Can someone assess this situation please?

I tried brewing an oatmeal stout that has imperial qualities. Used 36oz of quaker quick oats, 1lb each of Crystal 80L and Roasted Barley and 8oz of black patent. Added 4oz of molasses. 4oz of kent goldings and 2oz of fuggles. These are my notes since the brew day:

11/13/07 OSG 1.093 Beer has a weird consistency to it. I don't think everything is mixed. The liquids seem to be separated.

11/13/07 Pitched yeast at 60ºF.

11/16/07 Took another Hydrometer reading since activity in the fermenter has slowed a bit. SG 1.040.

11/16/07 Attached fermentation lock.

11/20/07 SG 1.010 Beer still seems to be a little separated. The first sample from the wine thief is very thick. The second is much less viscous.

Sounds like it is done fermenting. Move it to a secondary vessel and allow to clear for a couple of weeks.

with over 2 lbs of oats, it's bound to be thicker than normal.

I still don't know what you mean by "mixed". Did you boil your wort? I've never had separation, unless you're talking about the trub and break solids at the bottom of the fermenter.

Evan! said:

I still don't know what you mean by "mixed". Did you boil your wort? I've never had separation, unless you're talking about the trub and break solids at the bottom of the fermenter.

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I missed that part. Yeah, I don't know what to tell you about that. Did you boil and then top off? I think we need some more details.

I boiled. I also took a 2.5 gallon jug of spring water and put it in the freezer to help cool the wort. When the boil finished, I took the 2.5 gallons of now very cold but not frozen water and poured it into the carboy. I scooped out as much of the hops as possible. Then I gave the wort a cold bath in the sink. After 15-20 minutes I strained the wort into the fermenter and topped off with about 1.5 gallons of water to make 5 gallons. Shook everything up for awhile and took a temperature reading at which time it read 60 degrees(btw, does anyone know how to make a degrees symbol when typing in here). Pitched the yeast(Wyeast 1084 smack pack). Put a carboy cap with a blowoff hose on the carboy. Yeast was pretty active for 2-3 days. Then I added the fermentation lock.

I think I'd x'fer to secondary and let it settle for a couple of weeks. Three might even be better if you can stand the wait. I think it'll probably have a better taste and be ready to bottle/keg by then.

I wish I had an answer for you. Between topping off, shaking the fermenter, and the fermentation process, the beer should be mixed. I don't have an answer for you. I guess let it mellow for a while and see if it gets better.

Rack it carefully, avoiding the top and bottom layers. Then let it clear for 4-6 weeks. I suspect the top layer is largely soluble fiber

Soluble fiber, on the other hand, does dissolve in water forming a gelatinous substance

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Did an oatmeal stout once and got some weird stuff in the carboy too. Transfer carefully, let settle for a while bottle then drink. it will taste fine. The molasses will need a bit of aging as well.

I don't have a 2nd carboy. Would it be ok to siphon into the bucket, clean the carboy, and then siphon back into the carboy???

i would pick up another carboy so you can have two batches going at once :cross:

I just bought my 5th carboy, trust me when I say you're going to wish you had another one.

Might try this
1. Buy 2nd carboy
2. transfer first batch to secondary
3. clean first carboy
4. fill first carbo with new batch of beer
5. make certain you never run out of homebrew

ejdischer said:

(btw, does anyone know how to make a degrees symbol when typing in here).

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Hold the Alt key and type (in sequence, not at the same time) 0176 = °

Next Friday when I head down to NJ, I'll pick up a 2nd carboy. But until then, is it ok to transfer into the bucket and then put it back in the carboy after I clean it??? I wouldn't even need to siphon the 2nd time. I could siphon into the bucket and then use my funnel and strainer to get it back into the carboy. That'd be quicker at least.