Chocolate/Mint Stout - w/o chocolate or mint

[CHBKorea]

So I'm trying to come up with a recipe for a chocolate-mint stout, but don't want to "cheat" with mint, chocolate, or cocoa nibs. The idea I had was grab mint from the hops and chocolate from the malt, to that end, I came up with the following (assumes 58% efficiency - don't ask, I'm working on it ) :

8# Stout Malt (malting co. of Ireland)
2# UK Chocolate malt
2# Flaked oats
2# Weyermann Chocolate Wheat
1# Black barley
1# Cararoma
.5# Carafoam

.5 oz Polaris @ 60
.5 Polaris @ 1
1 oz Polaris dry hopped after ~4 days (when primary complete)

Fermented with WLP-004 (Irish ale yeast)
----
Trying for something that complies with 13C - Oatemeal Stout)

1.057 OG
1.017 FG
5.3 ABV
31.8 IBU
(Color way off at 95.6 SRM)

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So a couple of things -
1) Should I just plain give up on the idea?
2) Any suggestions? Is WLP004 a bad idea for this?

Thanks for the help, ideas, and support!

[CHBKorea]

Feeling a bit insecure... Anyone?

[brewinhard]

I think yeast choice here is not a concern. Rather I would be focusing on the high amounts of chocolate malt, chocolate wheat, and black barley (roasted or black patent?) you have in your grain bill. 2# each of chocolate malt and chocolate wheat are going to be over the top even for what you are trying to attempt. You will probably end up with quite a bit of roast and astringency in the final product (think ashy, burnt taste/aroma) that you may not enjoy.

As for the hops, I have never used Polaris before so I do not know their aroma and or flavor contributions. I think it would be pretty hard to get a noticeable mint flavor from them even if they were categorized as being "minty" with all of the roasted malts you have in your grain bill.

Just my 2 cents...

[mike____]

I did something like this about a year ago as an extract.
I used Northern Brewer and Polaris, mostly Munich extract and some chocolate malt. Used the Dusseldorf Alt yeast.
My notes say "Nice chocolate and mint aroma and flavor".
Take that with a grain of salt.

[CHBKorea]

Mike____ and brewinhard, thanks for the responses.

brewinhard, I especially appreciate the feedback. I'll tone down the dark malts and see if I can head off the burnt/astringent/ashy flavor while still trying to coax enough chocolate out the malts for what I'm trying. Thanks a ton!

mike____ Thanks, what you describe is exactly what I'm trying for

[BDawg]

I'd consider using Carafa Special I, which is a dehusked chocolate malt if you want chocolatey without the harsh husk flavors.

[CHBKorea]

I'd consider using Carafa Special I, which is a dehusked chocolate malt if you want chocolatey without the harsh husk flavors.

BDawg, you nailed the timing on this, I was just in the process of re-working the recipe using brewinhard's feedback when I saw this.

Thanks a ton, because I was struggling with enough "chocolate" and dodging the burnt/astringent...

[BDawg]