Vanilla cream ale question

[Steve50]

Malts & Specialty Grains
- 3 lbs. Light Malt Extract
- 3 lbs. Wheat Malt Extract
- 1 lb. Caramel 60L

Hops
- 1.5 oz. Cascade (Bittering & Aroma)
- 1/2 oz. Saaz (Flavor

I will be brewing this vanilla cream ale extract recipe and do not want to add lactose. I was wondering if I add oats or wheat it would give me the mouthfeel I need. Does this sound good? How much of each should be added for a 5 gallon batch?

Thanks Steve

 

[RM-MN]

If you add wheat or oats without a base malt to provide the enzymes for starch to sugar conversion you end up with starch in the beer which will make it hazy and never clear. A better solution would be carapils steeped with the C60 as it would add mouthfeel and provide (perhaps) better heading without adding haze. Alternatively, maltodextrine could be added or if you wanted a little sweetness, C10.

 

[Steve50]

Would 1 lbs of carapils be good to add? Can I still add 1 lb of flaked oats for smoothness?

 

[RM-MN]

1 pound of carapils should do what you want. The flaked oats would leave you with a starch haze and smoothness. It wouldn't be hard to do a mini-mash so you wouldn't get the starch haze. Heat a gallon of water to 160F, add 1 to 1 1/2 pound of pale malt and the 1 pound of flaked oats, both milled and contained in a paint strainer bag. Leave them in for 30 to 45 minutes, then remove the bag with the grains. Taste the wort. It should be sweet because you converted the starch to sugar.