Comments on: Chocolate Wine: A look at existing recipes http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/ Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:59:53 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: John http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-9158 John Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:02:52 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/#comment-9158 Erroll, If you'd like, I can keep you posted on how this experimental batch comes out. I know you are busy (as we all are), but if you have the time sometime could you please point me in the direction of the "Love Potion #9" chocolate recipe you mentioned? That would be much appreciated. Keep up the great blog. I love it! - John Erroll,

If you’d like, I can keep you posted on how this experimental batch comes out. I know you are busy (as we all are), but if you have the time sometime could you please point me in the direction of the “Love Potion #9″ chocolate recipe you mentioned? That would be much appreciated.

Keep up the great blog. I love it!

– John

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-9153 Erroll Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:41:19 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/#comment-9153 John, it sounds to me like everything is on track. Wine smells good after its fermented out and aged. Before that, all bets are off. I'm sorry to say that my own chocolate wine hasn't gotten off the ground yet. Believe me, I'm <em>very</em> more anxious to get started, but we all have to deal with life's little distractions from time to time. Erroll John, it sounds to me like everything is on track. Wine smells good after its fermented out and aged. Before that, all bets are off.

I’m sorry to say that my own chocolate wine hasn’t gotten off the ground yet. Believe me, I’m very more anxious to get started, but we all have to deal with life’s little distractions from time to time.

Erroll

]]> By: John http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-9143 John Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:17:32 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/#comment-9143 Hey, Erroll. I thought I'd give you an update on how my chocolate wine is doing, and maybe pick your brain a bit if you are amenable to it. Here's what I did: I put between 3.5 and 4.0 oz. (My digital scale was acting all glitchy on me) of Hershey's Cocoa to one Gallon of water. I added granular white sugar to a SG of 1.102 (my target was 1.090-1.110) which amounted to 2 lb. 7 oz. sugar. I added yeast nutrient and pot meta and let it sit overnight. Then on 7-31-08 I pitched rehydrated Red Star Montrachet yeast. It went into vigorous fermentation farily quickly, and now I am in day 7 with no slow down in sight. If anything, the fermentation has gained momentum instead of slowing down. This concoction really stinks, too! Kinda has an oder like stinky feet or sweat. My wife is quite dubious about this batch, even though she really liked my wild blackberry wine which I just pulled off. How is your chocolate wine coming? Did you decide to start a batch? Have you had anything similar to my experience with it? I am very interested in what you did and how you did it, if you don't mind sharing. Thanks, and great blog! I enjoy your perspective on winemaking. Hey, Erroll. I thought I’d give you an update on how my chocolate wine is doing, and maybe pick your brain a bit if you are amenable to it.
Here’s what I did:

I put between 3.5 and 4.0 oz. (My digital scale was acting all glitchy on me) of Hershey’s Cocoa to one Gallon of water. I added granular white sugar to a SG of 1.102 (my target was 1.090-1.110) which amounted to 2 lb. 7 oz. sugar. I added yeast nutrient and pot meta and let it sit overnight. Then on 7-31-08 I pitched rehydrated Red Star Montrachet yeast. It went into vigorous fermentation farily quickly, and now I am in day 7 with no slow down in sight. If anything, the fermentation has gained momentum instead of slowing down.

This concoction really stinks, too! Kinda has an oder like stinky feet or sweat. My wife is quite dubious about this batch, even though she really liked my wild blackberry wine which I just pulled off.
How is your chocolate wine coming? Did you decide to start a batch? Have you had anything similar to my experience with it? I am very interested in what you did and how you did it, if you don’t mind sharing. Thanks, and great blog! I enjoy your perspective on winemaking.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-6451 Erroll Tue, 06 May 2008 20:24:26 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/#comment-6451 Hi Shelby, Harold McGee, in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684800012?ie=UTF8&tag=washinwinema-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0684800012" rel="nofollow">On Food and Cooking</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=washinwinema-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0684800012" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />, talks about Dutch cocoa. He says that it dissolves more easily than ordinary cocoa and has a milder flavor. I always read "milder" as "less chocolaty," but after your comments I wonder if he meant "less astringent" or "less bitter." Thank you for sharing that and for the kind words about my blog. Erroll Hi Shelby,

Harold McGee, in his book On Food and Cooking, talks about Dutch cocoa. He says that it dissolves more easily than ordinary cocoa and has a milder flavor. I always read “milder” as “less chocolaty,” but after your comments I wonder if he meant “less astringent” or “less bitter.”

Thank you for sharing that and for the kind words about my blog.

Erroll

]]> By: Shelby http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-6403 Shelby Mon, 05 May 2008 16:37:23 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2008/03/24/chocolate-wine-a-look-at-existing-recipes/#comment-6403 My one thought on this matter is the difference in brewing between regular cocoa (like from the Hershey's can in the supermarket) and 'Dutch Cocoa' which is processed with alkali and often has a more pronounced chocolate flavor. My favorite for hot chocolate would be the Pernigotti Cocoa available from William-Sonoma, among other places. Now, as to the appropriateness of chocolate in the SCA, I'll leave to people who care. This is a great blog, btw. My one thought on this matter is the difference in brewing between regular cocoa (like from the Hershey’s can in the supermarket) and ‘Dutch Cocoa’ which is processed with alkali and often has a more pronounced chocolate flavor. My favorite for hot chocolate would be the Pernigotti Cocoa available from William-Sonoma, among other places.

Now, as to the appropriateness of chocolate in the SCA, I’ll leave to people who care. This is a great blog, btw.

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