Oatmeal Stout... your thoughts

[ray_from_wray]

This is my first post here at HBT and I hope I'm posting this thread in the correct place, if not please let me know. I have been reading info from you more knowledgeable folk for some time, and am wanting your opinions.
So after doing several extract recipes from a kit, I decided to try my hand at partial mash to get a feel for the flow of all-grain. The first attempt went well except that I over shot my water volume on my 2nd sparge (batch). Long story, but suffice it to say I've got that issue worked out, and it wont happen again. My wife has been asking me for an oatmeal stout so I decided to try my hand at building my own recipe with a little input from some others I had seen here and in various other places.
I generally brew about 7-8 gallons batches (that's 7-8 into fermenter).
here is my recipe....

5 lbs Dark LME
5 lbs Pale malt (2 row)
12 oz Victory Malt
8 oz Crystal 40L
1 lb Chocolate Malt
8 oz Cara-Pils
8 oz Crystal 120L
8 oz Carafa III
8 oz Flaked Oats (roasted)
8 oz Flaked Barley

1 oz Nugget (60 min)
.5 oz Cascade (10 min)

Fermented with British Ale WLP-005

What do you all think? Too over the top? Should I simplify it? Is it missing something crucial to the style? My wife is not a big fan of the hops, more of a malty girl. Do you think this would be a good one for her? Appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

 

[nicklepickles]

Looks good, id replace the dark extract with the lightest you can get, or else you are just doubling up in crystal malts

 

[Jayslay]

The recipe is looking pretty good. I would say though, for an oatmeal stout, you might as well double your oats. 1/2 lb to 2lb is a common range, but Ive done a lb in my last oatmeal stout and it wasnt overdoing it at all.

I would cut the dark DME for light DME, and possibly through in some roasted barley, buts thats just my opinion.

 

[MindenMan]

I too suggest you at least double the oatmeal. For 7 gallons I would use 1-1/2 pounds.

 

[ray_from_wray]

Awesome! Thanks folks.

 

[JLem]

Another vote for ditching the dark extract. One of the benefits of doing a partial mash (or all grain) is that you get to be in control of your ingredients. You have no idea what went into that dark extract, so replace it with the lightest extract you can and build your color and flavor from the grain.

Also, my first gut reaction is that 1lb of chocolate malt is too much...especially since you also have the crystal and carafa malt in there. Perhaps a pound is ok given this is a 7 gallon batch, but I'd hesitate to use that much. EDIT: after some additional thought, I think this is OK

And you don't need the cara-pils. You have enough grain, and flaked barley, that you should't need to worry about body or head retention.

 

[ddrrseio]

i'm not an experienced extract/partial mash brewer but the advice about swapping the dark extract for pale malt makes sense to me.

i'd ditch the carapils and replace it with oats. the idea behind an OS is to get that silky body from the oats. with that and so many specialty malts you won't need the body/head boost from carapils either.

i also personally prefer mine to lean more toward roasted barley than chocolate malt, but that is just a personal preference. the amount of roast you have looks in the high end of the range but solid. fwiw, i have no experience with carafa III outside of using a splash of the dehusked stuff for color here and there. i'd love to hear your thoughts and those of anyone else on what it contributes flavor-wise.

 

[ray_from_wray]

@ ddrrseio... the only reason i was looking at the carafa III is to push the color a little more to the dark side. The kind I was looking at was indeed the "dehusked" so i wouldnt get the bitterness, just the color. Also, I will ditch the carapils, and I have already boosted the Oats to 1.5 lbs. What difference would I expect to notice when pushing the roasted barley as opposed to the chocolate malt?

Thanks again

 

[ddrrseio]

cool, i haven't messed around with substantial amounts of either the regular or the DH versions, so i'm still very interested in your results.

for the difference between chocolate malt and roasted barley, think a robust porter versus a typical stout. you get more coffee and roast than rich chocolate tones. it's not going to be ashy, like black malt, either.

 

[ray_from_wray]

so after taking into account everyones thoughts, much appreciated btw, here is an updated grain bill:

1.5 lbs oats
5lbs pale malt
.5 lbs crystal 40
.25 lbs chocolate malt
.5 lbs crystal 120
.75 lbs victory malt
1.25 lbs roasted barley
.5 lbs carafa III
.5 lbs flaked barley
5lbs light DME

Look good to y'all??

 

[ddrrseio]

haven't calculated the OG (i assume you have!) but the overall ratios look good. let us know what comes of this!