brewing with oatmeal

[ygerchman]

Hey everybody, I have a question about brewing stout beer with oatmeal. Maybe someone has experience with it?
I wanna know when i have to add it and how much for 20 liters?
Thank you all
Yoav

 

[Jaybird]

Are you doing AG or extract?

 

[Homercidal]

Usually you would add a pound or two to a 5 gallon batch. I think oatmeal needs enzymes from the base malt to actually convert. However, you might get some of the oat properties nonethless.

When I brew AG I use precooked oats, or what we call "quick" oats. However, this last batch I tossed a couple of cartons in the grains and crushed before I realized someone in my house had bought "old fashioned" oats. We'll see what happens...

 

[DocScott]

I've used old fashioned oats before and they worked well. Put them through a protein rest then mashed with the rest of the stout grains. Palmer's book has a brief section on using oats in brewing if you're interested. May want to throw a few rice hulls in too if your oats get above 10% of your grain bill.

 

[Larso]

I brewed a beautiful stout with very poor head retention(that I never quite figured out) with this recipe from Randy Mosher:
2.3kg wheat,1.8kg munich, 1.4kg Lager, 0.7kg medium crystal, 170g debittered black,227g porridge oats-baked at 150C for about 30mins until smelling like cookies. Oats added to mash with everything else and mashed at 66.5degC

 

[MadMarty911]

Can't you add oats to an extract if you add say a dark malt extract to the boil?

 

[Yooper]

Can't you add oats to an extract if you add say a dark malt extract to the boil?

You'd mash them with the other grains- if you add them to the kettle with the wort, you'd make oatmeal.

 

[brycelarson]

You'd mash them with the other grains- if you add them to the kettle with the wort, you'd make oatmeal.

for not quick cook oats pre-cooking them can help with extraction rates. I had some steel cut oats that I did two batches with. One I just did a long protein rest to get them going - the other I pre-cooked and added to my grain. I seem to have gotten more of the slippery, silky mouth feel from the cooked ones.

Normally I just use quick cook oats - works great.

 

[Transamguy77]

I have heard that it helps to do a longer mash when using oats, has anyone tried or noticed a difference doing that?

 

[Yooper]

I have heard that it helps to do a longer mash when using oats, has anyone tried or noticed a difference doing that?

Yes, sometimes you need to do a longer mash (90 minutes) to fully convert the oats.

 

[helibrewer]

Using a small amount of 6-row can help give the mash a little enzyme boost for converting the oats.

 

[Transamguy77]

Yes, sometimes you need to do a longer mash (90 minutes) to fully convert the oats.

Is that your standard? My LHBS had recommended 75 mins, that is what I did on an oatmeal stout, but if a little longer is better ill try that too.

 

[brewingbryan]

I've been interested in brewing a stout and using oats to give a fuller body. I brew extract only, so is there an ideal way to get the benefits of oats without doing all grain or is maltodextrin simply my best bet?

 

[Yooper]

I've been interested in brewing a stout and using oats to give a fuller body. I brew extract only, so is there an ideal way to get the benefits of oats without doing all grain or is maltodextrin simply my best bet?

You can use a pound of two-row (base malt) with a pound of quick oats, and put them in a bag together. Hold them in 1 gallon of water at 150-155 for 75 minutes and then you can lift out the bag. Pour a gallon of hot water (170 degrees) over it to rinse the bag, and then throw the grains away. Then bring that liquid up to a boil, and proceed with the recipe. It's easy!