I recently modified a stout recipe that had previously been successful by
adding 3 cups of cocoa (of uncertain origin) to make a chocolate stout. The
bubbling was never very vigorous and stopped when he gravity had dropped
from 1.050 to 1.030. I moved to secondary, waited 2 weeks, then added more
yeast and waited another week, but nothing ever happened. Gravity is still
near 1.030 but should be near 1.010.

I've learned that some cocoa is "Dutched" meaning that it has been treated
with alkali. I had the pH of my concoction measured and found it was 4.75.
Is this a normal pH or is it too high? I would be grateful if someone could
advise.

Walter Cronkright