Oatmeal Stout First Go Question

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

kramberry20

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
simpsonville
I am on my 4th all grain batch and I have decided to try an Oatmeal Stout. My recipe is as follows:
9# 2 row
8 oz Oats
12 oz Chocolate Malt
12 oz roasted barley
1 oz fuggle hops
and irish ale wyeast

My question is when I am fermenting what temperature should this batch be at for the primary and secondary fermentation. Any suggestions will help as I am still new to all grain brewing and only a year into brewing in general.

Thanks
 
What type of mash tun are you using?

I ask because you will probably want to use rice hulls with oats. They are literally the gummiest thing I have ever put in beer.

Personally I would increase the oats to at least 1#, I generally use 1.5# per 5 gal batch to really get that creamy smoothness. Also make sure that they are instant or flaked oats.

What mash temp were you thinking? I mash at 154 for 60 on mine, which is a bit on the dry side, and yours will be even more dry than mine with 0 caramel malts in there.
 
I second increasing the oats to at least a pound.
For fermentation temps, a steady temp somewhere in the mid sixties would probably be best.
 
Use a blow-off tube. My first Oatmeal Stout ended up clogging my airlock and then blowing the lid off my Ale Pale and sending beer 4 feet up the kitchen wall.
 
Bump the oats (I'd go at least a pound). I think my sweet spot is at about 14% of the grist. Rice hulls probably isnt necessary, oats are gummy but I've gone as high as 20% without stuck sparges (in a cooler with a false bottom).
 
Looks good but I agree with the others on adding about 1-1.5 pounds of oats. I had a stuck sparge once on an oatmeal stout with 1 pound of oats. Done about 4 others since then with out a problem. The rice hills wouldn't hurt to add but probably not entirely necessary. Also agree with mid to high 60's for fermentation temp.
 
I've only had 2 stuck sparges and both were Oatmeal Stouts so I would add the rice hulls just as a precaution...it'll save you from a lot of headaches.
 
More oats. And consider lightly toasting them to get even more oat flavor. I'd ferment below 70F, 68F if you can. Irish ale yeast is a low attenuator so you should get some residual sugars left after fermentation, but I'd probably add a little crystal/caramel malt.
 
Thanks to all, long week of work so just getting around to reading replies. I see the consensus is to add more oats so I think I will bump it up to about 1.5# and see what that gives me. Also I am planning on about 2 wk primary and 2 wk secondary in carboy. Do I even need to worry about putting in carboy or should I just leave in primary for a bit longer? Thanks again
 
Back
Top