Oatmeal - steep or mash?

I want to make an Oatmeal Stout, but am not ready to dive into all-grain brewing. I've been doing a lot of searching for recipes and have read conflicting reports on whether it is possible (or advisable) to brew an Oatmeal Stout using extracts. My first thought was that the oatmeal would be steeped along with the other specialty grains, but I've read a lot of places that say the oatmeal needs to be mashed. But then I've read that it's ok to use pre-gelatinzied oats (i.e. quick oats, I think). But then I've read that even that isn't OK. Finally, I've seen some extract-based kits available that include the oats as a specialty grain and instruct to just steep them with the rest.

So, in the danger of adding to the confusion already out there, can/should I make an oatmeal stout using extracts as my base and some form of oats as a specialty grain?

Yes, you can just steep flaked or quick oats. This will give you the flavors, but you will also have unfermentable starches in the wort. Not much of a problem in a stout, which is where oats are used mostly. I wouldn't go over 8 ounces, though.

Doing a mini-mash requires no more than adding an equal amount of 2-row and holding the temperature around 152F for 30 minutes.

can you expand/clarify your last statement? Are you suggesting that I add 8oz of 2-row to the steep? Sorry - you lost me on the "mini-mash"

to get the full use out of oatmeal you have to mash it. I dont know enough to tell you how much 2 row you need, but since it cant convert itself, you will need to use 2 row with it. Since that is the case, you will need to also adjust the rest of the recipe to reduce the extract because you will then also be getting conversion out of the 2 row.

I will post a link to a thread in which i aked how to convert a recipe.. maybe that will help you

Thanks for the link. It sounds more like doing a prolonged steep...is that all a mash (or "mini-mash") is?

It sounds more like doing a prolonged steep...is that all a mash (or "mini-mash") is?

Click to expand...

A mini mash is more like a prolonged steep with a base malt and more strict temperature control, since the enzymes that convert starches to sugar are active only in certain temperature ranges. If you mini-mash, I recommend using an oven at a low setting or small cooler to hold the temperature.

You can also sparge to extract more of the converted sugars from the grain. In a mini- or partial-mash that involves rinsing or steeping the mashed grains with water at around 169F, which denatures the enzymes and halts conversion.

It is like a steep basically with a little wash at the end. You will want to keep it at the said temperature for 1 hour. Then rinse it with 170 degree water. This all goes into your boil with your extract (which should be added at the last 15 minutes of the boil)

I used the pot i warmed the water in covered with a towel and removed from the burner. It didnt drop at all and my boil pot was THIN... paper thin.

JLem said:

Thanks for the link. It sounds more like doing a prolonged steep...is that all a mash (or "mini-mash") is?

Click to expand...

Yes, sort of. The technique is basically the same. You do have to be more careful about a couple of things, like the correct amount of water, and more precise with the temperature. What's happening inside is different than a steep- in a mash, there are actually some chemical changes going on (starches being converted to sugars) but it looks just like a steep. In a steep, you're making a "tea" from the grain, and not extracting any fermentables or causing any chemical changes.

In a partial mash, using the oats, just make sure you use an equal amount of base malt (pale malt or two row, crushed) and use about 1.25 quarts of water per pound of grain. Thoroughly wet the grains, and let them soak at 152-152 degrees for 45 minutes. You can stir them up occasionally during the mash. After the time is up, you can lift out the grain bag, and pour 170 degree water over them to rinse the sugars off. I use a colander for this- just lift the grain bag into the colander over the pot and let the water drain into the pot. You can use however much water you need to get you up to your desired boil volume.

I'll find Deathbrewer's pictorial, so you can see what I mean! Here it is: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/
Deathbrewer doesn't pour his 170 degree sparge water over the grain, he picks up the bag and puts it into the water. Either way is fine, depending on how many pots you have!

You also need to control the quantity of water. With a steep I used to just do it the water that I was going to be boiling. For a mash the grains need to be able to lower the pH of the water down to the 5.2 range. Also, too much water and the enzymes get too diluted to be effective. A small quantity of grain will only work with a small quantity of water ~ 2 quarts per pound max.

So what to do is heat two pots of water. One for the mash, one for the rinsing of the grains.

If I don't have large enough vessels, can I mini-mash the oats and two-row and then proceed with standard extract brewing techniques? If so, would I just use 8oz each of oats and two-row in 2 quarts of water? I'm basing amounts on the fact that it was suggested above not to use more than 8oz oats and to use an equal amount of two-row.

JLem said:

If I don't have large enough vessels, can I mini-mash the oats and two-row and then proceed with standard extract brewing techniques? If so, would I just use 8oz each of oats and two-row in 2 quarts of water? I'm basing amounts on the fact that it was suggested above not to use more than 8oz oats and to use an equal amount of two-row.

Click to expand...

Sure, you could do that. Then, rinse (sparge) with 2 quarts of 170 degree water and use the resulting liquor as the beginnings of the boil liquid. You could use a bit more 2-row, too, like a pound of 2-row and 8 ounces of oats. Also, add whatever specialty grains you're using into the mix and use about 1.25 quarts of water per total pounds of grains in the mash, and up to 2 quarts of water per pound for the sparge water.

Excellent! Thanks for the help - I'm really glad I found this forum. Too bad I can't get this brewing today! I'll have to wait till the weekend to give it a try...