Brewing With Cocoa
Find out about how Chocolate Alchemy has helped craft breweries bring Chocolate Brews to market
Brewing With Cocoa
Find out about how Chocolate Alchemy has helped craft breweries bring Chocolate Brews to market
From Nibs to Pints: A discussion on the Journey of Craft Beer Brewing with Cocoa
In this extended talk with Matt Van Wyk, Alchemist John explores the process of taking cocoa beans to nibs and onward to delicious pints of craft beer. Throughout a horizontal tasting Alesong’s Rhino Suit Imperial Milk Stout on different cocoa nibs they discuss how the various origins, roasting profiles and processes affect the final result. A great place to start if you’re into home brewing or a brewer looking to break into Cocoa and Brewing.
Breweries working with Chocolate Alchemy
Some of our brewery Customers and their feedback
Breweries working with Chocolate Alchemy
Some of our brewery Customers and their feedback
Breweries Working With Our Cocoa
Alesong Brewing and Blending
See the above video for full details about how Alesong is working our Cocoa products into some amazing brews.
““This year, we plan on using a combination of several Chocolate Alchemy single origin nibs to build more chocolate complexity in our 2023 vintage of Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, an imperial stout that incorporates cacao nibs, several varieties of chile peppers and baking spices, which creates a dessert mole-like experience.””
Cigar City Brewing
Sensory notes help in choosing suitable nibs for beer projects
2023 vintage of Hunahpu's Imperial Stout to use a combination of single-origin nibs for chocolate complexity
Beer incorporates cacao nibs, chile peppers, and baking spices, creating a dessert mole-like experience
Selected 2020 Peruvian Norandino (Piura) for light added sweetness, red fruit notes, and nutty aspect
Chose 2021 Bolivian Itenez for bold, fudgy punch and strong chocolate backbone
Opted for 2020 Ugandan Semuliki Forest for light holiday spice notes, dark sugar sweetness, and dried date and fig notes
Sensory elevation from the nibs' combination evokes Machu Picchu
“At Forager Brewpub and Humble Forager Brewing company, we love brewing with cocoa nibs. What Chocolate Alchemy has done for our beers cannot be explained in only words, you have to taste the difference.”
Forager Brewery
Forager Brewpub and Humble Forager Brewing Company love brewing with cocoa nibs
Chocolate Alchemy's impact on their beers is significant and noticeable
Real cocoa nibs provide superior chocolate flavor compared to alternatives
Utilize Chocolate Alchemy's diverse cocoa selection to enhance various aspects of their beers
Brewing philosophy: Create flavors using only real ingredients
Trust Chocolate Alchemy to roast nibs perfectly
Purchase roasted nibs and perform in-house "sanitization" before adding to beer
Taste beer hourly during nib contact, transferring off nibs when desired flavor is achieved
Practice contributes to the desired impact of roasted nibs in their beers
“ I pick which nibs to use based on the detailed flavor profiles provided on the Chocolate Alchemy website that match the flavor profile of the beer we are brewing. ”
Holy City Brewing
Selecting nibs: Based on detailed flavor profiles on Chocolate Alchemy website
Matching nib flavor profile to beer being brewed
Process: Steeping nibs in bright tank for 48 hours at 52F, then lowering temperature to carbonate
Flavor impact: Imparts citrus, coffee, and chocolate flavors depending on the nibs used
“In the spring we release “Depth Effect”, an imperial stout with cocoa nibs and vanilla. In the beginning of December we release “Calentador”, another imperial stout, this time with cocoa nibs, chipotle peppers, and cinnamon. ”
Nod Hill Brewery
Nod Hill Brewery brews with roasted nibs twice a year
Spring release: "Depth Effect" - Imperial stout with cocoa nibs and vanilla
December release: "Calentador" - Imperial stout with cocoa nibs, chipotle peppers, and cinnamon
Base beers have lower roast levels to balance nibs' roastiness
Steeping process: Nibs steeped at 65°F for 3 days after fermentation
Steeping method preferred for better aroma compared to adding nibs to the boil
Beers age decently, but freshest nib character when consumed as fresh as possible
Availability: Exclusively at the brewery for a few weeks after release
“the alcohol and the cacao flavor compounds are vaporized and distilled so we collect essentially chocolate flavored alcohol”
PostModern Spirits
Small distribution in the eastern half of TN
Cacao liqueur sold in bulk to another distillery
Cacao Liqueur ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, alcohol, sugar
Process: 100 lbs of cacao nibs and alcohol loaded into the still
Alcohol extracts flavor compounds from cacao nibs during boiling
Chocolate-flavored alcohol collected through distillation
Bitter compounds minimized by cutting distillation short
Reduced sugar content due to limited bitter compounds
Post-distillation: Aged in used malt whiskey barrels for a few months
Aging imparts sweet, smoky flavors and a slight tan/brown color
“My experiences with chocolate alchemy over the last ten or so years have always been positive.”
Yachats Brewing
Runs two breweries using Chocolate Alchemy nibs
Positive experiences over the last 10 years
Exclusively uses Chocolate Alchemy nibs in full batches
Has both done in-house roasting, and purchased roasted nibs
Now orders pre-roasted and winnowed nibs due to time constraints
Ethanol extraction followed by blending
Chocolate Almond Porter coming out in February
Plans to work on a custom roast or blend in the future
If you’re brewing with our products and would like to be featured here please use the contact form below let us know.
Find Out about Brewer's Blend
The alchemist’s special Blend for Brewing
Find Out about Brewer's Blend
The alchemist’s special Blend for Brewing
Brewer’s Blend
Origin: Earth
Region: Tropic of Cancer
Type: A little of this, a little of that.
Certifications: Unique
Year: 2020 - 2021
Purpose: All your fermentation and brewing needs
I've developed this blend and roast profile to make it as easy as possible. I highly recommend a double addition, one in the boil and the 2nd, if you want to add depth, in the secondary. In the mash doesn't do much and in the Primary you risk funky flavors.
It would be nice if it was super easy to get chocolate and cocoa flavor into beers....but alas, it isn't. What I will say is that it takes more than you think it might. 4 oz in 5 gallons just won't cut it. 8-16 oz is much closer.
We wrote an article all about brewing with nibs for chocolate flavor in beer. You can find it here. Brewing with Chocolate and Cocoa. If you are looking for the "Dark roasted nibs" mentioned in the article you, they are nibs of Ancillary Darkness
Request a Sample / Start a Conversation
We’ve worked with a number of breweries, we understand the process of experimentation but appreciate you’re the experts at brewing. We can still help guide you on nib selection, starting points and sample pricing to get your new chocolate inspired brew on its feet.
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