Thinking oatmeal stout

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.

devin81knez

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
2
So I am a beginner brewer on my 3rd batch of brew. I've brewed a brown and Irish red ale and was thinking of doing an oatmeal stout. I have a highly rated recipe but it does not have fermentation time. So here's the question how long in each fermenter? How long in bottles? I.have seen 6 weeks
 
Kinda depends on how big a stout it is but for an average gravity stout maybe try 2 weeks in fermentor after fg is reached, no need for secondary, 3 weeks in bottles at room temperature, 2 days in fridge, then drink up.
 
It's probably a good thing for a recipe not to provide a fermentation time. The yeast can't read anyway! They along with a myriad of variables determine fermentation time, not brewers or recipes. Yeast strain, pitch rate (number of yeast cells added), aeration effectiveness, wort gravity and temperature are some of the bigger factors but there are many more that will effect fermentation time and attenuation percentage. Average strength ales usually finish fermenting in 2 weeks or less, but be patient and observe to see how long your particular brew takes. It won't ever hurt to leave a brew alone for an extra week but you can definitely cause problems bottling a week early. Wait until ALL activity ceases, wait an extra week, then check the gravity and calculate attenuation. If it's at or near expected attenuation, wait 3 or 4 more days and check it again. If it's EXACTLY the same it's done, regardless of what any recipe or kit instructions say. If not, it's not! That simple. Be patient, and read. Check out "Yeast", the book by Jamil Z and Chris White. Best info to really absorb and make you a more successful brewer.
Welcome to the coolest hobby on earth!!!
 
Do you want a stout, a good stout, or a really smooth good stout? The answer to those questions will be the clue to how long to leave it in the fermenter and in the bottles. For just a stout, try 3 weeks in the fermenter, the first of which the fermenter is kept in the low 60's then allowed to come to room temperature. Bottle it and with 3 weeks of room temperature you will have a stout. Leave it in the bottles another month and you will have a good stout. Give it 6 months in the bottle and the harsh roasty flavors will smooth out and the stout will now be good drinking.
 
All great advice! I will for sure be patient you can never rush quality. Thanks for all the thread replies

Cheers
 
Do you want a stout, a good stout, or a really smooth good stout? The answer to those questions will be the clue to how long to leave it in the fermenter and in the bottles. For just a stout, try 3 weeks in the fermenter, the first of which the fermenter is kept in the low 60's then allowed to come to room temperature. Bottle it and with 3 weeks of room temperature you will have a stout. Leave it in the bottles another month and you will have a good stout. Give it 6 months in the bottle and the harsh roasty flavors will smooth out and the stout will now be good drinking.

If you have to wait 6 months for harsh flavors to smooth out you are using too much roasted malt. Have you tried the Carafa de-husked varieties? They have almost no tannic bite. Even my schwarz beir I made with it tasted great young, and it was a lager. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of aging brews as I've seen many a good beer really pop after a few months, but they never started off tasting harsh...
 
Back
Top