Mexican chocolate tincture

[troybinso]

I would like to create a tincture with the following flavors to mimic something like a Mexican hot chocolate.

Chocolate
Dried chiles
Cinnamon
Vanilla

I am pretty confident I can pull off the chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla with a vodka (or maybe tequila or mescal) tincture with chocolate nibs, vanilla bean and whole cinnamon sticks, but I am a little leery about the chiles. I would like to use Ancho chiles and maybe a little dried chipotle but I am not sure how the flavor will come out in the tincture. Any advice or experience?

[mtnrockhopper (Jimmy K)]

I would soak them all separately in very high concentration. Then use a dropper to make blends. Add those blends to some base beer (store-bought even) to see what you like and how much to use. I personally think rum would be better than tequila in Mexican hot chocolate.

Another idea is I have a book on bitters. Almost every recipe follows the same procedure. Soak in high-proof alcohol (overproof rum, whiskey, everclear, etc). Strain and then boil the spices in water. Cool, strain again and blend the water with alcohol. I suppose using cold, heat, water, and alcohol increases flavor extraction.

Side note- I’ve always been disappointed with soaking cinnamon sticks in beer. Seems difficult to get good flavor without heating.

[dbeechum]

I suppose using cold, heat, water, and alcohol increases flavor extraction.

They’re trying to take advantage of the full range of flavors that happen with a substance. You’ll extract very different things via boiling than you do via ethanol.

Perfect example of this is cinnamon. Go and soak some cinnamon in alcohol for a few days and boil some in some clean water for 10 minutes. Try the two side by side - the tincture will be all fire and heat. the tea will be earthy and warm. Combine the two together and get them both. (I’ve always done this separate and never thought to do it as a mix until used in the beer/cocktail)

Since a good number of “classic” bitter recipes are based around herbs and barks, it makes pretty good sense as a tactic.

[system]

The tincture technique that Drew demonstrated at NHC was an eye-opening experience.

[dbeechum]

The tincture technique that Drew demonstrated at NHC was an eye-opening experience.

That one’s just fun as hell.

[mtnrockhopper (Jimmy K)]

@dbeechum

The tincture technique that Drew demonstrated at NHC was an eye-opening experience.

That one’s just fun as hell.

Next time you should mark off a splash zone.

Sent from a parallel dimension where beer is made from unicorn tears

[troybinso]

@dbeechum

I suppose using cold, heat, water, and alcohol increases flavor extraction.

They’re trying to take advantage of the full range of flavors that happen with a substance. You’ll extract very different things via boiling than you do via ethanol.

Perfect example of this is cinnamon. Go and soak some cinnamon in alcohol for a few days and boil some in some clean water for 10 minutes. Try the two side by side - the tincture will be all fire and heat. the tea will be earthy and warm. Combine the two together and get them both. (I’ve always done this separate and never thought to do it as a mix until used in the beer/cocktail)

Since a good number of “classic” bitter recipes are based around herbs and barks, it makes pretty good sense as a tactic.

So you use the spice in the alcohol first and then keep them to use in the water? Or use fresh spice in water?

[dbeechum]

@troybinso

So you use the spice in the alcohol first and then keep them to use in the water? Or use fresh spice in water?

Personally, I’d use new, fresh spices, but in theory you can re-use the spices since you’re trying to extract different items.

[mtnrockhopper (Jimmy K)]

@dbeechum

@troybinso

So you use the spice in the alcohol first and then keep them to use in the water? Or use fresh spice in water?

Personally, I’d use new, fresh spices, but in theory you can re-use the spices since you’re trying to extract different items.

The bitters recipes use the same spices.

[reverseapachemaster]

I definitely agree about creating separate tinctures/teas for each ingredient and then blend together. You overdo or under use any of those ingredients and you’ll have a much harder time trying to adjust the balance in the end. FWIW I believe most or all the breweries who make that kind of mole/mexican chocolate beer dump all the spices in the beer at a particular time in the brewing process (e.g. flameout or after fermentation) rather than dosing at packaging but that doesn’t mean your process is not another perfectly useful approach.

[erockrph]

@dbeechum

@troybinso

So you use the spice in the alcohol first and then keep them to use in the water? Or use fresh spice in water?

Personally, I’d use new, fresh spices, but in theory you can re-use the spices since you’re trying to extract different items.

The bitters recipes use the same spices.

That makes sense. If a compound is soluble in both water and ethanol, the you’d end up extracting up to twice as much of that compound (compared to the ones primarily soluble in one or the other) if you use fresh spices in both the water and ethanol extractions.

[mtnrockhopper (Jimmy K)]

@erockrph

@dbeechum

@troybinso

So you use the spice in the alcohol first and then keep them to use in the water? Or use fresh spice in water?

Personally, I’d use new, fresh spices, but in theory you can re-use the spices since you’re trying to extract different items.

The bitters recipes use the same spices.

That makes sense. If a compound is soluble in both water and ethanol, the you’d end up extracting up to twice as much of that compound (compared to the ones primarily soluble in one or the other) if you use fresh spices in both the water and ethanol extractions.

Oh yeah, that does make sense.