Flaked Barley vs. Flaked Oats

[Skipper74]

I am planning to brew the black IPA recipe from the Ocober, 2012 issue of BYO (Bombay After Dark). The recipe calls for 12 ounces of flaked barley, which I do not have on hand. Could I get reasonably close to the original recipe by substituting 12 ounces of flaked oats for the flaked barley?

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Flaked Oats will add a little oiliness that you wouldn't get from Flaked Barley. Is this extract or mash? If this is extract then I would guess that the flaked barley is to aid in head retention, and perhaps flaked wheat would work better than oats. Although if you are really in a pinch, and oats are your only option then it's probably better to use them than not to use anything, but it might taste more like an imperial stout than a black IPA.

 

[Skipper74]

Thanks, I am going to be doing it as a partial mash. If you think it will make a significant difference, I might just order the flaked barley and delay my brewing for a week.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

It's mostly there for head retention. My guess is that you aren't going to taste any difference in flavor. So if a head that falls quickly doesn't bother you then brew it.

 

[MrOH]

I don't think that 12oz of flaked oats swapped out for the same amount of flaked barley will have much, if any, impact on a hoppy, black ale. It will make a difference in the body, but it might be kinda cool to get a big, satiny body in an BIPA. Go for it and report back.

 

[Skipper74]

Thanks for the input. I think I will just go with the oats and brew on Saturday. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Looking forward to seeing how it goes. One half pound to a full pound of flakes oats is pretty typical on oatmeal stout recipes, so it may not be exactly what was intended, but I bet it will be good.

 

[Skipper74]

Hmmm. Now that I think about it a bit more, I wonder if I may be better off going with six ounces of flaked oats and six ounces of carapils (which I have on hand), rather than just twelve ounces of oats.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

That sounds like a reasonable compromise. Carapils will add about half a point of residual sugar so you aren't going to notice the sweetness and it should help with head retention.

 

[Skipper74]

Excellent. I'll let you know how it works out.