Cacao Nibs

I have used these...
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cacao-nibs-ghana-4-oz.html
I like the flavor they give. But I haven't used other types, so I have nothing to compare to.

 

TCHO. Their nibs and chocolate are insanely good (Bruery uses them in Chocolate Rain). The citrus ones (nothing added, just naturally citrusy) literally taste like a chocolate covered orange. Did a wit with them and a peanut butter chocolate milk stout with their normal nibs, both came out great.

 

I think the Citrus ones are the only ones they sell in small bags, which is why I didn't buy from them before, despite their good reputation. Is there a source of regular TCHO nibs in small qtys?

 

I have found cacao nibs at the food co-op near my place. Also, Whole Foods might be a good place to look if you have one near you.

 

I cannot see why there would be a drop in quality. You can always call and ask who the cacao supplier is. A small co-op should know fairly easily, and a larger store like WF should be able to get you in contact with the right person. I have noticed that anything sold in a brew shop or sold as a brewing ingredient that can be bought in a store is marked up beyond belief; such as dried orange peel, vanilla beans, spices, candi sugar, etc.

 

I was not able to find this at my lhbs but I had great results with more beer. I also added vanilla bean to a stout and it got really good feedback from someone who gives me really honest reviews.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/10680/102200/Cacao_Nibs_-_1_lb

 

A local organic/natural food supplier will likely be better than a distant HB shop. Most cacao nibs are not used for brewing, so just look for the best local pipeline and buy from the freshest source.

 

I'd vote for a spice shop. Herbco.com or the like. I'd also buy $50 worth of spices while on this site to help with shipping costs. The price is steeper for the nibs, but I don't brew a lot of chocolate beers. It's another option if you like to cook at all. (They also had a lot of the spices I needed to get into home brewing rootbeer).

 

BTW, do nibs dissolve in the beer, or is this worth putting in a paint strainer bag?

 

I found vanilla beans and Cocao nibs on the cheap at my local health food store.

 

I found cocoa nibs at my local Whole Foods in the vitamin section

 

I have come across a company that produces a wide variety of flavorful Syrups. They have one with cocoa nibs. I tasted the chipotle and it was pretty fantastic. I look forward to trying them out. They recommend putting in during primary or secondary. They are produced by Cascade Beer Candi Syrup. All made in the USA.

I found at my LHBS but you can check them out on line at:

http://morebeer.com/search/102194///Fruit_Flavorings_Purees

 

Unfortunately not. A buddy of mine makes ice cream, so I went in on a 1.5 kg bag of the straight up nibs from them. I did successfully use their 99% cacao chocolate (literally just straight cacao) in a stout, just required soaking in vodka and passing through a filter. Worked well, but not quite as easy as just using nibs.

 

Any chocolatiers near you, OP? There's a little artisanal chocolate shop close to me, and they love that I brew with their beans. I just call them up and let them know I'm coming, and they'll bag me up some nibs of an absurdly high quality for cheaper than what I'd pay for questionable quality at the LHBS.

 

Central Market carries Navitas, which is a good brand of nibs. They run about $10 a pound, which is cheaper than I've seen them online.

However, Amazon has another brand, Alive and Aware, for $18 for two pounds. I have not tried them yet.