Oatmeal Stout Extract Kit - Wen to add oats?

[BuffettPack]

I purchased an Oatmeal Stout extract kit from my local homebrew store today. I didn't get a chance to inspect the directions/ingredients before they closed, so can't call for help on this one.

The kit came with 5 lb of DME which the instructions state to let dissolve in 2 gallons of cold water. Then heat to medium high and add bag of specialty malt (Black Patent Malt, Chocolate Malt, Flaked Barley, & Roasted Barley). All these ingredients are mixed together in a sealed bag with a muslin bag.

On top of that there is 1 lb of Steel Cut Oats. This is separate from the other ingredients and the muslin bag.

The directions say muslin bags (plural). I'm assuming that I add the 1 lb of Steel Cut Oats to one bag and the remaining specialty malt ingredients listed above to the 2nd muslin bag and steep until it reaches a boil (as indicated in the directions). Just want to make sure that I'm not supposed to boil the steel oats directly in the mash without a muslin bag so that they stay in there during fermentation.

 

[PT Ray]

There's flaked barley and oats? That's kind of odd as all the oatmeal recipes I've seen and brewed only use flaked oats. And if they are just being steeped, you don't want to over do it because they really need to be mashed. Yes steep the oats with the other grains to answer your question. I assume maybe it was too much grain for one bag.

 

[Bob]

There's no good way to address this other than the truth: Adding oats of any type to this beer will yield nothing you normally get from oats in Oatmeal Stout.

Oats must be mashed to have any effect other than making a pile of glop. Even worse, steel-cut oats can't just be steeped; they need to be boiled for about an hour to release the stuff that a mash could extract. They get added to the mash after boiling. Steeping them for any amount of time is less than useless!

It's not like other specialty grains, where you might get a percentage (however tiny) of the goodness from them in a steep, even though they need to be mashed. You just don't get anything from oats, flaked, steel-cut or otherwise.

Honestly, I don't get why homebrew shops do crap like this. Whoever put this kit together hasn't a clue. You were misinformed, BuffettPack. Take the kit back, or brew the thing without the oats. If the flaked barley weren't mixed in, I'd tell you to remove that too, because it also requires mashing, like all flaked grains.

Cordially,

Bob

 

[BuffettPack]

Appreciate the replies. The limited information I found online led me to some of the same conclusions. I'll probably try it out to see what I get knowing it won't be a true Oatmeal Stout.

Would it help any to boil the steel cut oats separately and then add them to a muslin bag after they have boiled?

 

[Bob]

Sadly, no.

Bob

 

[BuffettPack]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

Could I do something like this using a muslin bag vs. the larger bag in order to do a mini mash?

(This is my last attempt. :fro: )

 

[Yooper]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

Could I do something like this using a muslin bag vs. the larger bag in order to do a mini mash?

(This is my last attempt. :fro: )

Yes! But you need to go buy some crushed base malt (two-row is fine) to convert the oats and flaked grains.

You'll have to cook the oats first, like making oatmeal, and then add it to the mash. Then keep the grain/water mixture at 150-158 degrees for an hour as in the directions.

1.5 pounds of two-row (make sure it's crushed!) should do the trick added to the grain bag(s).

 

[Bob]

Very true! Yoop (as always) has the right of it.

Mix well the boiled oats and crushed pale malt, too; you want to make sure they're well mixed together.

Bob

 

[BuffettPack]

What effect does adding crushed pale malt to the boiled oats do to make this work? Is there some type of chemical reaction between the oats and the crushed pale malt?

 

[cullen]

Pale malt contains enzymes which convert starches into sugars. Mashing is the process of combining grains with water at a temperature known to speed up the enzymatic reaction. Oats don't contain very much of these enzymes; barley contains enough to be able to convert not only its own starch but starch from additional grains.

If you don't mash (or do a prolonged steeping, which does more or less the same thing), you'll get some flavor out of the oats but no sugars.

 

[BuffettPack]

Thanks!

 

[Bob]

Oats don't contain very much of these enzymes; barley contains enough to be able to convert not only its own starch but starch from additional grains.

To clarify: Oats contain none of these enzymes, unless malted. (Yes, there is such a thing as malted oats. )

If you don't mash (or do a prolonged steeping, which does more or less the same thing), you'll get some flavor out of the oats but no sugars.

"Some" in this case = damn near none. What you will get is a massive amount of haze and foam-killing oils.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[BuffettPack]

Looks like I'll have to do most of my future ordering online. I'm new to the hobby and even asked the guys working at the local homebrew store if there was anything unique/special about brewing an Oatmeal Stout. Was told all their brews are easy to do and it would be the same process as the last German Alt I did (just different ingredients).

I looked at the Oatmeal Stout on Northern Brewer and the steps were much different. Sounds like the steps should've been much different for this kit as well.

 

[cullen]

Bob - thanks for the corrections.