Oats

[nsean]

Sorry, I have been searching to try and find the answer to this question, but I would like to do a stout that includes 6oz of rolled oats, but I am only doing an extract + speciality grains.

I know that oats do not have the enzymes to convert, but I plan on steeping with about 12oz of chocolate malt. Would this malt provide the enzymes for the oats? Also I have heard of roasting oats, but I have also heard that you should freeze them for awhile to allow them to mellow. What would anyone suggest?

Thanks;
Sean

 

[jfr1111]

You can't just steep oats with chocolate malt, you need a base malt so it can convert the starches in the oats. The oats cannot do it on its own. You could very well do a mini mash with a few pounds of 2-row if you are dead set on having oats.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I could be wrong, but I think the oats in an extract kit are for the highers that give mouthfeel as opposed to di and monosaccharides for fermentables. Sevral commercial extract kits come with oats, and only require the same 15 minute steep that the rest of the specialty grains take.

Example:
NB's breakfast stout
http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/breakfast-stout-extract-kit-1.html

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

You wont have to worry about conversion in the oats if you are using extract and steeping grains. Virtually all your sugars are going to come from the extract (which serves as the base malt) and the steeping grains are for additional flavor complexity, color, and aroma.

Roasting oats gives your beer an oatmeal cookie character which I prefer over plain oats in a stout, but it depends on what you are shooting for. You may want to brew the same recipe different ways.

 

[nsean]

Thanks for the replies! So the conversion is only important for adding to the sugar content. Steeping the oats will still give the character and mouthfeel.

Another question, what is the difference between steeping at 150f and a mini mash?

 

[devilishprune]

In a mini-mash, you are "steeping" grains that are able to contribute fermentable sugars. Pragmatically, steeping and mashing are pretty similar, the difference basically comes in what ingredients you're using.