Oatmeal stout?

[claphamsa]

I wanna make an oatmeal stout... I got the stout extract and some extra DME, how should I get the oatmeal in? Would I put it in the wort? the Fermenter? boil it before hand, ditch the grain then add the extract? how much oatmeal to use?

Thanks

 

[david_42]

Get a half pound of quick/rolled oats and a half pound of 2-row. Micro-mash them at 152F in two quarts of water for an hour. Mix in a gallon of hot water, drain to your kettle.

 

[claphamsa]

how do you micro mash without a mash tun?

 

[chemist308]

I actually used a muslin socks/bags and steeped about a pound of quick oats just like they were specialty grains (8 oz per muslin sock). After 3 weeks of fermentation and about 5 in the bottles, the beer tasted pretty good.

 

[claphamsa]

I can do that! thanks

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I'd go with David_42's suggestion, and you'll actually recover some fermentables from your oats. Any vessel can be your mash tun...what makes it mashing as opposed to just steeping is the specific temperature, and the diastatic enzymes provided by the 2-row.

You could use a grain sack, or you could just pour the whole mash through a mesh strainer.

 

[claphamsa]

I can maintain the temp while steeping, will that be good enough? I actually went to the LHBS to get the stuff to make my cooler in to a tun... but they were out, so I ordered the stuff today

 

[HP_Lovecraft]

I can maintain the temp while steeping, will that be good enough?

Micromashing is identical to steeping, except instead of 170-degrees for 30 minutes, you do 150-degrees for 60 minutes. You do not need any extra equipment.

Why the difference?

In malt, there is an enzyme called Amylase that breaks down the malt starches into malt sugar. At 170-degrees, that enzyme denatures, and no longer breaks down the starches. He suggested adding 2-row grains to the oatmeal because the oatmeal does not have the conversion enzyme that the malt does.

I've done oatmeal stouts both ways- Just steeping, and with a micromash. Both were great, though the micromash version had the correct texture. The steeped version was a little chewy.

nick

 

[homebrewer_99]

Just curious, do you get your water temp to 152 then turn off the heat or do you keep the flame under the pot the entire time and keep lowering it to maintain 152?

 

[claphamsa]

I plan on heating it to 152 then chucking it in to my cooler!

 

[chemist308]

Okay, so next time I do an oatmeal stout I need to mash my oats? How will the flavor change, because it wasn't far off the stuff my LHBS had kegged and gave free samples of? My oats were instant, or quick, if it makes a difference...

Maybe the reason I got away with it is because I was kind of agressive in dunking them while I steeped them, and actually ended up smashing the oats against the side of the side of the wort pot when trying to fish them out.

 

[GregKelley]

If the recipe calls for steeping of specialty grains like black patent, roasted barley or crystal malt, can those just be mashed instead with the oats and 2 row? Would I still need the 2 row or would the specialty grains have the enzymes needed?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Yes, you can mash them together. No, you'll still need the 2 row.

 

[mrk305]

I used to heat my water to 152, add grains, and then put the pot in a preheated oven for an hour. I also used the two pot bag sparge without a colander.

 

[claphamsa]

ill post a pic in about a day, but man did that make a mess! i am now 2 for 2 on explosions using coopers stout yeast...... at least last time i was home

pray for no infection!

 

[claphamsa]

FYI This turned out GREAT!!!!

Even worth the mess!

 

[maltyone]

so how did you go? micro mash or just steep?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

FYI This turned out GREAT!!!!

Even worth the mess!

Cool, glad to hear it! Set some aside though, you'll be amazed by how much an oatmeal stout will smooth out after several months. I've got one I brewed about nine months ago...like silk!

 

[claphamsa]

so how did you go? micro mash or just steep?

micro mash, I used my half finihsed mash tun..... and a hop bag. and ran it at 158...

 

[claphamsa]

Cool, glad to hear it! Set some aside though, you'll be amazed by how much an oatmeal stout will smooth out after several months. I've got one I brewed about nine months ago...like silk!

negative good sir! Just ordered stuff for the next one! sunday is opening day, monday is Brewing day!!!!!!

(and recovering from hypothermia day)