Originally Posted by duffman2

I dub this beer the Double Slutty Triple Nutty Bodacious Booty Brunette!

Originally Posted by Lil' Sparky

This is what Palmer says about oats:

"Oats are available whole, steel-cut (i.e. grits), rolled, and flaked. Rolled and flaked oats have had their starches gelatinized (made soluble) by heat and pressure, and are most readily available as "Instant Oatmeal" in the grocery store. Whole oats and "Old Fashioned Rolled Oats" have not had the degree of gelatinization that Instant have had and must be cooked before adding to the mash. "Quick" oatmeal has had a degree of gelatinization but does benefit from being cooked before adding to the mash. Cook according to the directions on the box (but add more water) to ensure that the starches will be fully utilized. Use 0.5-1.5 lb. per 5 gal batch. Oats need to be mashed with barley malt (and its enzymes) for conversion."

So apparently you do need some barley for conversion. In that case, I'd add a lb or two of barley when you steep the grains, and use just enough water (at 155') to cover the grain bag (maybe 2 gals) - basically you're doing a partial mash here. Add the rest of the water when you're done steeping. You can be heating this to a boil in another pot while the grains are steeping (mashing) to avoid wasting time. Shouldn't be much more complicated than what you're used to. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by duffman2

I dub this beer the Double Slutty Triple Nutty Bodacious Booty Brunette!

Originally Posted by Lil' Sparky

You need the barley, because it has the enzymes needed to convert the oat's starch to sugar. The barley won't affect the flavor, since it's the same as your base extract, you'll just need to use less extract since the barley will add fermentable sugars. That's where a brewing program comes in very handy. I think oats in a pumpkin ale sounds like an interesting experiment. Should add a little creamy texture.