has anyone tried the brewers best oatmeal stout kit

[slicksmix]

Thanks for that info Big B, You rock! i will definitely check that out over the next few days

How was your success with your recipe, if you did well and dont mind sharing i would like to do it sometime in the future, i would do it now but i already have 10 gallons of it, he he! There are so many recipes i wanna try its like i dont know what to do next, any ideas?

 

[BigB]

Thanks for that info Big B, You rock! i will definitely check that out over the next few days

How was your success with your recipe, if you did well and dont mind sharing i would like to do it sometime in the future, i would do it now but i already have 10 gallons of it, he he! There are so many recipes i wanna try its like i dont know what to do next, any ideas?

No problem, but I can't take credit for the recipes, one was from clone brews and is a clone of Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, I got the recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/closest-clone-samuel-smith-oatmeal-stout-55576/ And the other, although not an oatmeal stout, but still has plenty of body is the Deception Stout you will see in my signature (created by NCBeernut). Also, I did another one where the LHBS created the recipe, but I cannot remember where I put it... All of them were fantastic. As far as recommending a next brew, all I can say is pick a style you like and go for it. There are some great recipes in the database at the top of the screen. But I can tell you one that I think is probably my favorite, that would be Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale... Simply awesome. I never liked pumpkin ales before and only made this for SWMBO, but I love it and all of my friends do too!

 

[daytonlawvol]

For those keeping an eye on this Beer:
I went ahead and used the full pound of Maltodextrin

I had an original gravity of 1.058.
Ive had it in for 3 days, took a reading and it is at 1.030.

Will be interested to take another reading in 3 or 4 days.

 

[flabyboy]

i was looking at doing this recipe as well. One thing I noticed that the OP did that strayed from the recipe was using more water than recommended to steep the grains. The recipe calls for 1 gallon of water for every 2 lbs of grain for the steeping. there 3lbs of grain in this kits so 1.5 gallons for steeping, right? I beliee he used 2.5 to 3 gallons. Could this have caused this problem somehow?

 

[flabyboy]

A few notes....

Damn its hard to keep the Mashing temp between 160-165.

With 2.5 pounds of grain and mashing in 1.25 gallons of water as directed, neither bag of grains could be completely submerged.

In regards to the temp during steeping. I have had several people recommend bringing the water to 160 on stove top and preheat oven to 160. Once you water is at 160 steep your grains and place in oven.

 

[BigB]

i was looking at doing this recipe as well. One thing I noticed that the OP did that strayed from the recipe was using more water than recommended to steep the grains. The recipe calls for 1 gallon of water for every 2 lbs of grain for the steeping. there 3lbs of grain in this kits so 1.5 gallons for steeping, right? I beliee he used 2.5 to 3 gallons. Could this have caused this problem somehow?

Actually just the opposite. John Palmer explains this well in his How to Brew:

The grist/water ratio is another factor influencing the performance of the mash. A thinner mash of >2 quarts of water per pound of grain dilutes the relative concentration of the enzymes, slowing the conversion, but ultimately leads to a more fermentable mash because the enzymes are not inhibited by a high concentration of sugars. A stiff mash of <1.25 quarts of water per pound is better for protein breakdown, and results in a faster overall starch conversion, but the resultant sugars are less fermentable and will result in a sweeter, maltier beer. A thicker mash is more gentle to the enzymes because of the lower heat capacity of grain compared to water. A thick mash is better for multirest mashes because the enzymes are not denatured as quickly by a rise in temperature.

 

[BigB]

In regards to the temp during steeping. I have had several people recommend bringing the water to 160 on stove top and preheat oven to 160. Once you water is at 160 steep your grains and place in oven.

Great advice! I know a few of the Mod's and IIRC ChesreCat recommend this as well.

 

[slicksmix]

i was looking at doing this recipe as well. One thing I noticed that the OP did that strayed from the recipe was using more water than recommended to steep the grains. The recipe calls for 1 gallon of water for every 2 lbs of grain for the steeping. there 3lbs of grain in this kits so 1.5 gallons for steeping, right? I beliee he used 2.5 to 3 gallons. Could this have caused this problem somehow?

The first time i did this recipe, i followed the directions. The second i added more water to my mash.

with my temps: first 158 average (varying 2-3 degrees up and down) second 162 average (same goes for this one)

Wait a minute, how do you do this? you put your grains IN the oven? What does the oven do? Keep it at a consistant temp?

 

[BigB]

Yes... You put the oven on a low setting and you slide your boil pot with the grains and water in the oven. It just helps to maintain the temp. Basically, instead of letting the grains steep in the boil pot on the stove, they just steep in the stove.

 

[bstanf]

An update:

I made a yeast starter (100 G of amber DME, 1L of water boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled) with Wyeast 1945 NB NeoBritannia and dumped that into my secondary.

After 24 hours of inactivity, I started to see a bubbly head of kraussen forming on top of the beer! I haven't taken any gravity readings yet, but it appears the yeast is eating something. I'm going to let it go until next weekend, then bottle it and hope for the best. Perhaps there's a chance this beer can be saved.

Fingers crossed!

 

[daytonlawvol]

Ive ordered my supplies for a yeast starter as well, should be in in 2 or 3 days.

My gravity right now is stuck at 1.032, whats yours at?

 

[BigB]

If you can, try to let it go so it has at least 3 weeks in the primary. It will give the yeast a chance at cleaning up after themselves.

Edit: Disregard, it appears you were just updating the results of your previous restart attempt. I hope you get a few more points out of it!

 

[daytonlawvol]

Im also going to gently stir the bottom of the carboy tonight, try and get the yeast back in suspension, then I'll try the yeast starter later this week. I'll keep this updated.

 

[slicksmix]

Ive ordered my supplies for a yeast starter as well, should be in in 2 or 3 days.

My gravity right now is stuck at 1.032, whats yours at?

My first batches Og was a little high. It stuck at1036. My second Og was spot on and its stuck at 1032.

If u find something that's works please let us know

 

[bstanf]

Im also going to gently stir the bottom of the carboy tonight, try and get the yeast back in suspension, then I'll try the yeast starter later this week. I'll keep this updated.

I also tried the swirling the carboy for about a week. I did it 3 or 4 times a day. I never got any more yeast activity.

My OG was stuck at 1.035. I haven't checked it since I added the yeast starter, but I am seeing activity, so I'm hoping it's going down. I probably won't have a chance to test a sample until this weekend to see by how much.

 

[slicksmix]

I also tried the swirling the carboy for about a week. I did it 3 or 4 times a day. I never got any more yeast activity.

My OG was stuck at 1.035. I haven't checked it since I added the yeast starter, but I am seeing activity, so I'm hoping it's going down. I probably won't have a chance to test a sample until this weekend to see by how much.

I do the same thing, just give the carboy a few good twists, in my mind i think it helps move things around, and lets the yeast do its job all the better. but i could be dead wrong. Just so you know, i did see activity in mine as well, all the way up to when i bottled it. There was always a very tiny ring of bubbles around the top of the brew when it was in the secondary. The gravity never changed

I really believe there is something wrong with the recipe. Theres just too many people having the same problem to be "operator error" do you guys agree too?

 

[daytonlawvol]

I do the same thing, just give the carboy a few good twists, in my mind i think it helps move things around, and lets the yeast do its job all the better. but i could be dead wrong. Just so you know, i did see activity in mine as well, all the way up to when i bottled it. There was always a very tiny ring of bubbles around the top of the brew when it was in the secondary. The gravity never changed

I really believe there is something wrong with the recipe. Theres just too many people having the same problem to be "operator error" do you guys agree too?

I emailed brewers best about this and I got a quick response. Guy said the yeast purposefully cuts off quickly in order to preserve some sweetness in this oateal stout, but that at 1.032, it cut off too quick. Recommended a yeast starter to get it going again, which I will be doing later this week...and said he would talk to people at the company to try and see why this is happening.

 

[bpac]

Sure enough, mine got stuck as well. I modded the recipe slightly by changing the yeast to an activator pack of wyeast 1098.

Same as everyone else, OG was good at 1.056, stuck SG at 1.030. I tasted it before i apparently oxidized the crap out of my beer trying to rouse the yeast (ugh, idiot), and it was super dry tasting. i wonder if that was the malodextrin.

 

[BigB]

Super dry at that FG would indicate to me that it is way over-carbed. If you bottled it when it was that high and primed it with the usual 5 ozs of sugar that often comes in those prepackaged kits, the yeast probably went a little bonkers and went on a feeding frenzy- creating too much carbonation.

Now if you aggressively stirred the wort to rouse the yeast, then yes you probably oxidized it.

 

[daytonlawvol]

Update: Pitched a White Labs Irish Ale Yeast Starter last night in my batch that was stuck at 1.032. Started fermenting within an hour, airlock activity peaked at about 9-10 blips per minute, with a nice Krausen formed on the top. Checked it this morning, airlock activity has slowed, still nice Krausen on top. It looks like I should have dropped my gravity, not sure yet. Will keep updated,

 

[bpac]

Update: Pitched a White Labs Irish Ale Yeast Starter last night in my batch that was stuck at 1.032. Started fermenting within an hour, airlock activity peaked at about 9-10 blips per minute, with a nice Krausen formed on the top. Checked it this morning, airlock activity has slowed, still nice Krausen on top. It looks like I should have dropped my gravity, not sure yet. Will keep updated,

any updates on this? been 5 days.

 

[bstanf]

After letting it go a bit longer in the secondary than I intended, I bottled my first batch tonight. It finished at 1.028, so still pretty high. The sample I tasted was a little thin, surprisingly, but the flavors were nice and it wasn't too sweet. I'm hoping after a few weeks to get carbonated, it'll be a nice beer.

 

[daytonlawvol]

I checked OG last night and it seemed to have dropped to about 1.028-1.029. I gave it a taste and it actually tasted quite good. I think im going to bottle tonight and just deal with it as is. Should turn out just fine.

 

[slicksmix]

It sucks that this happened, but at least we have drinkable beer.

Thanks for the update

Cheers

 

[bpac]

I bottled mine 2 days ago. The FG got down to 1.022, yielding about 4.3 abv. I'm definitely satisfied with that result, considering how it started.

 

[BigB]

If you guys used all of the malto then an FG of 1.028 is just barely high and a 1.022 would be excellent. Brewer's Best FG range is unrealistic. As I stated earlier, I believe they omitted the malto in their calculations because it is mostly unfermentable and most software programs ignore it as well. Brewer's Best is no multi-billion dollar brewery- they are kit builders and likely rely on simple recipe software like Beersmith. Therefore, if you added about 8 points to their 1.013-1.018 range you would get 1.021-1.026.

 

[krazyboi]

I will be brewing this same kit today, but will be adding a pound of lactose in addition to all the kit ingredients...planning to add cocoa and coffee after the primary to make this a mocha latte oatmeal stout...I hope all turns out well..

One question..the addition of malto will raise FG, but doesn't it also raise OG? Let's say OG was 1050 and FG is 1028...without adding malto, would the OG be 1042 and FG 1020? if that is true, isn't the FG high because there are still fermentable sugars not being fermented, rather than the malto adding onto the FG? I hope that makes sense, and I hope someone can chime in before I start the batch...

Thanks!

 

[slicksmix]

Update: a Guy from bb emailed me about the recipe. He states that the conversion temp was too high and extracts too many unfermentables from the grains. Lowering the temp to 150 should help

What do u guys think

 

[BigB]

Silcks: Of course lowering the temp would help. But that wouldn't account for 15 points because the vast majority of fermentables are being provided by the extract.

Krazy: Yes the malto does add to the OG as well as the FG. But no, as was extensively discussed throughout this thread, an OG of 1.042 would not be accurate. See post #20 for example.

 

[krazyboi]

The OG started out at 1066 at 24C...36 hours later it was at 1038 at 24C(1 bubble per second)...24 hour hours after that, it was at 1037 at 24C(1 bubble per 5 seconds)...I really hope it's not stalling...I know it's only been a few days so I guess I'll wait it out and hope for the best... =) Oh yea, the yeast I used was a WYeast London Ale III smack pack(no starter)...