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It actually looks pretty tasty. Ask your LHBS if the flaked oats need to be mashed, I've never used them so I'm not sure. And with the og approaching 1.060, make sure you pitch enough yeast. I usually do 2 packs and yeast nutrient for anything over 1.055.
 
You can add the flaked oats in with the mash. I would agree about making sure you have enough yeast for this one.
 
Can't steep oats. Add a lb of 2 row and mash it with your specialty grains between 150 and 160 for an hour in the same pot and same amount of water you normally steep in. It will be fine
 
Thanks for your help everyone.

So, is the general consensus to double pitch on anything over 1.60? I've made
3 batches with an OG higher than this and haven't had a problem with a standard dose of liquid yeast. I also haven't read about this and various recipes haven't recommended it. Am I missing something?

This recipe is actually a half batch (2.5gal) so I was planning on making a starter from one full liquid yeast vial and splitting it with another half batch we plan to make the same weekend.
 
You should be making starters with your smack packs. Although a pack will ferment out a beer a lot of time, it may stress the yeast out. This means you may have a higher final gravity, excess esters, and possible off flavors.

Buying two packs of the same yeast is a waste of money for most ales as you can just make a starter. Search for Mr.Malty pitching rate calculator on google. You can input your predicted starting gravity and batch size. The calculator will tell you how big of a starter to make. It will usually be between 1-2 liters for most ales.

To make a starter, add about 4oz of dry malt extract for every liter of starter. This should give your starter an OG of about 1.040. (i.e. a 1.5 liter starter will take 6 oz of DME). Boil it on the stove for 15 minutes to sanitize. Cool it to pitching temp and add to a sanitized container with an airlock (1 gallon glass jugs work well). Pitch your yeast and wait 48-72 hours. I usually make my starter 4 days before brew day, let it ferment for 3, and then put it in the fridge the night before. This will cause the yeast to sink to the bottom. You can then decant off the excess liquid, leave a little to swirl the yeast, then pitch. Make sure to take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before pitching so it has time to acclimate to pitching temps so you don't shock it.

This may sound like a lot if you haven't done it before, but it's a really simple thing to do that will insure you have healthy fermentations. Good luck brewing.
 
Thanks for your help everyone.

So, is the general consensus to double pitch on anything over 1.60? I've made
3 batches with an OG higher than this and haven't had a problem with a standard dose of liquid yeast. I also haven't read about this and various recipes haven't recommended it. Am I missing something?

This recipe is actually a half batch (2.5gal) so I was planning on making a starter from one full liquid yeast vial and splitting it with another half batch we plan to make the same weekend.

It's an added precaution. Recommended pitch rate for 1.060+ wort is over 200 billion cells. 1 pack, ~100 billion cells, WILL ferment your beer, but your final results may not be ideal. I totally agree with the previous post on making a starter from any activator pack you purchase. Saves $$. But for a beginner, it's an added step and if you can afford the second pack, it let's ya get right to brewing.
 
Wow, lots of great information here. I was planning to create my first real starter this weekend and your instructions really helped.

As for the recipe, I'll remove the oats because I'm not yet comfortable with mashing and want to keep the process simple. Do you think it would be a good idea to add a small amount of roasted barley and either keep/remove the chocolate malt? I'm going for a sort of terry's chocolate orange taste but fairly reserved. What's the best way to go about this with specialty grains?

Thanks!
 
I've used quick oats before in steeping when I first started brewing in an extract recipe per the lhbs owner's suggestion. I'm not sure how well they work or how valid the information was, but it's something to look into. Maybe someone with a little bit more extract experience can chime in on the quick oats.
 
Im in a situation where I am unable to pick up my ingredients until this Friday. I was planning to brew this sat and sun. Is 24-48hrs enough to get a starter going? If not how can I split one liquid yeast pack into two so I can make two half batches?
 
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