Beersmith giving me low SRM for Oatmeal Stout Recipe?

[brewnewb1]

I just got back from the LHBS, where I picked up an all-grain Oatmeal Stout recipe. Unfortunately they only had a partial mash recipe, so they converted it to all-grain for me. Recipe is as follows:

9lbs 2-row Pale Malt
.5lbs Flaked Oats
.5lbs Chocolate Malt
.25lbs Black Patent Malt

For some reason when I enter this into Beersmith it's giving me an SRM of 22.7. When I looked up what this might look like, it seems a bit low for an oatmeal stout. Am I wrong in thinking this?

What factors could cause this? It has me mashing with 4 gallons, and then batch sparging with 5.4 gallons. Could this be a factor?

 

[imasickboy]

For my 5 gallon profile, using Briess chocolate (350L), I get an SRM of 25.3, which is in style. Your 22.7 is also in style, though right on the lower edge.

Chocolate varies wildly between maltsters, but I think Briess is the lightest, so I'm not sure why you're getting such a low SRM.

Black Patent at 500L, right?

 

[brewnewb1]

Good question. The recipe just said "Black Patent Malt," and they had a bin full of something by the same name, so that's what I grabbed. I actually didn't check that number. I've never had to grab the grain myself (I usually just order online,) so this is a good reminder to ask that next time.

 

[Qhrumphf]

All the roasted malts vary wildly between maltsters both in color and character. Swap one maltsters chocolate malt for another and no exaggeration you can have a completely different beer. Best to find one you like and stick with it so at least it stays consistent relative to itself.

 

[Oginme]

What is your batch size and process losses. You are adding that grain to 9.4 gallons of water to start. If your ending up with 5 gallons in the fermenter and you have a typical boil off rate of about a gal/hr, then you have about 3.4 gallons of wort which you are coloring but are not going into the fermenter.

Beyond that, I think the others have highlighted the vast differences in color malts, especially dark malts, between maltsters. It can make a huge difference in ending color.

 

[chickypad]

I agree with Oginme that sounds like a lot of losses for a 5 gal batch. When you say "It has me mashing" I assume you are talking about Beersmith. You need to set up your equipment profile with all your correct measurements - i.e. you should be telling it what to do not the other way around.

Also the recipe itself seems pretty light on the total dark roasted grains at .75 lb (7%) for a 5 gal batch. I'm not surprised you're on the lighter side for a stout, I would bump the black malt up to .5-.75 lb.

 

[dmtaylor]

The recipe is missing 0.5 lb roasted barley. Problem solved.