DME plus oatmeal?

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rhys333

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This is my second batch and I'd to try a simple malt extract beer with the addition of oatmeal flakes for improved body and flavor.

I understand oatmeal flakes can be added with the DME directly to the boil as enzymes present in the DME will convert the oat flakes to sugar.

Question is, when to add the oats? I know adding oats to the last 15-10 minutes of the boil is possible, but should i also add at the start of the boil?

I read that steeping flaked oats is not required as the processing (ie steaming and rolling) makes them readily convertible.

I'd like to keep it simple as I still have the training wheels on, but hoping to use the oats for a little creativity. Below is a list of ingredients I'm planning to use. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

23 L (5 imp gal) batch:
1 kg dark DME
2 kg light DME
0.3 kg brown sugar
0.3 kg oat flakes (or quick oats)
30g northern brewer aa 10.6 @ 60 min
30g cascade usa aa 5.9% @ 5 min
Ale yeast
 
I'd get a grain bag for the oats, u don't want them floating around loose in ur BK. Also u might wanna toast them too. U can toast them and not get a really roasted flavor, but almost like a chewy biscuity cookie flavor.
 
Thanks for the toasting tip. I will try this for sure. Do I need to use the grain bag for the oats, or can i strain oats, hops and all when transfering to the primary fermenter... Or would the gummy mess just clog my strainer?
 
This is my second batch and I'd to try a simple malt extract beer with the addition of oatmeal flakes for improved body and flavor.

I understand oatmeal flakes can be added with the DME directly to the boil as enzymes present in the DME will convert the oat flakes to sugar.

I read that steeping flaked oats is not required as the processing (ie steaming and rolling) makes them readily convertible.

You can not expect any flavor from oatmeal unless they are roasted .

They probably cause some body in your Beer due to long protein chains and Beta-Glucans .

By the way , there is NO ENZYME in DME as it's previously boiled and dried which denatures enzymes . If you would like to convert starches in oats to sugar , you should do partial mash using some base malt .

What you don't need to do with flaked oats is "Cooking" , not steeping , as they are already processed through steaming and rolling .

Hector
 
Slightly off topic is there a large difference between the flaked oats you can pick up at the grocery store and what you can get at your LHBS?
 
You can not expect any flavor from oatmeal unless they are roasted .

They probably cause some body in your Beer due to long protein chains and Beta-Glucans .

By the way , there is NO ENZYME in DME as it's previously boiled and dried which denatures enzymes . If you would like to convert starches in oats to sugar , you should do partial mash using some base malt .

What you don't need to do with flaked oats is "Cooking" , not steeping , as they are already processed through steaming and rolling .

Hector

Thanks for the tip Hector. I think I'll substitute a kilo of 2-row and do the partial mash with the oats. What temperature and duration would you recommend for that?
 
I steeped a 500gr of instant oats when i made a cheap Coopers Wheat and i made a nice porage taste. Very mild mind you, but the taste was there. Also made it very cloudy almost milky looking. Beer turned out pretty good.
 
I steeped a 500gr of instant oats when i made a cheap Coopers Wheat and i made a nice porage taste. Very mild mind you, but the taste was there. Also made it very cloudy almost milky looking. Beer turned out pretty good.

Did you include malt grain with the oats?
 
Ya, I've never tried to put oats in the boil... I always include them in the mash which for my stout runs at 154.

Seems to turn out pretty well for me. Of course the oats are in with the base and specialty grains.
 
I think I'll substitute a kilo of 2-row and do the partial mash with the oats. What temperature and duration would you recommend for that?

What you're going to make is similar to Dry Stout , so use your dark DME and substitute some of

light DME with pale malt .

152-154 F would be a good temperature for that .

0.3 Kg of oats seems to be too much for this Recipe . I think it would be better to substitute 10% of your base malt with flaked oats .

Hector
 
DME won't convert oats- they need to be mashed with a base grain.

If you add them to the boil, you'll be making oatmeal in your wort.

By the way , there is NO ENZYME in DME as it's previously boiled and dried which denatures enzymes . If you would like to convert starches in oats to sugar , you should do partial mash using some base malt .

Hector

If the OP lives in America, I would agree with these statements
BUT, he measures in L and Kg and thoughtfully translated the L to imperial gallons. This leads me to believe that he could come from UK.

If this is correct, then the DME probably doesn't refer to dry malt extract, it probably refers to Diastatic Malt Extract which is a syrup, and does contain the enzymes required for conversion.

-a.
 
If the OP lives in America, I would agree with these statements
BUT, he measures in L and Kg and thoughtfully translated the L to imperial gallons. This leads me to believe that he could come from UK.

If this is correct, then the DME probably doesn't refer to dry malt extract, it probably refers to Diastatic Malt Extract which is a syrup, and does contain the enzymes required for conversion.

-a.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Unless stamped otherwise in BOLD all over the package, any malt extract sold in the US is non-diastatic.

For the OP, I'd be more concerned with flavor as opposed to getting sugars. Giving them a light toast, then steeping in hot water for about 30 minutes, drain and go. Just my 2 pence.
 
Thanks for all the advice folks. I am just going for flavor, so I'll go with the toasted oats and boil for 30. I'll include a little 2-row just to complete the conversion process as well (good test for future batches when i plan to include more grains).
 
I am just going for flavor, so I'll go with the toasted oats and boil for 30. I'll include a little 2-row just to complete the conversion process as well.

You've chosen the best way to add flavor to your Beer . Toasting Oats increases the oatmeal character and helps it stand out a bit more in the beer.

Spread the flaked oats out on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven around 300 °F (149 °C) until they begin to slightly color up and give off a nutty oatmeal cookie character.

If you live in the UK , I suggest to use high quality British pale malt as the base . It provides rich malt character because they are kilned a bit darker than the average North American two-row or pale malt and this higher level of kilning brings out the malt’s biscuit-toasty flavors.

Hector
 
Thanks for all the advice folks. I am just going for flavor, so I'll go with the toasted oats and boil for 30. I'll include a little 2-row just to complete the conversion process as well (good test for future batches when i plan to include more grains).

If you're using two row to help with conversion, steep the grains in 2 quarts of water per pound of grain at 150-160F, and then discard the grains. Don't boil the grains in the wort.
 

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