Oatmeal Cream Stout WLP007

This is my first beer I have brewed ever, but one of my favorite types of beer to enjoy. However I have some questions about WLP007. I have been reading through a lot of threads about this particular strain of yeast and some of my current readings match up with other people but feel like maybe I either need to allow more time and not worry so much or potentially give the fermentation a little stir.

The yeast was pitched at 67 degrees and SG was 1.052 (was hoping it would be a little higher around 1.057 but 1.052 will do). Brewed on Saturday and sometime Sunday night the yeast must have taken off. Monday morning it was bubbling like crazy and by Monday after work I wasn't seeing any bubbles at all. The temperature at this point was 70 degrees and I did slightly cool the room to 68 degrees which is where it stands. I checked the gravity Wednesday evening and it had dropped to 1.016. Which is great, but that leaves only a 69.2% attenuation where the particular strain should be about 80% attenuation. I am going to wait another couple days and check gravity again but if it is at 1.016 again should I just give it more time or does this require a slight stir of the wort to kick things up again. Also the yeast was just out of the purepitch packages and I am doing a 5 gallon batch.

Thanks for your help.

Could you post the recipe please? And if it's all grain the mash schedule too.

oatmeal cream stout? Bit of a oxymoron isnt it? Im wondering what makes you think it classified as a "cream" ale. You sure its not just a stout with oatmeal and lactose

WLP007 isnt a great choice for a stout. Its too highly attenuative and will leave the beer with too thin a body for what youd look for in a stout.

That being said, no one can answer your questions without knowing the details of your recipe and process

After reading up more on White Labs website it looks like attenuation is around 70-80%. So I guess if I get in that range I will be alright. I know it is still early. Well here are the directions. Recipe came from NB...Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat I believe.

7.75 lbs.Briess Pale Ale
1 lbs. English Roasted Barley
1 lbs. German Vienna
0.5 lbs. Flaked Oats
0.5 lbs. Briess Victory
0.375 lbs. English Black Malt

Boil Additions
.5 lbs. Lactose (60 Min)
1oz Glacier Hops (60 Min) - Brew shop didn't have Glacier so I just used Willamette on this also.
.25oz Willamette (5 Min)

Sacch’ Rest: 156° F for 60 minutes
Mashout: 168° F for 10 minutes

I believe it says 1-2 weeks primary, 1-2 weeks secondary and 1-2 weeks bottle conditioning.

wmcc75 said:

Could you post the recipe please? And if it's all grain the mash schedule too.

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m00ps said:

oatmeal cream stout? Bit of a oxymoron isnt it? Im wondering what makes you think it classified as a "cream" ale. You sure its not just a stout with oatmeal and lactose

WLP007 isnt a great choice for a stout. Its too highly attenuative and will leave the beer with too thin a body for what youd look for in a stout.

That being said, no one can answer your questions without knowing the details of your recipe and process

Click to expand...

I added the recipe. It is probably just a stout with lactose and oatmeal. I was talking to the brew store owner and he was also confused why I was using WLP007 but said that with the addition of the lactose it should turn out just fine. Lactose probably counteracts the dryness/aggressiveness of the yeast strain. As for my above statement about what I like to enjoy, is stouts in general. I have only came across this specific beer that is labeled an Oatmeal Cream Stout although I have seen a couple Oatmeal Stouts and Cream Stouts float around.

I would give it a few days to finish chewing through those last few gravity points, and check again. But with the lactose addition it will probably finish lower that 80% attenuation.

Take anymore gravity readings?

wmcc75 said:

Take anymore gravity readings?

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I took one this morning but no change...still at 1.016. My plan was to move it into the carboy tomorrow. Not sure if it will make those last couple points.