Can I steep Oats, Flaked?

I have a OG recipe I'm converting to Extract and it contains

1lb Crystal 60L
1lb Oats, Flaked
.5lb Victory Malt
.25lb Chocolate Malt

All good but I've never use or considered Oats, Flaked.

Opinions? Substitutes??

thanks
Rod

I'm no expert in the matter, but I've used flaked oats in a partial mash twice, and both beers came out great, so I see no reason why they can't be used as a steeping grain, also.

Yes you can but simply steeping flaked grains does next to nothing other than getting them wet. kjung says he has used them successfully in a partial mash which is what you really need to do to them as an extract brewer. Doing a very basic partial mash is not a hell of a lot more difficult than steeping and will accomplish much more. Flaked grains are mostly starch and protein. They need to be exposed to the conversion enzymes from brewing malt to yield useful results in brewing. Mix your flaked grains and specialty grains with a couple of pounds of pale malt and do a partial mash. This will convert the starch in the flaked grain to sugar so it can be utilized in the brewing process.

Add 1.5 pounds of 2-row and mash for at 152F for 60 minutes. Subtract 1 pound of DME.

A VLGB helps.

(Very Large Grain Bag)

I have a very large bag but have never mashed. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN LOL

I'm using LME

If you have a large kitchen strainer, you can do a partial mash.

Instead of placing the grains in a VLGB, you put them directly into the brewpot, with your water(about 1 1/2 gal. per pound of grain) at about 155' F. Let them steep for 45 - 60 min., pour everything through the strainer into your bottling bucket/primary. After the grains drip dry (10 - 15 min.) put the strainer over the brewpot, and pour the wort back over the grains. Sparge the grains with hot water (160' F, about 1/2 gal. per pound of grain). Wait until the grains are done dripping, remove the strainer, and then add the extract and follow the recipe.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Partial_mash

sweet = my recipe calls for

9lb of Pale MALT
1lb Crystal 60L
1lb Oats, Flaked
.5lb Victory Malt
.25lb Chocolate Malt

I was going to substitute the 9lb for 6.75 LME but instead of steeping the specialty grains you say partial mash them ??? would this change the 6.75 in anyway???

if you just want the oats taste then im sure steeping would get that out to some degree. If you are using it as a mouthfeel/headretention grain then you can steep carapils/carafoam.

not exatly sure WHAT I want it for - never used it so I'm not real familiar with it.

Truthfully you aren't going to get the benefits of flaked oats without some sort of mash.. Partial or all grain.. I think all you are doing by steeping them is adding starch to your brew... I'm skeptical whether you get any flavor or other impact from steeping any flaked grain

I agree on not steeping. And I'm reading up on partial mashing at this very moment. Although Steeping looks ALMOST like mashing - I had assumed I would need boiling in there somewhere but I guess not.

Partial mashing is lile steeping on steroids, LOL

Yeah add some 2 row to your steep and you have a mash. Not sure what else is involved with the partial mash but what was suggested sounds like an easy fix- "steep" 1.5 lbs of 2 row and your flaked oats and then subtract a pound of LME.

Grinder12000 said:

I have a very large bag but have never mashed. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN LOL

Click to expand...

This is a good excuse to do a PM then. You could pick up a couple pounds of crushed 2row (for the starch-converting enzymes) at the LHBS and get your mash on.

It's really just hot water and time. I'ts not like it can go so wrong that it won't be beer.

I say go for it. Take pics. Make mistakes. Drink beer. Have fun.

They have to be mashed or the sugars will not be extracted (or somethin like that). I say crush the grains in a coffee grinder then wrap them in coffee filter and set them in 160-170 degree water for 20 minutes. DO NOT BOIL

Just a question of clarification: I only need to add enough base malt to match the non-enzymatic, mash-required portions of my mini-mash, yes? Which is to say if I were to plan on mini-mashing 1.5 lbs. of roasted barley, 1.0 lbs. of chocolate malt, and 0.5 lbs. of flaked barley, I would only need to add 0.5 lbs. of 2-Row, to match the flaked barley. Is this correct?

The first two grains, although non-enzymatic, do not actually require being mashed in order to undergo the necessary conversion, they only need to be steeped. But I wasnt clear if, by adding them to the mix, I would need to up my base anyway...

Not really. The 2-Row has to convert itself also, and any leftover enzymes will go to work on the other stuff in the mash. I would go with at least 1.5lbs of base malt (2-row, etc.) to makw sure you have enough extra enzymatic activity.

SO here is the final answer ??

Original recipe

9lb of Pale MALT
1lb Crystal 60L
1lb Oats, Flaked
.5lb Victory Malt
.25lb Chocolate Malt

Click to expand...

NOW with converting to an extract

Instead of 6.75 Extract
5.75 Extract

Mini mash

new - 1.5lb 2row malt
1lb Crystal 60L
1lb Oats, Flaked
.5lb Victory Malt
.25lb Chocolate Malt

I wouldn't try to scrimp on the base malt.

I think the traditional rule of thumb has been that 2row can convert up to 30% adjunct, and 6row up to 50% adjunct.

If this is the case then you'd be running something more like

[**disregard the math and see my post below; I misread the recipe**]

1.5# adjunct + 3.0# 2row = 4.5# convertible grain bill.
or
1.5# adjunct + 1.5# 6row = 3.0# convertible grain bill

We could say that the rule of thumb no longer holds, as malts are more modified. Or we could say the coffee isn't in my belly yet and so my math is way off (which is likely).

Remember - 2row ans 6row malt is something new to me so I'm just hanging on here LOL

So frat - not a clue what you just said

My 1st mini mash PLUS first time I'm converting OG to Extract.

2- and 6-row are varieties of barley with different properties. You'd buy them that way at the LHBS or internet store.

6row has more "converting power", so you can use less (proportionally).

Disregard my math above; I thought you had 1.5# of adjunct but there is only 1#. I think your recipe will be fine. I might bump the 2row to 2# just to be sure.

I think ill try a partial mash on my next brew. Just had my first experience with steeping and it went a bit to well I think(10 points over OG estimate) and I want to get to AG asap but there are still some questions I have for AG but a partial seems simple enough: Add some 2/6 row to your grain bag and subtract from your extract. Only question is how long does the mash take? is it the same as steeping? 30-45 mins?

GunnerMan said:

I think ill try a partial mash on my next brew. Just had my first experience with steeping and it went a bit to well I think(10 points over OG estimate) and I want to get to AG asap but there are still some questions I have for AG but a partial seems simple enough: Add some 2/6 row to your grain bag and subtract from your extract. Only question is how long does the mash take? is it the same as steeping? 30-45 mins?

Click to expand...

You can mash for 45-60 minutes and try to keep the temperature stable. I always did partial mashes in a big grain bag, packed very loosely. Add the grainbag to 160 degree water, to get the mash to 152-154 and then keep it there for an hour. Lift the bag into a colander, then pour 170 degree water over it to sparge (rinse). That's it. It's good to use 1.25- 1.50 quarts of water per pound of grain, then sparge with up to .5 gallons of water per pound of grain, or until you get your boil volume. That's all there is to the simplest PM.

Silly question probably.

So doing a partial boil you would sparge 6 times with .5g of water correct?

Awesome - thanks!

Grinder12000 said:

Silly question probably.

So doing a partial boil you would sparge 6 times with .5g of water correct?

Awesome - thanks!

Click to expand...

Well, your recipe has 4.25 pounds of grain, correct? That's about 5.5 - 6quarts of water for the mash. So, you mash, and then lift the grains out. Sparge with about 2 gallons of 170 degree water, a bit more or less is fine. (4 pounds of grain x .5 gallons of sparge water per pound). You can top off with more water if needed to get to your desired boil size.

My understanding of flaked oats is that they do not contain any enzymes themselves to perform any 'self-conversion' in a mash nor from steeping. But it depends on what you want to accomplish with the oats.

If you want conversion from the oats you will need to mash them with 2-row or 6-row, i believe preferably 2-row. Also, you will probably want to increase your mash time to assist with conversion.

Again..if thats what you want to accomplish.

MNBugeater