oats in a chocolate milk stout?

[antony]

hey gang,

I'm brewing this tomorrow:

Double Chocolate Milk Stout
9lb Marris Otter
12oz Chocolate Malt
4oz Crystal 40L Malt
2oz Black Roasted Barley
2oz Black Patent Malt
1oz Galena (60')
8oz MaltoDextrin (60')
16oz Lactose (60')
2oz Belgian Cocoa
WL London Ale (1.6L starter)

I was going to BIAB and mash for 90 minutes at 152ishF, boil for 90min.

I thought about adding oats to the mash, maybe 8oz or so. Would that increase mouthfeel? I'm really looking for semi-sweet creamy. I've never used oats previously, is it just pulling them out of the pantry and including them with the grain? No quick oats here, just regular...anything special I have to do?

Other than that, comments on the recipe or method are appreciated.

 

[Yooper]

hey gang,

I'm brewing this tomorrow:

Double Chocolate Milk Stout
9lb Marris Otter
12oz Chocolate Malt
4oz Crystal 40L Malt
2oz Black Roasted Barley
2oz Black Patent Malt
1oz Galena (60')
8oz MaltoDextrin (60')
16oz Lactose (60')
2oz Belgian Cocoa
WL London Ale (1.6L starter)

I was going to BIAB and mash for 90 minutes at 152ishF, boil for 90min.

I thought about adding oats to the mash, maybe 8oz or so. Would that increase mouthfeel? I'm really looking for semi-sweet creamy. I've never used oats previously, is it just pulling them out of the pantry and including them with the grain? No quick oats here, just regular...anything special I have to do?

Other than that, comments on the recipe or method are appreciated.

Oats provide a "slickness" or oiliness to the beer, but you'd need more than 8 ounces to notice. That slickness usually translates to a creamy mouthfeel.

You can use regular oats, but cook them first and then put them in the mash.

 

[antony]

Okay, 16oz? How do I cook them? I only bake with oats (granola).

 

[Yooper]

Okay, 16oz? How do I cook them? I only bake with oats (granola).

There should be directions on the box.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

If you use Quick Oats (the 5 min type) you don't have to cook them first. Also, it looks like you have alot of malto and lactose. What are you figuring for your FG?

 

[BigPerm]

If you use Quick Oats (the 5 min type) you don't have to cook them first. Also, it looks like you have alot of malto and lactose. What are you figuring for your FG?

Thats exactly what i was thinking. With that amount of lactose and maltodextrin, you may not need the oats at all, although they may add some softness and depth. But especially with so many unfermentables (As yooper said), bump the quantity if using (and/or lose the maltodextrin).

 

[Swiller]

If you use Quick Oats (the 5 min type) you don't have to cook them first. Also, it looks like you have alot of malto and lactose. What are you figuring for your FG?

I use a lb of lactose in my milk stout finishes around 18, and it's one of the best things I brew... But I don't, nor would I ever, use maltodextrin.

 

[antony]

the maltodextrin was called for in the recipe, fg-1.012. I added the lactose to make it a milk stout (from a double choc stout) & expect it'll finish somewhere around 1.020. I can skip the oats. I've never used maltodextrin before, why the aversion to it?

 

[bayoujeeper]

I do a chocolate milk stout similar to this and I toss in 12 oz of flaked oats, but I also mash around 154-156. I also use a pound of lactose. It has a great silky/creamy mouthfeel. FWIW

 

[Swiller]

the maltodextrin was called for in the recipe, fg-1.012. I added the lactose to make it a milk stout (from a double choc stout) & expect it'll finish somewhere around 1.020. I can skip the oats. I've never used maltodextrin before, why the aversion to it?

Because it's a highly processed fake sweetener used as filler for the major food brands. Not really something I want to have in my beer.

 

[Yooper]

Because it's a highly processed fake sweetener used as filler for the major food brands. Not really something I want to have in my beer.

It's not a sweetener, it's a "thickener".

It's ok if you want to use it, but with a pound of crystal malt already in there you don't need it. With the lactose in there, it'll already be dessert-like and the MD might make it be really thick.

Instead, I'd add some flaked barley for body and head retention if you feel you need it. I use flaked barley in all my stouts.

 

[Pelican521]

I just brewed a chocolate oatmeal stout and used a half pound of lactose. To me it's almost too much, and gives it a fake sweet taste. It's only been bottled for 2 weeks so things may change a bit. I'm hoping when it fully carbs, the carbonic bite off-sets the sweetness a bit. I also wish I used a full ounce of Northern Brewer instead of just a half, which would have off-set the sweetness.

Good luck!

 

[antony]

brewed this to recipe (including 8oz maltodextrin) & added 1lb lactose as planned. I skipped the oats, figure I'll try that next time. My second biab, mashed @ 150F for 60min, 148/7ish for 30min. Mash out @ 170, let rest. OG was 1.078 (1.056 target w/o lactose). Here's to hoping it drops to 1.024 (target 1.012). I'd like to keg it by the end of October, wish me luck.