Need sugestions on improving my Oatmeal Stout

[BigDaddyBrewing]

My Oatmeal Stout fell short of expectations. There isn't enough mouth feel or body.

The bill is as follows:

7 lbs Pale Malt (US 2 Row)
2 Lbs Flaked Oats
1 lb Crystal-60L
3/4 lb Chocolate Malt
3/4 lb Roasted Barley
1.5 oz E K Goldings (60 min)
.5 oz E K Goldings (45 min)
1 tsp Gypsum
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 Pkg English Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP002)
1 1/4 cup DME for conditioning

Single infusion mash with a regular flash sparge.
152F mash temp and a 168F Temp sparge out.

Had an issue with regulating how much mash water went in to control temp and ended up running out of water before I sparged. Added water to the bill and ended up with 9 gallons of wort. Boiled it down to 5 gallons within a 90min boil time.

4 Days in primary, 7 in secondary, and 3 weeks in bottle.

WHERE DID I GO WRONG?!!!!!

 

[tesilential]

I would've left it in primary for 2 weeks and added a couple pounds more of your base malt.

 

[Malticulous]

More crystal, dextrin malt, a higher mash temp or adding malto dextrin will give a higher FG for thicker mouthfeel.

I wish I had used more crystal in the oatmeal stout I have on tap now. I'd like it sweeter. I might boil up some lactose to add to the keg.

 

[RM-MN]

The 3 weeks in the bottle is likely the problem. It's a stout. It's dark. It needs time to mature.

Try this again in a month and tell us how it tastes. Try it in 2 months and notice the difference.

 

[Malticulous]

Mine is better now that I added a few oz of lactose and malto dextrin. It was good before but it was missing just a little in the middle. The lactose was all it needed. It was brewed 15 days ago. Two months from now it would be drab and lifeless. Most beer is best fresh.

 

[dale1038]

I've had some trouble getting creamy mouthfeel in some of my dark beers. It's tough to nail down.

Mashing at 152 is a little low for an oatmeal stout from what I know. What were your original and final gravities?

I'm using Denny's 50 in the Oatmeal Stout I'm making next weekend. It's the pimp of mouthfeel yeasts! I'm hoping it does the trick.

 

[Yooper]

I agree.

mashing at 152 is a little low for an oatmeal stout. What were your original and final gravities?

Here's my recipe, very similar to yours:

7 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 63.64 %
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6.82 %
10.0 oz Chocolate malt (pale) (200.0 SRM) Grain 5.68 %
8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
8.0 oz Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 1.14 %
2.00 oz Williamette [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 31.6 IBU

1 Pkgs British Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1335)

Mashed at 156.


Mine is really great. I wonder if using more oats made the beer oilier or slicker, and mashing too low made it too thin?

 

[Malticulous]

Two of the beers I entered into the recent HBT comp were months too old. The American stout the judges wrote was a excellent CDA, the robust porter was a great example of an American brown Ale. These beers both had lost their edge. All but a few had been consumed, but after drinking the remainders I have to agree.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

mashing at 152 is a little low for an oatmeal stout

+1

 

[shivalotus]

The one I just made I threw in some special B. It had a very nice effect.

 

[bja]

The American stout the judges wrote was a excellent CDA, the robust porter was a great example of an American brown Ale.

Sounds to me more like recipe issues rather than age.

 

[Malticulous]

Sounds to me more like recipe issues rather than age.

No. Shelf stability is a major issue for commercial brewers too.

They would have been consumed but I saved a six pack for the comp. They were brewed months before I knew I'd even enter them. Then they sat in the fridge for months waiting for the comp. 5% beers should be drank in less than five months. I know they were past their prime. I wanted feedback on them. Both were made with Munich malt for base. I really wish I could have sent fresh samples.
http://hopville.com/recipe/441495/robust-porter-recipes/munich-porter
http://hopville.com/recipe/304403/american-stout-recipes/munich-stout

 

[bja]

No. Shelf stability is a major issue for commercial brewers too.

Well, you can blame it on anything you want, but I have an oatmeal stout that keeps getting better and better the more it ages.

 

[Malticulous]

I'll just blame it on the real problem. Beer is best fresh, the only ones that get better are the very strong ones that need mellowed out or one with fermantation mistakes.

Well, you can blame it on anything you want, but I have an oatmeal stout that keeps getting better and better the more it ages.

Could be water problems. Dark malts can get harsh.

 

[Carter1932]

Added water to the bill and ended up with 9 gallons of wort. Boiled it down to 5 gallons within a 90min boil time. !!

Man, that is some serious evaporation. I typically lose 1 gallon an hour. The only way I can see losing 4 gallons in 90 min. would be to brew in Death Valley.

 

[Mysticmead]

next time mash higher..156 is where I mash when I want more body. Also did you toast any of the flaked oats? if not, try toasting half of the oats at 350 for 20-30 minutes (I turn mine over half way through). If you toast, make sure you keep an eye on them so they only get golden brown and not burnt. it adds a nice toasty nutty flavor to the stout.

 

[BigDaddyBrewing]

I've had some trouble getting creamy mouthfeel in some of my dark beers. It's tough to nail down.

Mashing at 152 is a little low for an oatmeal stout from what I know. What were your original and final gravities?

I'm using Denny's 50 in the Oatmeal Stout I'm making next weekend. It's the pimp of mouthfeel yeasts! I'm hoping it does the trick.

OG was 1.056 and FG was 1.020

 

[BigDaddyBrewing]

Of course all my friends loved it anyway and drank all of it this last weekend. So much for waiting 2 months. If I get it where I want it, I'll make 10 gallons.

 

[BigDaddyBrewing]

Man, that is some serious evaporation. I typically lose 1 gallon an hour. The only way I can see losing 4 gallons in 90 min. would be to brew in Death Valley.

I use a jet engine to heat my brew pot.