adding oatmeal flavor to oatmeal stout

eddie884 · 10-13-2008, 12:31 AM

I made an oatmeal stout, and I knew going in that the oats in the mash would add more to the mouth feel more than the flavor. I took a sample from the fermenter and I feel that it needs the oatmeal flavor to balance out the roast and molasses flavors in it.

Can I make up an "oatmeal potion" similar to the spice potions mentioned in Mosher's "Radical Brewing?" Are there any other ideas to add the oatmeal flavor at bottling or at the end of fermentation?

**Edcculus** · 10-13-2008, 04:28 AM

You won't ever get oatmeal flavor from adding it to the mash. If you want it to taste like spiced oatmeal, you could "dry spice".

WheaYaAt · 10-13-2008, 06:13 AM

roasting the oatmeal seemed to give a good taste!

**Coastarine** · 10-13-2008, 06:51 AM

There's a beer podcast out there that I listened to a long time ago where they interview a guy about his 1st place oatmeal stout recipe and he didn't even use oats. I can't remember any more details than that, anyone else know what I'm talking about?

He might say what he did to get the flavor of oats. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

**mmb** · 10-13-2008, 03:10 PM

Do oats really have any flavor? Isn't that why we add brown sugar to oatmeal?

I use the oats for mouthfeel and some biscuit or toast the oats for some toasty/bready flavor. Oats really only provide that silky, almost oily mouthfeel imo.

Funkenjaeger · 10-13-2008, 03:20 PM

Jamil addresses exactly this issue in "brewing classic styles", here's an excerpt:

Quote:

Toasting the oats in the oven at around 300F until they begin to slightly color up and give off a nutty oatmeal cookie character tends to help them stand out a bit more.

Berlbrew · 03-07-2010, 01:26 AM

I'd like to revive this thread to continue this conversation. Is Jamil talking about toasting these oats before they're mashed? I'm trying to make an oatmeal stout soon and I definitely want that oatmeal cookie character.

**Yooper** · 03-07-2010, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berlbrew

I'd like to revive this thread to continue this conversation. Is Jamil talking about toasting these oats before they're mashed? I'm trying to make an oatmeal stout soon and I definitely want that oatmeal cookie character.

Yes! You want to toast them at 300F until they are lightly browned and giving off "oatmeal cookie" aroma. Then, you can add some victory malt or biscuit malt to the mash, along with the oats, to give you that "oatmeal" taste.

You want to use quick oats or flaked oats, so that you don't have to cook them first. Quakers quick oats are fine. Then just toast them on a dry cookie sheet in the oven.

Berlbrew · 03-07-2010, 01:39 AM

Thanks Yooper, you're the best. I'm well on my way to having a fantastic Oatmeal Cookie Stout!