anyone ever try a chocolate mead recipie?

[cade10]

Been piddling with the idea, found an ok recipe as a base and started a batch to nite. Using sweet mead yeast going for about 11% alcohol. Seems like the recipes all call for a year aging, even 2 years on some so I figured a 5 gal batch was in order so if it comes out good I have plenty, course if it sucks I am going to be out alot of honey, time and chocolate.

[johnth78]

Bought some chocolate jalapeno mead recently that was awesome!

[FlowerPlanter]

I saw several chocolate recipes I thought would be good.
One was coffee beans and chocolate and another was cherry and chocolate.

You might even leave chocolate beans and coffee beans in the wine bottles for looks.

[cade10]

this is an easier method
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/our-...eriment-94358/
basically I am trying the variation that worked best for them number 35, going to have to re pitch the yeast - I think the fancy liquid yeast I got was fried somehow or at any rate it aint going. Got some kv 1116 I am going to add tonight, all I have handy and the batch is started

[Vance G]

When you use candy bars and syrup, you are getting corn syrup which does not make the best alcohol. If I was going to do this, I think I would put that KIV in the primary with honey, water, nutrient and energizer and make a traditional. Then I would rack that on to Chocolate nibs that are pricey but available on line and give it a year in the secondary. If you want the 11% alcohol, you need to select a yeast with a less tolerance to alcohol so it dies out at about that level or find a mead calculator that tells you how much honey to put in your volume to reach that level before it runs out of fermentables. Then add the nibs and put in the secondary. Just my thoughts. It is fun spoiling honey! I have about 18 gallons of watered down honey in varying states of spoilage. Mead making after all is introducing bacteria to a food product and drinking the bacteria's waste product.

[Ben Brewcat]

Purists are horrified at the suggestion, but I'm a BIG tincture fan. In this case, it would be easy to recommend using a chocolate liquer in the secondary. Just plan for it: they have sugar, so it may gently renew fermentation. But hte beauty is you can add it to taste and not gamble your 5 gallons of labor and love . There are advanced techniques in, IIRC, Mosher's article in Zymurgy circa 1994. I can summarize for anyone who just can't stand the taste-and-try technique .

[cade10]

I am trying the method with the nestles quick powder, I did have a sweet mead yeast that was one of those expensive packets with the liquid nutrient and liquid yeast - smash and add stuff but it is supposed to be refrigerated and when I got it it was sent U.P.S. so it was probably pretty warm from a day or three in shipping, at any rate it just didn't start, so I had to improvise on the yeast.
Overall it smells alright now, plenty sweet, right at 1.09 sg should be quite a curiosity if it turns out well - I know the cyser and the spiced meads I have made went over well. Pumpkin wine not so well - probably an acquired taste, just letting it age. More interested in the mead's but I have a large garden as well as bees so alot to experiment with.