Quaker Oats Info required - process

[Incoerenza86]

Hi Guys,

I would like to enhance a bit a coopers kit and i read around that Quaker Oats the simple commercial ones in grocery stores, are a good help for head retention and body.

How do i use them? Do i need to follow the rules for a mini mash or can i just steep them in a muslin bag in water for a specific amount of time? I am not using any other grain, just quaker oats.

My idea would be this: Hold water at 154 degrees put the quaker oats (1lbs) there for a full hour to mash in a bag, sparge, then bring to boil again and add spraymalt (2.2lbs) once dissolved some cascade (20`) and last 5` Saaz for flavoring.

Would this process work?

Many thanks guys!

 

[hercher]

That should work fine. Just remember to buy the old fashioned kind, not the quick oats that are ready to eat in 2 minutes. I think simply steeping would be the way to go -- you won't be able to sparge them effectively.

 

[Incoerenza86]

That should work fine. Just remember to buy the old fashioned kind, not the quick oats that are ready to eat in 2 minutes. I think simply steeping would be the way to go -- you won't be able to sparge them effectively.

Thanks. I believe the old fashioned takes 5-10` and the quicker ones about 2` right?

 

[Pappers_]

That should work fine. Just remember to buy the old fashioned kind, not the quick oats that are ready to eat in 2 minutes. I think simply steeping would be the way to go -- you won't be able to sparge them effectively.

Quick Oats work fine, but not Instant Oats. Quick Oats can just be added to the mash or steeped. Regular Oats need to be cooked before either adding to the mash or steeping.

 

[Incoerenza86]

Quick Oats work fine, but not Instant Oats. Quick Oats can just be added to the mash or steeped. Regular Oats need to be cooked before either adding to the mash or steeping.

Thanks. But would do the job even if i don`t have a basic malt? Or do i have to put a bit of my coopers kit malt extract in the water and THEN steep/mash the quaker oats?

 

[IslandLizard]

Here's what John Palmer has to say: How to Brew:

Oatmeal. Oats are wonderful in a porter or stout. Oatmeal lends a smooth, silky mouthfeel and a creaminess to a stout that must be tasted to be understood. Oats are available whole, steel-cut (i.e. grits), rolled, and flaked. Rolled and flaked oats have had their starches gelatinized (made soluble) by heat and pressure, and are most readily available as "Instant Oatmeal" in the grocery store. Whole oats and "Old Fashioned Rolled Oats" have not had the degree of gelatinization that Instant have had and must be cooked before adding to the mash. "Quick" oatmeal has had a degree of gelatinization but does benefit from being cooked before adding to the mash. Cook according to the directions on the box (but add more water) to ensure that the starches will be fully utilized. Use 0.5-1.5 lb. per 5 gal batch. Oats need to be mashed with barley malt (and its enzymes) for conversion.​

Just steeping them only adds starch and protein to your wort. Oat flakes have no diastatic power to convert themselves.

Mash 1 lb of oats with 1.5 lb of 2-row malt,* or any other malt of your choice, depending on your beer style or other malt characteristics you want to bring to your beer. Try to keep the average Diastatic Power (DP) of all the grains that need to be converted in your mash above 70 for complete conversion. If you're close to 70 or a bit under, extending the mash time will get you there too. Mash at 150°F for an hour. Batch sparge once or twice with 170°F water.

* This would be considered a partial mash.


Grain Type Diastatic Power in Degrees Lintner
2-Row Pale Malt 110
6-Row Pale Malt 150
Highly modified Pilsner Malt 125
Malted Wheat 120
Vienna Malt 100
Munich Malt 70
Crystal Malt 0
Unmalted Wheat 0
Chocolate malt, roast barley 0
Unmalted Adjunct grains (rice, corn) 0

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks. But would do the job even if i don`t have a basic malt? Or do i have to put a bit of my coopers kit malt extract in the water and THEN steep/mash the quaker oats?

No, you need some base malt. Malt extract is boiled wort that was condensed down, like a can of soup. It has no enzymes left to convert any starches.

 

[Incoerenza86]

Can i use crystal or carahell as basic? Thanks guys

 

[freisste]

Anything with crystal/cara/caramel in the name has been processed in such a way as to denature any enzymes that were once there. As such, no, you cannot use them as base malt.

 

[Setesh]

What makes the instant oats unsuitable?

 

[IslandLizard]

What makes the instant oats unsuitable?

Not sure if they would be unsuitable. Always look on the ingredients list. If it's just flaked oats, it should be OK. According to Palmer those are likely pre-cooked and fully gelatinized already and can go into the mash as is. They tend to be small and thin flakes.

Now the microwave "heat and ready to eat" variety may be different. Could contain sugars, milk powder, flavors, etc.

For anyone lautering from a mash tun, and using oatmeal, rye, wheat flakes, etc., add some rice hulls to your mash to prevent it getting stuck. Those are gooey adjuncts that turns your mash into a pot of thick glue.
If you just mash in a pot in the oven, and dump the mash into a strainer or colander, you're going to be fine without rice hulls.

 

[Pappers_]

Mashing the Quick Oats with base malt is only necessary if you are trying to get fermentable sugars, I think. Steeping them would extract flavor, proteins, and help with a fuller, creamier mouthfeel.

 

[Incoerenza86]

Mashing the Quick Oats with base malt is only necessary if you are trying to get fermentable sugars, I think. Steeping them would extract flavor, proteins, and help with a fuller, creamier mouthfeel.

To be honest i am only looking to keep a better head retention. what would be the right process to follow?

 

[Pappers_]

To be honest i am only looking to keep a better head retention. what would be the right process to follow?

Either mashing or steeping should help with head retention, I think.

 

[Setesh]

To be honest i am only looking to keep a better head retention. what would be the right process to follow?

Carafoam is another solution. Adds body and head retention. It's a dextrin malt. Like oats it has no diastatic power and needs another malt like 2 row to be converted, but it can be steeped like oats.

 

[freisste]

Isn't carafoam a crystal? I thought it didn't need anything to get the crystallized sugar out of it...

 

[Setesh]

Isn't carafoam a crystal? I thought it didn't need anything to get the crystallized sugar out of it...

Hmmm, I bet you're right. I can't find much info on it TBH. Here is all I can find:
http://www.weyermann.de/usa/produkte.asp?idkat=166&umenue=yes&idmenue=269&sprache=10
It is listed as a caramel malt, so it should be converted. In which case, it's an even better option.

 

[IslandLizard]

Isn't carafoam a crystal? I thought it didn't need anything to get the crystallized sugar out of it...

Yes, it's a caramel malt, and can be steeped or added to the mash.

Hmmm, I bet you're right. I can't find much info on it TBH. Here is all I can find:
http://www.weyermann.de/usa/produkte.asp?idkat=166&umenue=yes&idmenue=269&sprache=10
It is listed as a caramel malt, so it should be converted. In which case, it's an even better option.

Crystal and Caramel malts, including Carapils, Carafoam, etc., have had their starches converted to sugar through heat "stewing," and were roasted to crystallize or caramelize them at various temps making all the different varieties. When steeping or mashing, those sugars are being dissolved. No additional conversion takes place at the time. The sugars they yield are mostly unfermentable, and the more so the darker the grain.

Carapils and Carafoam (aka dextrin malt) have very little flavor and aroma, so they only contribute unfermentable sugars (and gravity points) which results in an improved body, mouthfeel, and foam stability, without changing much else. For better extraction they probably should be mashed, ideally, or ground more finely when just steeping.

Palmer describes the process for cereal mashing when dealing with unmalted oats, barley, wheat, rye, etc. See link to his book in my original reply.