, bottle and age an additional 6 months before tasting. Yes, it is a protracted process, but well worth it. [Jack Keller's own recipe]

The resulting wine is full-bodied and delicious, the marriage of strawberry and chocolate perfect. To retain color, this wine is best bottled in dark glass and cellared in darkness or very low light. It should be consumed within a year -- two years at most.


My thanks to Sandy LeBleu of Houma, Louisiana for this request.

 

[cmason1957]

Here is another Chocolate wine, I believe I modified this some from the original at Jack Kellers site. I last made this several years ago. I don't have my notes with me, but I remember you want a BIGGGG fermentation bucket (Like 10 gallons to end up with 6 gallons of wine), as it swells greatly. Buy the boxes of chocolate covered cherries after (or just before) Christmas, I think I paid $0.50/box at Wally World when I made it. Feel free to increase the number of boxes, as I seem to remember Jack had some words about that in his original write-up. Maybe go to 64 boxes. But it tasted wonderful at 48.


Chocolate Covered Cherry Wine

48 boxes of chocolate covered cherries
water to 6 gallons
3 lb finely granulated sugar
8 tbsp acid blend
¼ tsp K-Meta tablet
18 drops almond extract
1/2 tsp tannin
3 tbsp yeast nutrient
1 1/2 tsp yeast energizer
2 pkt Champaign wine yeast
Bring the water to a rolling boil and dissolve the sugar in it. While it is getting there,
dump the chocolate covered cherries into the primary. Pour the boiling water over the
chocolate covered cherries. The heat will melt the chocolate and expose the creamy
filling and cherries. Stir well to get everything dissolved that will dissolve. Cover the
primary and let it cool to room temperature.
Immediately make a yeast starter solution to get that yeast rehydrated and multiplying. If
you really don't know how to make and husband a starter solution, see the link following
this entry. You really should make a starter for every wine you make but few people do.
To the primary, add the acid blend, crushed Campden tablet, tannin, yeast nutrient and
yeast energizer. Stir well and recover the primary. Wait 12 hours and add the activated
yeast as a starter solution and 18 drops of almond extract (no more than 18 or you'll
regret it). After a vigorous fermentation builds and subsides, transfer the liquid to a
carboy, top up if necessary, and attach an airlock. Toss out the residue in the primary,
which will contain 99% of the chocolate. Don't think twice; there's nothing you can do
with it.. Ferment to completion, rack, wait a month and rack again, and stabilize.
Sweeten to taste (this wine should be moderately sweet, so don't overdo it), wait
another month, and bottle it. Set aside 3 months before tasting, and then thank Tommy
Wilson for sharing his original recipe. You can thank me (as in Jack Keller) for the tweaks.
Chocolate covered cherry wine is smooth, rich and delicious. After tasting this, you will
wish you had made more -- much more. If you can afford the ingredients, be my guest.

 

[Darrell Hawley]

Here is another Chocolate wine, I believe I modified this some from the original at Jack Kellers site. I last made this several years ago. I don't have my notes with me, but I remember you want a BIGGGG fermentation bucket (Like 10 gallons to end up with 6 gallons of wine), as it swells greatly. Buy the boxes of chocolate covered cherries after (or just before) Christmas, I think I paid $0.50/box at Wally World when I made it. Feel free to increase the number of boxes, as I seem to remember Jack had some words about that in his original write-up. Maybe go to 64 boxes. But it tasted wonderful at 48.


Chocolate Covered Cherry Wine

48 boxes of chocolate covered cherries
water to 6 gallons
3 lb finely granulated sugar
8 tbsp acid blend
¼ tsp K-Meta tablet
18 drops almond extract
1/2 tsp tannin
3 tbsp yeast nutrient
1 1/2 tsp yeast energizer
2 pkt Champaign wine yeast
Bring the water to a rolling boil and dissolve the sugar in it. While it is getting there,
dump the chocolate covered cherries into the primary. Pour the boiling water over the
chocolate covered cherries. The heat will melt the chocolate and expose the creamy
filling and cherries. Stir well to get everything dissolved that will dissolve. Cover the
primary and let it cool to room temperature.
Immediately make a yeast starter solution to get that yeast rehydrated and multiplying. If
you really don't know how to make and husband a starter solution, see the link following
this entry. You really should make a starter for every wine you make but few people do.
To the primary, add the acid blend, crushed Campden tablet, tannin, yeast nutrient and
yeast energizer. Stir well and recover the primary. Wait 12 hours and add the activated
yeast as a starter solution and 18 drops of almond extract (no more than 18 or you'll
regret it). After a vigorous fermentation builds and subsides, transfer the liquid to a
carboy, top up if necessary, and attach an airlock. Toss out the residue in the primary,
which will contain 99% of the chocolate. Don't think twice; there's nothing you can do
with it.. Ferment to completion, rack, wait a month and rack again, and stabilize.
Sweeten to taste (this wine should be moderately sweet, so don't overdo it), wait
another month, and bottle it. Set aside 3 months before tasting, and then thank Tommy
Wilson for sharing his original recipe. You can thank me (as in Jack Keller) for the tweaks.
Chocolate covered cherry wine is smooth, rich and delicious. After tasting this, you will
wish you had made more -- much more. If you can afford the ingredients, be my guest.

Just to clarify things, as they keep putting less cherries in a box each year, how many chocolate covered cherries were in each box when you used this recipe ? Thanks

 

[cmason1957]

Just to clarify things, as they keep putting less cherries in a box each year, how many chocolate covered cherries were in each box when you used this recipe ? Thanks

Sorry, I don't remember. But I do remember there were two layers, maybe 6 per layer. But I'm not totally for sure about that. Hence the maybe you need to increase to 64 boxes.

 

[VinesnBines]

I make a chocolate black raspberry port from a recipe of Jack Keller's and I use Dutched chocolate. I also am trying to improve a thin Merlot with canned plums and a chocolate liqueur I made by soaking the nibs in bourbon. I did a bench trial of the liqueur and the Merlot to see how much to add. I think I added a teaspoon of the liqueur to a gallon of wine. I added the liqueur to the stabilized wine and letting it age.

 

[Raptor99]

Thanks everyone for sharing your recipes! I look forward to experiment with this.

 

[Raptor99]

I combined things I liked from several recipes. Since I asked the question, I thought that I would share what I have learned. I will explain what I am trying, and at the end I will share the results of my latest taste test. I have benefited greatly from what others have shared on this forum, so I will report on my experiment.

Yeast pitch on 12/9/20

Raptor's Chocolate Cherry Wine
Recipe for 1 gallon
• 16 oz. tart cherry concentrate
• 1 lb. frozen dark sweet cherries
• 1 lb. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. grape tannin
• 1 Campden tablet
After 12 hours:
• 1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
After 12-24 more hours:
• Check Brix, adjust sugar
• Check pH, adjust acid
• Add 3 oz. cocoa powder (Trader Joe's) in 1 pint warm water
• 1 tsp. yeast nutrient
• Yeast: Lalvin 71B-1122

In secondary:
• Add 1/4 of a vanilla bean (remove when the vanilla flavor is sufficient)

Target Brix: 19.5 (= 1.08 SG), 11% potential ABV. (I usually keep my fruit wines to no more than 12% ABV so that the alcohol does not cover up the fruit flavors.)

I decided on tart cherry concentrate because the consensus seems to be that tart cherries make better wine. I make another gallon from frozen cherries from Costco, and I have to agree that tart cherries make better wine. But several people suggested that adding some sweet cherries improves the flavor, so I got a bag of frozen cherries to add.

On day 2, I needed to add a little more sugar. I always start with a little less sugar than I think I will need, so that I can adjust it on day 2. The pH was 3.4, so I didn't need to adjust that.

After my research, I decided to add cocoa powder rather than bits of chocolate or chocolate syrup Chocolate syrup includes other ingredients that I don't want to add to my wine. Trader Joe's cocoa powder is probably better quality than Hershey's. Using better quality ingredients will produce better tasting wine. The label specifically says "it contains more cocoa butter than other commercially available cocoa powers." That helps to improve the flavor. I did not want to use "dutched cocoa" which goes through additional processing.

I thought that the cocoa powder would make the must cloudy and make it difficult to use my refractometer. So I adjusted the sugar first, and then added the cocoa powder. When I calculated how much sugar to add, I took account of the additional 1 pint of water that I planned to add with the cocoa. It is much easier to dissolve cocoa powder by whisking it in warm water.

There has been a lot of discussion about fats (cocoa butter) being a problem. I wasn't too concerned about this because:
1) Some of the fats will dissolve in the alcohol, which will help it to extract more flavor.
2) The fats that remain will mostly be stuck on the side of the primary, or in the carboy before the second racking.

I did find a film of some fats on the sides of my primary bucket. When I racked again from the secondary, there was very little remaining fat. So I didn't find this to be a problem. If you brew with cocoa nibs there will be more fat, because most of the cocoa butter is removed from the powder. But a small amount doesn't seem to be a problem, and it helps to improve the flavor. I don't know yet if this will make it more difficult to clear. My fruit wines usually clear on their own during bulk aging. So time will tell whether this will clear on its own or not.

This is still an experiment in progress, so I will report on the results to far. I racked this for a second time a few days ago. I thought there would be a lot of sediment, but I couldn't really tell because the color is so dark. It turns out that there wasn't much sediment. But I wanted to rack it because I plan to add part of a vanilla bean soon.

I took a taste today, and added a small amount of Stevia to sweeten it a bit. It has a pleasant chocolate aroma. On the front I can taste both chocolate and cherries, with the chocolate slightly predominate. On the back it is mostly chocolate, with a chocolate after taste. I like chocolate, so the flavor balance is good for me. I should probably call this "Chocolate Cherry Wine" rather than "Cherry Chocolate Wine." A little bit of sweetness really helps to bring out the flavors. I have heard that chocolate adds bitterness, but I could not detect any bitterness. I don't think that I will need to age this for a long time.

If I had this in a bottle, I would drink it today. I cannot say that for many of my fruit wines only 1 month after yeast pitch. I had planned to save this for a holiday wine at the end of this year, but I am afraid it won't last that long. I only made 1 gallon as an experiment, but I definitely will make more. I'll give it another month or two and see how it tastes with the vanilla. Then it might be time to start another batch.

 

[Rembee]

@Raptor99 is there a reason that you used Trader Joe's cocoa powder as opposed to Hersey's cocoa powder?

 

[Raptor99]

We shop regularly at Trader Joe's and so I had some on hand. I think that it is better quality, and I like the idea that it has extra cocoa butter. But if I didn't have Trader Joe's nearby, I would try the Hershey's powder.

 

[Rembee]

We shop regularly at Trader Joe's and so I had some on hand. I think that it is better quality, and I like the idea that it has extra cocoa butter. But if I didn't have Trader Joe's nearby, I would try the Hershey's powder.

Ok, was just wondering because I am very interested in trying a batch of this chocolate cherry. I'm going to start gathering ingredients for it.
Thanks Raptor

 

[Raptor99]

Here is the info from the side of the container of Trader Joe's Cocoa Powder

 

[Ty520]

Just as an fyi nerd fact:

Dutch process cocoa powder is washed in a alkaline solution to give it a neutral ph. As a result, it has a less acidic and less bitter flavor compared to natural cocoa.it also dissolves more easily in liquid ( that being said, expect plenty of sediment regardless). So if you use yeast nutrients and stabilizers in your mead, i would not be concerned about the further addition of potassium carbonate used in Dutch processing as being some sort of unnatural additive.

Also, cocoa butter is not really what imparts "chocolate" flavor. It's actually the solids - think white chocolate, which is just cocoa butter, versus dark chocolate, which has a high solids content (hence the reason chocolate intensity is measured in % - representing cocoa solids).

That being said, I believe most cocoa powder regardless of brand will have nearly the same solid/fat ratio, and trader Joes is maybe a couple percentage points higher in fat. Otherwise,I imagine if they mess with the ratio too much it could negatively impact recipes.

What's your FG?

One thing I'm concerned about in my own chocolate mead is bitterness, and think I'd be even more so with wine. So I think sweetness is probably a necessity when using chocolate to provide balance.