Dry Stout - no flaked barley

[brownni5]

I've got a fresh Imperial Darkness yeast cake and a hankerin' for a dry Stout, but no flaked barley (and no easy access to any). But I can get some pearled barley. That'll pretty much be the same, right? Aside from a pre- gelatinization boil or cereal mash?

 

[day_trippr]

Well, it's barley, but unmalted, dehusked, and polished. So, yeah, some kind of cereal mash will be needed to gelatinize it before mashing...

Cheers!

 

[Steveruch]

You don't absolutely have to have flaked barley in a stout.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Not that you need it (and pearl barley should work, but pre-boiling is a PITA), but you should be able to get some flaked barley at a health food shop if you have one nearby. I get all my flaked grains there now - it's about half the price of my LHBS.

 

[mabrungard]

To produce the body in this modest to low gravity style, some form of unmalted barley is going to be needed. The unmalted barley imparts beta-glucans that are major body builders. Flaked, chit, pearled, etc, should be roughly equivalent. I'm not sure that the raw barley has to be gelatinized specially. I think it gelatinizes in the typical mashing temperature range, but don't hold me to that. I always used flaked.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

It does gelatinise in typical mash temperature ranges, but can take a long time so it's safer to cook it first.

 

[Pappers_]

It will take it out of style if there is an oat flavor, but rolled oats could be an interesting substitution. I agree with @mabrungard that a key to the style (and the biggest challenge for most homebrew versions that I've had at competitions) is to get at least a medium full mouthfeel in such a small beer. Hence the flaked barley, etc.

 

[beersk]

It will take it out of style if there is an oat flavor, but rolled oats could be an interesting substitution. I agree with @mabrungard that a key to the style (and the biggest challenge for most homebrew versions that I've had at competitions) is to get at least a medium full mouthfeel in such a small beer. Hence the flaked barley, etc.

Seconded for oats as a substitute!