Oatmeal Stout

[Dellboy78lfc]

Going to have a first go at an oatmeal stout now the days are drawing in. I keg my beers (I’m used to brewing ipa and pale ales) and just wanted to check the sort of carbonation levels I should be aiming at for this beer? I’m guessing a bit less than I’m used to...And would it be a case of just keeping it hooked up to the co2 at a different pressure to the pales? Thinking of doing the Greg Hughes oatmeal stout recipe just in case anyone wants to recommend it or not as the case may be....
Thanks

 

[foxy]

Going to have a first go at an oatmeal stout now the days are drawing in. I keg my beers (I’m used to brewing ipa and pale ales) and just wanted to check the sort of carbonation levels I should be aiming at for this beer? I’m guessing a bit less than I’m used to...And would it be a case of just keeping it hooked up to the co2 at a different pressure to the pales? Thinking of doing the Greg Hughes oatmeal stout recipe just in case anyone wants to recommend it or not as the case may be....
Thanks

This one is a ball tearer from Gordon Strong.

Oatmeal Stout
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.018
IBU = 25 SRM = 42 ABV = 6.0%

Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) pale ale malt
1 lb. 4 oz. (567 g) flaked oats
12 oz. (340 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
10 oz. (283 g) chocolate malt (450 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) roasted barley (550 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
4 AAU UK Golding hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz/21 g at 5.3% alpha acid)
2 AAU UK Golding hops (30 min.) (0.75 oz/21 g at 5.3% alpha acid)
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) or Imperial Yeast A38 (Juice) or White Labs WLP066 (London Fog) or LalBrew New England yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash.

Mash the pale ale malt and oats at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Once conversion is complete, add the crystal and dark malts as well as the roasted barley, then begin to increase mash temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) using direct heat or infusion, and recirculate for 15 minutes before beginning the lauter process. Fly sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort.

Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. A kettle fining can be added near the end of the boil, but is not necessary.

Chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C), aerate the wort with oxygen, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack and package the beer, or rack and clarify the beer if desired with finings before packaging (prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate)

Follow the mash regime (highlighted) and you will have a really smooth stout.

 

[Moe]

Did the GEB oatmeal stout kit a few weeks ago, it’s stunning. Definitely better with low carbonation.

I have the ingredients for the Greg Hughes Oatmeal stout in ready for my next brew

 

[Galena]

Did the GEB oatmeal stout kit a few weeks ago, it’s stunning. Definitely better with low carbonation.

I have the ingredients for the Greg Hughes Oatmeal stout in ready for my next brew

I just ordered some ingredients for the Greg Hughes Oatmeal Stout, just wondering whether to alter the mash methodology to that posted by @foxy

 

[Moe]

I just ordered some ingredients for the Greg Hughes Oatmeal Stout, just wondering whether to alter the mash methodology to that posted by @foxy

GEB send their ingredient packs out pre crushed in one big bag, so I didn’t have a choice but to mash all together. I did an 80minute mash.

It still came out nice though.

Have a go at the above mash schedule as let us know how it goes

 

[Galena]

GEB send their ingredient packs out pre crushed in one big bag, so I didn’t have a choice but to mash all together. I did an 80minute mash.

It still came out nice though.

Have a go at the above mash schedule as let us know how it goes

Ordered mine from GEB, but not a custom recipe so will be separately bagged as I have a fair bit of the ingredients already. Yeh, I will consider the mash schedule.

 

[samale]

I just ordered some ingredients for the Greg Hughes Oatmeal Stout, just wondering whether to alter the mash methodology to that posted by @foxy

The method @foxy suggested will result in a smoother taste. This is all down to personal choice. Some people like the bite of the dark malts when mashed. I would suggest trying both so you can see what suits your taste.

 

[samale]

The other advantage of using foxy method is that it has a quicker turn round.

 

[Galena]

@samale Yes both is good

 

[foxy]

Ordered mine from GEB, but not a custom recipe so will be separately bagged as I have a fair bit of the ingredients already. Yeh, I will consider the mash schedule.

It is pretty much the same as a hot steep, you can also do a 24 hour at room temperature steep and add the liquor to the boil, making sure you account for the amount of liquor being added to the boil. I know someone who didnt

The method @foxy suggested will result in a smoother taste. This is all down to personal choice. Some people like the bite of the dark malts when mashed. I would suggest trying both so you can see what suits your taste.

Yes I enjoy a nice dry Irish stout with a bit of astringency from the roast grains, an oatmeal stout should really be smoother. My Tropical stout is smooth and sweet.
Another stout from Gordon Strong which I have currently is also worth a try.
Irish Extra Stout - Brew Your Own
Well worth getting his books.

I follow the same method no matter what I am brewing, only mash with the base malts and the none fermentables go in for twenty minutes at the end.

 

[gerald8_kop]

Considering this recipe myself - how did it pan out?

Also wondering how susceptible it is to oxidation? Is there a rule of thumb regarding the percentage of grist for oats as to start being extra concerned about oxygen? Force transfer isn't an option for me currently I'm afraid.

 

[Dellboy78lfc]

Considering this recipe myself - how did it pan out?

Also wondering how susceptible it is to oxidation? Is there a rule of thumb regarding the percentage of grist for oats as to start being extra concerned about oxygen? Force transfer isn't an option for me currently I'm afraid.

The Greg Hughes oatmeal stout turned out ok for me in the end. It definitely took a little while
to condition, - there was a funny aftertaste at first but it cleared up after a couple of weeks. It’s quite a mellow stout if that makes sense, doesn’t smack you in the face and relatively low abv which is not a bad thing. And a creamy finish from the oats. I pressure transferred mine so don’t know about oxidation I’m afraid!

 

[Moe]

Mine is really nice ( the GH oatmeal) I fermented it with Voss kveik instead of the ale yeast in the book.

initially had a bit of a fruity taste to it, but it subsided after a week in the keg.

I highly recommend trying it. It’s not as full bodied as other stouts I’ve done, bit nice for it. It’s quite sessionable.

I fermented mine in a bucket with an airlock, and then siphoned into a keg. Nothing fancy and I’ve not had any oxidation. Didn’t bother to cold crash though to avoid suck back of oxygen.

I’d definitely brew again. Although my next stout is going to be the GH dry stout, just because I like trying different recipes