Looking for a girlie oatmeal brew....

[jajabee]

I like the idea of oatmeal beers, but all the commercial one's I've tried (and I've tried many, my husband likes oatmeal stouts and such) have been way too chocolately/coffee-y/malty/hoppy for my tastes. I particularly don't like the "chocolately" flavor in beer, and it's almost always paired with oatmeal.

Are there any "different" oatmeal beers out there? Maybe red ales, or wheat beers? My favorites have always been sweeter, spicier beers... most Belgians, hefe's and other wheats, Dogfish's Punkin, Harpoon's Winter Warmer.

 

[SnickASaurusRex]

As for the wheats, the wheat itself does nearly the same job that oatmeal does. It is an adjunct used to add head retention and a smooth creaminess to the beer. It is used in small amounts. I think it might go well in a cream ale, maybe a blond, or something like a kolsh. The light hybrid ales. It might also go well in a malty amber, or copper. The problem with Belgians is that they should usually finish dry and oatmeal does add some unfermentables to the wort. It might go well in a strange oatmeal Pils. Or maybe a Scotch Ale could be bumped up by some oatmeal.

It would be a great experiment.

 

[jajabee]

The cream ale might be perfect. I just found this recipe, looks like it might still be a bit chocolatey for my tastes, maybe I could replace the half pound chocolate malts with half a pound of Caramel 60? And I'd have to learn when to add (and where to buy) the lactose and brewer's licorice. Hmm... could be good.

Ingredients:

10 pounds, pale ale malt
1 pound, roasted barley (500L)
1/2 pound, flaked barley (1.5L)
1/2 pound, crystal malt (60L)
1/2 pound, chocolate malt (400L)
1--1/3 pound, steel cut oats (from health food store)
1/2 pound, lactose
9 AAU, Bullion pellets (9% alpha), boil 60 minutes
1/2 ounce, Fuggles pellets (3.4% alpha), boil 15 minutes
1/2 ounce, Fuggles pellets, steep
2/3 stick, brewers licorice (boil)
Wyeast Irish ale #1084
Procedure:

Mash with 5 gallons 18 oz (48 oz/#) at 155-150F for 90 minutes. Sparge with 3 gallons water at 165F, collecting 6.5 gallons for boil. Boil 75 minutes, then force chill. Save 2 quarts boiled wort for priming, ferment the rest.
Specifics:

O.G.: 1.062
F.G.: 1.021

I do want to make sure I use oats, some friends of ours are getting their first pair of goats this weekend (yay urban farming), and I'm envisioning a "Two Goat Oat" ale. Just want to make sure it's something I'm going to enjoy drinking!

 

[SnickASaurusRex]

This is a stout recipe. That pound of roasted barley will send the roasty chocolates way over board. Even with out the chocolate malt.

Unless you want to do a complicated adjunct mash don't use the steal cut oats. use flaked, or super quick instant oats. The best is to track down some oat malt.

That lactose will also be a concern if I was making this. maybe just 1/3 pound. It gets sweet very fast.

 

[SnickASaurusRex]

I just thought of this. To go with the goat theme do a bock, but use a 1 - 1.5 pounds of flaked or malted oats, then use a kolsh yeast, or even a clean yeast like chico.

 

[Wayne1]

jajabee,

You might want to look through this thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/blue-moon-clone-65328/

I discuss the details of the recipe for Blue Moon Belgian White. It uses 10% flaked oats. This is a more of a good summer, thirst quenching beverage, than an oatmeal stout.

Lautering can be a pain, but I think you might like this.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[cuinrearview]

+1 to Wayne, I used 1lb. flaked oats in my wit.