Secondary fermenter/cherry stout? chocolate stout?

Northern Brewer General
1

OK, so I’m in the midst of brewing 2 5 gallon batches, 1 chocolate stout and 1 cherry stout. Both are currently done with primary, sitting in 5 gallon buckets, awaiting addition of chocolate/cherry. I plan on kegging them both, and have never used a secondary fermentation.

  1. The chocolate has been a bit trouble. Can’t find chocolate nibs anywhere. I have some 100% cacao chocolate, and some regular cocoa powder. Thinking about adding 4 oz each to the keg, and cask aging it in there for a couple of weeks (normally what I do).
  2. Have cherry puree for the cherry stout. I’m thinking that the cherry might restart fermentation, and so will need the airlock. if that’s the case, should I just add the cherry to the primary bucket, let it sit for a few more weeks, and then keg? Or transfer to a new bucket (I don’t have a carboy) with the cherry? Or “other”?
2

I can’t speak to the chocolate edge of things since I haven’t tried it yet, but as for the cherries I highly recommend getting your hands on sour cherries. Everyone I know, including myself, has been disappointed with a sweet cherry stout. It just doesn’t turn out well. If you want the cherry flavor to be present more than a tiny bit you’ll have to go up to about two pounds of real cherries per gallon. With the sour cherries you’ll get something compliments stout flavors a little better IMHO.