|
|
Post by zymot on Sept 25, 2022 8:32:26 GMT -6
Interesting article from beersmith. According to the article, the name chocolate is misleading. Chocolate describes the color, not the flavor.
Despite where chocolate malts land on they color scale, they are not the smooth benign chocolatey malt that their name suggests. (much in the same way honey malt is misleading) Beersmaith says it is more harsh than black patent malt.
I have not given much thought or research into the characteristics of brown malts. Reading the description of brown malts on morebeer and northern brewer, they seem to down-play the harsh and up-play the chocolate aspects. I do not recall the when any of various standard homebrewing texts highlight this aspect. "Brings color and coffee choc0late notes, with a bit of roast flavors."
I do not recall on any forum about the misleading name of chocolate malt,
This could explain why the couple brown beers I brewed were not as smooth, easy drinking as I had hoped. I am trying to think when I might use chocolate malt again. Nothing comes to mind. Maybe a stout or a porter? Stout, you like roasted, but not so much harsh. Porter? No. Maybe for color? There are other ways to get color, maybe a touch of chocolate.
Maybe my next beer will be a brown, without the now (in my mind) obsolete chocolate malt.
So what is the biergarten's experience with chocolate malt?
|
|
|
|
Post by Megary on Sept 25, 2022 14:02:38 GMT -6
I do find the high Lovibond Chocolate Malts to be a bit harsh and completely un-chocolate like. I rarely use them. But, I really like Crisp Pale Chocolate. To me it is much smoother, and while still not necessarily chocolatey on its own, I think it helps with bringing chocolate notes when paired with the right mix of other malts. I use Pale Chocolate in Porters mostly, but also a smidge here and there for color adjustments. I don’t use it in Stouts where I prefer Roasted Barley.
By the way, Brown is also a favorite of mine.
This is definitely a topic where everyone’s mileage will surely vary.
|
|
|
|
Post by tommymorris on Sept 25, 2022 17:28:35 GMT -6
I use chocolate malt in porters. Mixed with brown malt or Briess Special Roast I think it makes a great porter. I have tried all the darkness levels and like them all. Does it have chocolate taste? Not necessarily. I think coffee is usually a better descriptor.
I also like to use chocolate malt in brown ales (when I rarely brew them).
PS. I don’t like Roasted Barley at all. Not sure about Black Patent. I’ve never used it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Megary on Sept 25, 2022 18:14:34 GMT -6
I do find the high Lovibond Chocolate Malts to be a bit harsh and completely un-chocolate like. I rarely use them. But, I really like Crisp Pale Chocolate. To me it is much smoother, and while still not necessarily chocolatey on its own, I think it helps with bringing chocolate notes when paired with the right mix of other malts. I use Pale Chocolate in Porters mostly, but also a smidge here and there for color adjustments. I don’t use it in Stouts where I prefer Roasted Barley. By the way, Brown is also a favorite of mine. This is definitely a topic where everyone’s mileage will surely vary. Lol. I just read that Beersmith link above and apparently my impression of Pale Chocolate is completely backwards. I guess it’s supposed to be harsher than a higher L chocolate because the Pale is closer to the malt “70-200L harsh zone”, but that’s not what I have experienced. Maybe its me, but the harshest chocolate malt I’ve ever used was Baird’s 500L. Very ash-tray to me. I guess I need to get my taste buds checked.  |
|
|
|
Post by brewbama on Sept 26, 2022 14:08:52 GMT -6
I’ve been wanting to try Cholaca to get a chocolatey flavor. I have used cocoa nibs and dried bakers cocoa in the past.
I agree chocolate malt is great in a Porter for the burnt/bitterness.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ken on Sept 26, 2022 14:17:40 GMT -6
I was never under the impression that chocolate malt was "cocoa-flavored". Or maybe I was but I tasted a few kernels at the LHBS and quickly realized it's just a name. I don't use it anymore. I do have some pale chocolate and the package is unopened. Midnight wheat and Carafa Special III are my main 'dark grains'. There is flavor and it can be quite coffee-like but it's usually very faint and disappears altogether after the beer ages. In the case of the Carafa, I find that it begins to blend in nicely with the rest of the grist and contributes a really nice flavor you're not going to get anywhere else but it's not assertive.
|
|
|
|
Post by denny on Sept 27, 2022 13:48:47 GMT -6
Interesting article from beersmith. According to the article, the name chocolate is misleading. Chocolate describes the color, not the flavor.
Despite where chocolate malts land on they color scale, they are not the smooth benign chocolatey malt that their name suggests. (much in the same way honey malt is misleading) Beersmaith says it is more harsh than black patent malt.
I have not given much thought or research into the characteristics of brown malts. Reading the description of brown malts on morebeer and northern brewer, they seem to down-play the harsh and up-play the chocolate aspects. I do not recall the when any of various standard homebrewing texts highlight this aspect. "Brings color and coffee choc0late notes, with a bit of roast flavors."
I do not recall on any forum about the misleading name of chocolate malt,
This could explain why the couple brown beers I brewed were not as smooth, easy drinking as I had hoped. I am trying to think when I might use chocolate malt again. Nothing comes to mind. Maybe a stout or a porter? Stout, you like roasted, but not so much harsh. Porter? No. Maybe for color? There are other ways to get color, maybe a touch of chocolate.
Maybe my next beer will be a brown, without the now (in my mind) obsolete chocolate malt.
So what is the biergarten's experience with chocolate malt?
That's the way I've always thought of it. |
|
