Munich Helles Beer, made with Cocoa Nibs

Made by Recommended by The OG of Craft Beer, Pete Slosberg

Tools

Cooking Time

160 Hours
Makes 54 Servings

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Mash the grains. 
  2. Add 8.5 quarts (8.1 L) of 140°F (60°C) water to the crushed grain, stir, stabilize, and hold the temperature at 132°F (56°C) for 30 minutes. 
  3. Add 4 quarts (3.8 L) of boiling water and add heat to bring temperature up to 155°F (68°C). Hold for about 30 minutes. 
  4. Raise temperature to 167°F (75°C), lauter, and sparge with 3.5 gallons (13.25 L) of 170°F (77°C) water. Collect about 5.5 gallons (21 L) of runoff. 
  5. Add 60-minute hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil. 
  6. The total boil time will be 60 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add the Irish moss. When 1 minute remains, add the 1-minute hops. 
  7. After a total wort boil of 60 minutes, turn off the heat and place the pot (with cover on) in a running cold-water bath for 30 minutes. Continue to chill in the immersion or use other methods to chill your wort. 
  8.  Strain and sparge the wort into a sanitized fermenter. 
  9. Bring the total volume to 5.5 gallons (21 L) with additional cold water if necessary. 
  10. Aerate the wort very well. Pitch the yeast when temperature of wort is about 70°F (21°C).
  11. Once visible signs of fermentation are evident, ferment at temperatures of about 55°F (12.5°C) for about one week or until fermentation shows signs of calm or stopping. 
  12. Rack from primary to a secondary and add the hop pellets for dry hopping and warm 0.30 oz. of Ghanaian cacao nibs and a pinch of fresh vanilla. If you have the capability, lager the beer at temperatures between 35 and 45°F (1.5 to 7°C) for 3 to 5 weeks. 
  13. Prime with sugar and bottle or keg when complete.