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Caliente Fuerte Mexican Stout

Brewed: 10/31/2021   Kegged: 11/22/2021


CalienteFuerte.jpgIn Updating the Colorado 6 Pack, I mentioned that I was updating my Homebrew Colorado 6 pack, replacing 3 beers that no longer exist.


The first replacement was T.Ra.Sh. Light Mexican Lager vs Ska Mexican Logger. That really turned out well.

Next up ... I want to try to make a beer inspired by another one of my local favorites ... Copper Kettle Mexican Chocolate Stout.

"Dynamic stout with cinnamon, local organic chocolate, and habanero, ancho and guajilo peppers!"

I sat down with one of these beers on my patio to think about how I would design the tribute beer.

I shot for 7% ABV with around 45 IBU and a very dark color. I decided to go with cocoa powder rather than cocoa nibs and since I had lactose, I threw half a pound in.

For spicing, I added Ancho Chile powder and Cayenne Chile powder along with a couple of cinnamon sticks.

I ended up not adding nearly enough, and the end result really just tasted like a chocolate stout or porter.

I enjoyed the chocolate stout quite a bit and decided to make a tincture of 1/2 cup vodka to 1/2 tbsp cayenne and ancho with 2 tbsp cinnamon. Rather than adding to the keg, I kept it around to dose individual pours with.

This way I was able to add to taste "on demand", and didn't have to worry about killing a whole lot of spicy beer.





For more about this beer, see Sheppy's Blog: Caliente Fuerte


Caliente Fuerte --- Batch 1

Style American Stout Batch Size 5.50 gal
Type All Grain Boil Size   7.71 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency   70.00   Boil Time   60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity 1.070 SG Estimated FG 1.017 SG
Recipe Bitterness 45.8 IBUs (Rager) Alcohol by Volume 7.0 %
BU : GU   0.656        
Recipe Color 37.0 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:   1.069    Measured FG:   1.017 
ADF:   74.3   Measured ABV:   6.9 

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
9.48 gal Denver, Colorado Water 1 - -
5.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent 2 - -
2.00 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash) Water Agent 3 - -
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 72.1 % 0.86 gal
1 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 5 9.8 % 0.12 gal
12.0 oz Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.9 % 0.06 gal
8.0 oz Crystal Dark - 77L (Crisp) (75.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.3 % 0.04 gal
8.0 oz Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (55.0 SRM) Grain 8 3.3 % 0.04 gal
8.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 9 3.3 % 0.04 gal
0.750 oz Magnum [10.90 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 10 34.0 IBUs -
8.0 oz Milk Sugar (Lactose) [Boil] (0.0 SRM) Sugar 11 3.3 % 0.04 gal
0.500 oz Nugget [15.60 %] - Boil 25.0 min Hop 12 11.9 IBUs -
0.50 lb Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) (Primary) Flavor 13 - -
1.0 pkg Irish Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP004) Yeast 14 - -
1.00 tsp Ancho Chile Powder (Primary 5.0 mins) Spice 15 - -
1.00 tsp Cayenne Chile Powder (Primary 5.0 mins) Spice 16 - -
0.50 tsp Gelatin (Bottling 2.0 days) Fining 17 - -
2.00 Items Cinnamon Stick (Bottling 1.0 days) Spice 18 - -

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 18.44 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min


Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 4.87gal) of 168.0 F water

Recipe Notes
Make 6 cup starter a couple days before brew day.
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=70,Mg=14,Na=21,SO4=72,Cl=91,HCO3=104
Mash and boil as instructed.
Chill as close to 60 degrees as possible.
Add cocoa and spices into primary fermenation.
Keep fermentation cold until signs of fermentation start. Then let go to ambient temperature.
Add to keg with Cinnamon Sticks.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:   Strike Temp:  
Mash Temps:  
Pre-boil OG   (1.057 SG)   Pre-boil Vol   (7.71 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency   Pitch Temp    
Fermentation            
Day 1: 
Day ... 
Day ... 

 
Brewing Notes:
10/30/2021 esheppy
Making starter. 6 cups water. 1.5 cups dme. Lots of Irish ale yeast harvested from Eric's Red. Brew day tomorrow.
10/31/2021 esheppy
Brewing today. Doing a weird hybrid approach to the equipment. Mashed in my old mash tun. Then, because of the wind, decided to boil in Anvil. Pre-boil gravity was right on, but because the boil-off rate is lower in the Foundry, I am making it a two hour boil. Not sure I'll reach the right OG even with this extended boil. We'll see.
11/01/2021 esheppy
Ended up at 1.069 OG, which is very good considering the change in process. This morning, the fermentation is going very strong. Looks very chocolatey. Temp strip says 64 degrees this morning.
11/03/2021 esheppy
After kegging Mr. Awesome, I popped the Tilt into this fermentor. It says 1.017 at 70 degrees. Fermentation seems mostly done, but I'm hoping it will clarify significantly over the next couple weeks.
11/05/2021 esheppy
Since I put the Tilt in, the gravity has been consistently at 1.017, so I'd say fermentation is done. It still needs quite a bit of clarification. I think the cocoa is still in suspension. I'm really hoping that settles out. I have lots of time before I keg it, so we'll see how it goes.
11/21/2021 esheppy
Kegged with a couple of cinnamon sticks. 1.017 FG. Sample not as dark in color as I expected. Cocoa doesn't seem to have settled completely, and can taste it. Just a touch of heat. Might want to add more pepper.
11/23/2021 esheppy
Put into the beer fridge yesterday. Today, I added .5 tsp of gelatin in 1 cup of 180ish degree water. Hoping this will help settle the cocoa powder.
12/05/2021 esheppy
Have been drinking. Not getting much from the spices. Cocoa might be a bit over what I'd like. Made a tincture of 1/2 cup vodka to 1/2 tbsp cayenne and ancho with 2 tbsp cinnamon. Will use this to dose pours.
02/05/2022 esheppy
Killed the keg. Been a good beer, but there are changes I will make if I brew this again.
Comments:
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