Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout All Grain Recipe Kit

Perhaps the best hot chocolate recipe there is, Mexican hot chocolate is a pleasure to behold. Rich chocolate flavors, a creamy body, and hints of cinnamon and chile pepper are a sure match for beer. Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout hits all of these flavor notes and then some by combining this classic recipe with a moderately roasty stout base. You will find all of the flavors of decadent Mexican hot chocolate, but receive an extra flavor burst of an American-style stout. ¡Salud!

Brewing Notes:

• Style: Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer
• Fermentation Range: 60-72°F
• Original Gravity: 1.059
• SRM: 35
• IBU: 45
• ABV: 5.2%

Tasting Notes:

• Aroma: Prominent aromas of cinnamon, chocolate with moderate roast, and medium-low pepper spice. Slight notes of dark caramel with no hop aroma.
• Appearance: Opaque jet black color with a loose tan head that dissipates rather quickly.
• Flavor: Cinnamon, chocolate, and mild pepper spice layered in with rich malty notes and hints of caramel and roast.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with substantial creaminess and a long finish.

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Notes from Brad, Northern Brewer Head Brewer:

“After a recent experience sipping an authentic (and delicious!) Mexican hot chocolate, I knew right away that these flavors needed to be utilized in a beer. After a handful of test brews, I was satisfied with the results. Cinnamon, lactose, cacao nibs, and chiles de Árbol are added to what is essentially an American stout, transforming it into something much more decadent. The lactose adds a smooth creaminess, the cinnamon is apparent but not overwhelming, cacao nibs offer up a rich chocolate flavor, and the de Arbol chilies add yet another dimension with a mild heat on the finish. The base beer is a pretty standard American style stout, with a jet black color, firm bitterness, and a moderate roast quality - nothing too fancy to get in the way of the real stars of the show.

When brewing this beer, sanitation is key. The lactose and cinnamon sticks are added directly to the boil, so no issues there, but the cacao nibs and chiles are added to the fermentor as a dry hop addition would be. To ensure that the cacao nibs and chiles are sanitary before being added to the new beer, soaking them overnight in a high-proof neutral spirit (such as vodka) will not only aid in sanitation, but the alcohol will also help to draw the flavors out of the nibs and chiles. Once soaked overnight, simply add the entire mixture directly into the beer - don’t decant off the alcohol! Letting the beer rest for a week after this addition and before packaging will ensure the flavors are fully infused.”