Oatmeal Stout Critique

[DLR1987]

Time for some critiquing! This is my first attempt at an oatmeal stout. I definitely had a little influence from Yooper's recipe. Any advice would be great!

View attachment Oatie Stout.bsmx

 

[motorneuron]

Any chance you can post it in a non-proprietary format (e.g. posting key details)?

 

[DLR1987]

Sorry about that. Here we go!

4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 64.6 %
12.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 12.1 %
7.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.1 %
7.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 4 7.1 %
5.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.0 %
4.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 6 4.0 %
0.40 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 39.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Whitbread Ale (Wyeast Labs #1099) [124.2 Yeast 8 -

 

[DLR1987]

forgot to add this for a 2 gallon batch haha

 

[motorneuron]

I think this looks great. It's a bit on the high side for oats but not beyond an acceptable range, definitely, and it means you'll get some real oat character. You might consider toasting the oats in an oven (350F until they smell like cookies, according to Randy Mosher), which adds a little more zip. You could also consider toasting the 2-row briefly to add a little depth (2-row is a relatively bland base).

 

[DLR1987]

I think this looks great. It's a bit on the high side for oats but not beyond an acceptable range, definitely, and it means you'll get some real oat character. You might consider toasting the oats in an oven (350F until they smell like cookies, according to Randy Mosher), which adds a little more zip. You could also consider toasting the 2-row briefly to add a little depth (2-row is a relatively bland base).

I was also thinking of using Maris otter instead of 2 row...what do you think? And toasting the oats seems like a great idea!

 

[motorneuron]

I like the Maris Otter idea. It will give you a deeper, more bread-like base flavor to build on.

 

[chad_]

Looks like a great recipe! What is your O.G., F.G. and ABV?

 

[DLR1987]

Looks like a great recipe! What is your O.G., F.G. and ABV?

Beersmith is giving me an OG of 1.065, FG of 1.019, and abv of about 6%. The FG seems a little high though. I'm guessing its all of the oats or possibly the yeast strain?

 

[motorneuron]

I don't know how sophisticated beersmith is (I don't use it), but my experience is that most software just uses the attenuation range of the yeast and doesn't do a good job considering the grains or mash profile. I'm guessing that because you're using an English yeast, it thinks you will get lousy attenuation. Of course, that might be true, and if you think 1.019 sounds high, you can ferment a little warmer, rouse the yeast, mash low, etc. That said, the only serious sweetness source you have going is the crystal, and 7% isn't going to make it all that sweet. To my knowledge, the oats won't leave you with any extra residual sweetness (though maybe their proteins would boost final gravity slightly? I've always wondered about that).

 

[MuddyCreek]

That does seem like quite a bit of oats. Looks tasty though! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[DLR1987]

I don't know how sophisticated beersmith is (I don't use it), but my experience is that most software just uses the attenuation range of the yeast and doesn't do a good job considering the grains or mash profile. I'm guessing that because you're using an English yeast, it thinks you will get lousy attenuation. Of course, that might be true, and if you think 1.019 sounds high, you can ferment a little warmer, rouse the yeast, mash low, etc. That said, the only serious sweetness source you have going is the crystal, and 7% isn't going to make it all that sweet. To my knowledge, the oats won't leave you with any extra residual sweetness (though maybe their proteins would boost final gravity slightly? I've always wondered about that).

I'm not sure about the proteins from the oats either. I've read that it's suggested to mash oats longer to get the sugars out, but that's all I got. I reduced the oats from 12oz to 9oz and the predicted FG is the same. I have had beersmith predict high FG's before with opposite results, like saying the FG would be around 1.012 and it ended up fermenting to 1.008. Like its stated above, it's all about ferm temps and mash temps and all of those lovely things that makes brewing...brewing! Ill let you guys know how this turns out! Hopefully brewing this on Tuesday.