So I thought I would write out a process of how I plan on using the oats in a gluten free beer in case anyone else wanted to try it out or just wanted to know more about oats. Thanks for all the information so far it really help to find out what I needed to look up. If there is any information that I missed please feel free to add it. I will probably end up putting this on the gluten free page as well. I didn't realize when I first posted it that it was going to be a gluten free type of post.
1. Toast Oats (optional)
Toasting oats add an extra dimension to the flavor and adds color. However there is some who say that it loses mouthfeel and head retention.
2. Add enzymes
Enzymes are needed to break down starches and turn them into fermentable sugars. Normally in conventional brewing malted 2 row barley is added to the mash to give the oats enough enzymes to break down the starches from the barley and oats. Unfortunately as I have a reaction to gluten I can't use barley. Do to the fact that gluten free malted grains (like millet) are very expensive I am looking for alternatives. The enzymes that are needed can be found in humans saliva. So I plan on chewing up the oats and spitting them out its called mastication. I could go out and buy the enzymes needed but Im not completely certain they will be gluten free, and one bread crumb will make my life hell for a week.
3. Starch gelatinization
It is important to gelatinize the oats, so the enzymes can break down the starches. To gelatinize the oats I will need 2 cups of water for every cup of oats. So its roughly 4.5 quarts of water to 2 lbs of oats, cooked at 60C for 20 mins. Its important to not go over 60C because the enzymes will be denatured (killed off).
4. Mash
Its time to mash. Take out the gelatinized oats (oatmeal paste) and put into a fine grain bag. Put 1 quart of water per 1 lb of oats. However Im not really sure how much I should do considering the oats will already be wet. Bring up the water to 68C and add the bag of oats. Keep the temp between 63C - 68C for 1 hour stirring every 15 mins. Mash-out (bring temp to) 77C while stirring.
5. Sparge
Elevate the grain bag over the pot. I have a S/S grill vegetable holder that will fit over my pot. Heat 1 gallon of water to 77C and pore over the suspended oats. Next dump the wort (water now with sugar in it) in another pot and pore over the grains again. Do this 2-3 times to get all of the sugar from the oats.
6. Then continue extract brewing like normal. Im going to add it to
this brew to thicken it up.
List of links where I collected my information
Toasted Oats
Gelatinization Chart.
wiki starch gelatinization definition.
mastication (chewing to add enzymes)
how to brew video
[ame="http://vimeo.com/35571624"]BIAB (Brew In A Bag)[/ame]