Has anyone attempted flavoring their chocolates with beer?

I am currently experimenting with beer flavored chocolates with my husbands varying home brews. I am wondering if anyone has experienced making beer chocolates and whether you have found using the beer straight or as a reduction is better?

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Permalink Reply by Andy Ciordia on August 4, 2010 at 11:10am

We've got a brewery who has been itching for us to do something with them but we haven't had the mental bandwidth to really do this. My fear is that a reduction will bring out way too many bitters--learned only from the few beer reduction sauces I've attempted over the years for savory dishes.

Again talking without trying, I feel like to attempt this getting some pieces of the raw ingredients used might make for a better flavoring. The type of malt, hops, etc, used in some mild extractions to just pull some hints/essence out of it.

Definitely let us know how your trials go.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle-Jo Garfield on August 4, 2010 at 4:20pm

Thanks Andy, that had crossed my mind too about the reduction...I will attempt it today and see how it goes.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Heim on August 5, 2010 at 3:44pm

Try the reduction, it works nicely making a beer brittle. The sugar offsets the bitterness.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle-Jo Garfield on August 5, 2010 at 11:38pm

Thanks Mark...I tried it and it tasted like fish sauce....maybe I need to use a fondant based chocolate instead or a caramel....I will try reducing it again and see how it goes.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Heim on August 6, 2010 at 12:36pm

There are a couple web sites that talk about beer and chocolate pairing. Use their recommendations, and since the beer is reduced, you don't need much. Add a little at a time until it is just above threshold levels with flavor. An alternative would be to make the fondant creme. Depending on the desired finished texture you would use the beer in the bob syrup to dilute and soften the fondant. Bob syrup recipe would determine if it would be extruded, cast, or deposited into shells. Just have fun with it and enjoy. Keep us posted as to how it works.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle-Jo Garfield on August 9, 2010 at 6:21am

Thanks Mark..Will do!

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Buckner on August 7, 2010 at 1:23pm

Hi Michelle, we make a couple of beer truffles...Reducing works well. We have our local brewery fill up a growler and bring it back to the shop...cook it down and use the syrup it makes. We make a Stout, a lighter wheat beer one, and we have even made Budweiser ones for a Bud Rep. who is in town...topped it with pretzel pieces...it was a huge hit! I enjoy experimenting with it...and customers LOVE them! Good luck and best wishes with your "new" home! Long ways from Nashville!

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Permalink Reply by Michelle-Jo Garfield on August 7, 2010 at 4:40pm

Thank you Wendy...Thats great info I will get cracking on it and see how it goes..

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Permalink Reply by Dianne Trinque on February 24, 2011 at 5:58pm

Hi Michelle,

I just tried a beer truffle that was in a molded shell without reducing the beer, and unfortunately, I'm only getting a very slight taste of the beer (Guinness). How much of a reduction did you do to get the beer flavor coming through?

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Toy (Coppeneur) on February 25, 2011 at 11:09pm

Coppeneur Germany produces a dark ganache filled chocolate bar made with beer brewed by the "Neuzelle Kloster" Brewery. It's a "Schwarzbier" or "Black Abbot" beer. The brewery is located on the grounds of a 12th century Catholic Monastery. Coppeneur has produced this bar for more than 6 years.

Click HERE for more information.

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Permalink Reply by johnny k on February 28, 2011 at 11:33am

imho Guiness is one of the best to add to chocolate personally i would add the beer straight and consider this as well when making anything the flavors Must !!!! compliment each other and not be too overpowering guiness goes well with chocolate espresso etc

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Permalink Reply by charley wheelock on March 1, 2011 at 9:08pm

i tried to infuse hops into cocoa butter. It worked pretty well but it gave my chocolate too much of a bitter hoppy finish. I want the hops up front and tail off into chocolate sweetness.

I was toying with the idea of putting a thin layer of hop cocoa butter into my mold first, let it set, then try to pour chocolate over it. That way, the hoppy cb would melt first and let me finish with the aforementioned chocolate sweetness. The problem is that I think it will look horrible.