Oatmeal Stout Yooper's Oatmeal Stout

BrewSwag 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I usually keg, but I generally let this beer sit for at least 6 weeks before tapping.

My last batch, I overshot my final volume by about 1/3 gallon. When transferring to the keg, in an effort to save every drop I could, I scurried around the house to find my old bottling equipment and a couple 22oz bottles.

I let them sit in the bottle for 4 weeks at room temp and then 3 days in the fridge, and just cracked one open yesterday. It was carbed great, but the flavor was a bit strong. I don't think it had enough time to age. FWIW, the keg from that same batch is still sitting at room temp and won't be tapped until September 26th, which will be about 12 weeks since brewing.

Honestly though, the easiest way to tell is to chill one and try it. It may be perfect, or it may need more time. In my experience with this beer it keeps getting better with age though.
 
ThatVideoKid said:
I want to get this from my LHBS so I'd rather not order anything, they don't have the black barley...

Do you think debittered black malt could work as a sub?

Edit:

Oh well I just got roasted barley(500L), I almost got dehusked caraffa III but I figured dark roasted is tried and true and I probably won't mind if it comes out a bit more astringent.
Click to expand...


I believe roasted barley is the right stuff. I'm brewing this tomorrow. It will be my first stout. I don't really like stouts, but must be diverse! My sons and daughter in laws like it, so hopefully it will be good enough for them when the come home for Christmas! Thanks Yooper!!!
 
Mine was good after about 1.5 weeks in the bottle. Way overcarbed but was really good.

I poured about 48 bottles back into the bottling bucket and rebottled due to the over carbonation. I know what oxidization tastes like now... They aren't horrible, still drinkable but it was fantastic before oxidizing.
 
Brewing this next weekend. 2 week primary. Probably a 4 week secondary. Will keg some and bottle some. Should be great around Halloween.
 
Going to brew another batch of this tomorrow. Going to make it into a vanilla oatmeal stout. Thinking of adding a little more oatmeal or add some lactose and 2 or 3 vanilla beans soaked in bourbon or vodka for a couple weeks.

Any thoughts on how much lactose or extra oatmeal to go with? Wife like a very smooth and creamy mouthfeel.
 
Brewed this again yesterday, about 4 months since I brewed in the first time. That time I hit all my numbers except I ended up with a little extra wort going into the fermenter, but then over carbonated the bottles, poured about 50 bottles back into my bottling bucket and re-bottled them, ended up oxidized but drinkable.

This time brewing went well again, hit 1.055 for OG, but only had exactly 5 gal in the fermenter, planned for 5.25. Then when I was cleaning up I noticed a scorch mark on the bottom of my kettle. Not really sure what caused the scorching, kept the boil to a gentle roll, no sugar additions, etc... Now I'm hoping there isn't a burnt smell/taste to this beer when it's finished. Then again, would be one of the better styles to have it happen if it does.

Starting to think I'm not meant to brew this one, had it on my list to make for around 1.5 years and now have made it twice and each time have had mishaps.
 
bolus14 said:
Brewed this again yesterday, about 4 months since I brewed in the first time. That time I hit all my numbers except I ended up with a little extra wort going into the fermenter, but then over carbonated the bottles, poured about 50 bottles back into my bottling bucket and re-bottled them, ended up oxidized but drinkable.

This time brewing went well again, hit 1.055 for OG, but only had exactly 5 gal in the fermenter, planned for 5.25. Then when I was cleaning up I noticed a scorch mark on the bottom of my kettle. Not really sure what caused the scorching, kept the boil to a gentle roll, no sugar additions, etc... Now I'm hoping there isn't a burnt smell/taste to this beer when it's finished. Then again, would be one of the better styles to have it happen if it does.

Starting to think I'm not meant to brew this one, had it on my list to make for around 1.5 years and now have made it twice and each time have had mishaps.
Click to expand...

You can taste the wort, and see if it tastes scorched at all. That won't fix it, but at least can put your mind at ease if it doesn't have any burnt flavor besides what comes from the black barley.
 
I tasted the wort before adding yeast and it didn't taste like it was scorched... Tasted better than the first batch pre fermentation, only difference was I used caramel 60 instead of 80. Honest mistake at lhbs, noticed it after I ground it and added it to the rest of the grains.
 
bolus14 said:
I tasted the wort before adding yeast and it didn't taste like it was scorched... Tasted better than the first batch pre fermentation, only difference was I used caramel 60 instead of 80. Honest mistake at lhbs, noticed it after I ground it and added it to the rest of the grains.
Click to expand...

Then it sounds fine! If it was scorched, it would have tasted a bit scorched, so I think you'll be ok.
 
bolus14 said:
Mine was good after about 1.5 weeks in the bottle. Way overcarbed but was really good.

I poured about 48 bottles back into the bottling bucket and rebottled due to the over carbonation. I know what oxidization tastes like now... They aren't horrible, still drinkable but it was fantastic before oxidizing.
Click to expand...

you probably should have just re-capped them...
 
BrewerE said:
you probably should have just re-capped them...
Click to expand...

I tried a couple, but after lossening the cap 6 or 7 times over a 2.5 hour period and still had foam coming out like a volcano, that wasn't an option to do with almost 50 other bottles.
 
Yooper, have you or someone else brewed this with chico? Curious to see how taste changes.
 
I have had this stout in the fermenter for about 10 days now and just took my first taste and gravity reading. It tastes very good, but thinner/dryer than I expected since I used US-05 because of availability. I should have chosen US-04 in hindsight. Anyway, my gravity right now is at 1.026 and I haven't seen any air lock activity in at least 5 days. Most of my beers at this point would be as done as they are going to get so I am wondering if the fermentation is stuck.

Mashed at 156 for 60 min
Oxygen stone for 90 seconds
Pitched two packs of rehydratred US-05 at 64 degrees
Fermented 64 degrees for 10 days so far.

I am going out of town next week and was hoping to keg this before I left. Think I should warm it & swirl it or jut leave it.

David
 
I only used 1 pack of S-05 and mine stopped around 1.019 at 68 degrees. I ended up bottling it and ended up with gushers. I'd try raising the temp and give it 3 or 4 days then check the gravity and see if it moves.
 
bolus14 said:
I only used 1 pack of S-05 and mine stopped around 1.019 at 68 degrees. I ended up bottling it and ended up with gushers. I'd try raising the temp and give it 3 or 4 days then check the gravity and see if it moves.
Click to expand...

Thanks I set the temp in the fridge to 70 and opened the door. The ambient temp is 68ish where it sits so it should warm up to at least that.
 
Ok I'm just about set to brew this Saturday. Read most of the thread and think I'm pretty much good to go. I know there's been tons of discussion on subbing the black barley but I still can't decide what to do. Here are my substitution options...

Briess black patent malt (500)
Paul's UK black patent (510-585)
Briess blackprinz (500)
Briess roasted barley (300)
Paul's UK roasted barley (500-600)
Belgian de bittered black malt (500-600)

What do you guys think is my best bet?
 
mmacdon3 said:
Ok I'm just about set to brew this Saturday. Read most of the thread and think I'm pretty much good to go. I know there's been tons of discussion on subbing the black barley but I still can't decide what to do. Here are my substitution options...

Briess black patent malt (500)
Paul's UK black patent (510-585)
Briess blackprinz (500)
Briess roasted barley (300)
Paul's UK roasted barley (500-600)
Belgian de bittered black malt (500-600)

What do you guys think is my best bet?
Click to expand...

Roasted barley 300 or 500.
 
Yooper said:
Roasted barley 300 or 500.
Click to expand...

Thanks Yooper. What are your thoughts on using midnight wheat? Looks like one other person mentioned using it in this thread but never updated. Here's the description on it.

"Producing no bitter, astringent or dry flavors, Midnight Wheat starts slightly sweet with hints of roasted flavor while finishing exceptionally clean, subtle and smooth. The dark wheat malt may be used in any recipe calling for de-bittered black malt."

550 SRM
 
mmacdon3 said:
Thanks Yooper. What are your thoughts on using midnight wheat? Looks like one other person mentioned using it in this thread but never updated. Here's the description on it.

"Producing no bitter, astringent or dry flavors, Midnight Wheat starts slightly sweet with hints of roasted flavor while finishing exceptionally clean, subtle and smooth. The dark wheat malt may be used in any recipe calling for de-bittered black malt."

550 SRM
Click to expand...

It's a great malt, but for something that needs roasted coffee flavors, it's too smooth and sweet.
 
For what its worth even thoguh I seem to have mashed to high because I'm stuck at 1.026... I did the recipe exactly as it was posted (other than yeast) and the beer in primary tastes very good with a nice roasted coffee and chocolate flavor. Not too much but its there and seems balanced.
 
The LHBS didn't have the 1335 yeast. Only thing close was Windsor dry yeast. I hope it is a decent sub or I will have to make this again from an online supplier.

Bill
 
madman960 said:
The LHBS didn't have the 1335 yeast. Only thing close was Windsor dry yeast. I hope it is a decent sub or I will have to make this again from an online supplier.

Bill
Click to expand...

It's not a great sub. Windsor is very unattenuative, so I'd mash lower and try to baby it along to finish. I would have picked S04 for dry yeast (which I really don't like much) or WLP002 (which I do).
 
I have my last batch of IPA coming off a yeast cake of WLP002.
I have a pound of East Kent Golding in the freezer.

Think this recipe will work with the yeast & hops?
 
Chris_Primavera said:
I have my last batch of IPA coming off a yeast cake of WLP002.
I have a pound of East Kent Golding in the freezer.

Think this recipe will work with the yeast & hops?
Click to expand...

Yes, I think it would be fine although I'd try to use a 1/2 cup of yeast from somewhere "cleanest" and try to avoid most of the hops debris in there.
 
Hop socked everything except some hop flowers from the garden. If it looks good, I'm going for it.

I normally do not get much trub in the fermenter.
 
I think you'll be fine. After another 2-3 weeks in the primary, plus a week or two secondary if you do that, combine with the roasted malts I don't think you'll get anything from the hops.
 
I notice that it's getting harder to find the Briess' black barley. If you can't find it, a good sub would be coffee malt or roasted barley.

Black barley isn't as ashy/acrid as black patent malt, so if I couldn't find it I'd try the coffee malt as a sub first.
 
On the topic of the Black Barley, I had a good experience using 1/2 regular roasted barley and 1/2 Carafa III Special (debhusked black patent). Admittedly I have no point of reference to compare to the original, but these easy to find ingredients produced a great end result.
 
I mentioned it before, but Austin Homebrew Supply has the Black Barley in stock. I ordered 5lbs last time and I think it was about $15 shipped.
 
Yooper said:
I notice that it's getting harder to find the Briess' black barley. If you can't find it, a good sub would be coffee malt or roasted barley.

Black barley isn't as ashy/acrid as black patent malt, so if I couldn't find it I'd try the coffee malt as a sub first.
Click to expand...

I am really lost on the Black Barley, Black Roasted Barley, Roasted Barley, Coffee Barley, etc.

I thought we had, basically, two things to choose from:

Roasted Barley - which is not malted. Usually, somewhere between 400 and 500 L.
Black Malt - malted barley, that is roasted to 450-500.

I haven't been able to find anything called Black Barley. Black Roasted Barley, yes, but not Black Barley.

The Coffee Malt I have seen is about 150 L, which does not seem close to black.

The Roasted Barley I see appears to be the same thing as Black Roasted Barley, just different maltsters.

Yooper - HELP! Your Oatmeal Stout is next on my brew schedule and I am confused. Is the Black Barely in your original recipe 400-500 L unmalted barely, or something else?

Thank you for you input.
 
@MagicMatt - Thank you for the clarification. I'm good to go. I have lots of 500 L roasted/black barley.
 
Yooper,

Thanks for the input. My LHBS had S04 and Windsor. He said Windsor was closer to the original yeast. I have plenty of S04. I can pitch a packet if that would help. Next time I will order online.

Bill
 

Similar threads

Gadjobrinus
Clonebrews Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout - SRM way off (darker in recipe)?
Replies
22
Views
545
Gadjobrinus
Gadjobrinus
G
First Custom Grain Bill- Thoughts?
Replies
11
Views
1K
BrewnWKopperKat
BrewnWKopperKat
B
Dry stout intense bitterness
Replies
11
Views
732
beren
beren
P
Critique of oatmeal stout recipe
Replies
9
Views
1K
RyPA
RyPA
A
RO Water - starting with lower pH
Replies
30
Views
1K
jerrylotto
jerrylotto

Latest posts

Back
Top