Oatmeal...

[rsmillie76]

Going to do a partial mash oatmeal stout. What type of oatmeal should I use...? Is flaked the same as "regular" oatmeal? Should I cook it first to ensure I get all those enzymes working? First partial mash batch...also first time using oatmeal. I'll take any and all advice.

Thanks

 

[slarkin712]

I use the quick oats, cause you can just throw them in your mash with your other grains. No cereal mash required. I also like to toast them a bit to get a little more oatmeal flavor into the beer.

 

[tre9er]

I buy thick oats from the grocery store in their bulk area. They're $0.88/lb. Don't use too many of them. Also they get quite sticky and absorb a lot of water.

 

[GarageBeerGarden]

Quick oats is a good happy medium. With most things, the less processed something is, the more flavor it has. You can use steel cut raw oats, but they require a cereal mash and probably some low temp mash steps for better conversion and clarity. Depending on your setup, this is either no problem, or a bit more of a pain. Flaked oat is wicked easy to use, but doesn't quite give you as much oaty flavor or the same texture. I go with quick oats.