[bluesman]

An oldie...but a goodie.

Anyone want to share their tips, tricks, secrets or recipes for an Oatmeal Stout.

Don't be shy.

[Iliff Ave]

I prefer my stouts to have a very smooth, more subdued roasted quality than is probably advised. I minimize roasted barley and use more pale chocolate and midnight wheat to get a smoother quality. I also like to split the flaked oats and toast half of them.

[pinnah]

  This one got posted yesterday:  http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=17659.0

[blatz]

I have been tinkering with an American style oatmeal stout sort of in the shakespeare vein.  My last run included 5% golden naked oats and 10% flaked oats.

+1 on toasting some of them.

i personally like my stout to have a significant bite to it - not quite like espresso but not subtle either, so i'm on the other side of the field to goschman - i use a huge amount of roasted barley.  I also try to target 5.3-5.4 mash pH, so a good dose of lime is incorporated.   

[HoosierBrew]

+1 to lightly toasting the oats. I like the flavor contribution quite a bit.

[Stevie]

BN just posted a Brewing with Style on oatmeal stout. Listened to it while doing the dishes. Give it a listen, unless that is why your brought it up. Haven't made one in years. I will need to add it to the schedule.

[mabrungard]

What about the contention that Michael Lewis makes in his book, Stout, where he said that oats were not a good contributor? I recall that he said the beer was rough or astringent, or something like that.

I don't understand how oats could impart that sort of flavor to beer since they don't seem to have that flavor in oatmeal. 

[HoosierBrew]

What about the contention that Michael Lewis makes in his book, Stout, where he said that oats were not a good contributor? I recall that he said the beer was rough or astringent, or something like that.

I don't understand how oats could impart that sort of flavor to beer since they don't seem to have that flavor in oatmeal. 

Martin, I limit oats to ~ 10% at most in oatmeal stout.  But I love the silky,velvety mouthfeel they give a good stout. But I agree that they don't give a direct flavor, and that's why I like to lightly toast them. It doesn't add the flavor of oats per se, but a light, subtle toastiness. I feel that Sam Smith's is doing something right !   

[bluesman]

This one got posted yesterday:  http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=17659.0

Thanks for the link!

[bluesman]

+1 on toasting some of them.

I like this idea. I might try this...

[bluesman]

What about the contention that Michael Lewis makes in his book, Stout, where he said that oats were not a good contributor? I recall that he said the beer was rough or astringent, or something like that.

I don't understand how oats could impart that sort of flavor to beer since they don't seem to have that flavor in oatmeal.

Interesting opinion here Martin.

I've always thought oats provided a sort of mouthfeel effect more so than a flavor effect. Maybe toasting them would lend some flavor?

[kgs]

What about the contention that Michael Lewis makes in his book, Stout, where he said that oats were not a good contributor? I recall that he said the beer was rough or astringent, or something like that.

I don't understand how oats could impart that sort of flavor to beer since they don't seem to have that flavor in oatmeal.

Interesting opinion here Martin.

I've always thought oats provided a sort of mouthfeel effect more so than a flavor effect. Maybe toasting them would lend some flavor?

Having done it both ways, I agree that lightly toasting the oats brings out the flavor. I also buy the freshest oatmeal I can find, usually from a cooperative grocery store where the oatmeal smells and tastes very fresh. My last couple of stouts I have also added cocoa nibs and cold-brewed coffee -- very nice.

I've thought of going bigger, like an Oatis or Shakespeare, but the lower-alcohol stouts have their charm. I use McQuaker's Oatmeal Stout from Brewing Classic Styles. Edit: having recently done a coconut porter that was delicious, I'm going to do the same with a stout, using lightly toasted organic coconut (large shred), and add chocolate nibs.

[fmader]

I've always thought oats provided a sort of mouthfeel effect more so than a flavor effect. Maybe toasting them would lend some flavor?

This is what I use oatmeal for. Personally, I don't like the toasted oats taste in a beer. I don't like Sam Sniths oatmeal stout because of this flavor. (According to another thread, I shouldn't be trusted

[bluesman]

I've always thought oats provided a sort of mouthfeel effect more so than a flavor effect. Maybe toasting them would lend some flavor?

This is what I use oatmeal for. Personally, I don't like the toasted oats taste in a beer. I don't like Sam Sniths oatmeal stout because of this flavor. (According to another thread, I shouldn't be trusted

Interesting opinion...can you describe the flavor that you don't like from the toasted oats.

Is the flavor overwhelming?

How did you toast the oats, and to what level/color did you toast them?

[fmader]

I've always thought oats provided a sort of mouthfeel effect more so than a flavor effect. Maybe toasting them would lend some flavor?

This is what I use oatmeal for. Personally, I don't like the toasted oats taste in a beer. I don't like Sam Sniths oatmeal stout because of this flavor. (According to another thread, I shouldn't be trusted

Interesting opinion...can you describe the flavor that you don't like from the toasted oats.

Is the flavor overwhelming?

How did you toast the oats, and to what level/color did you toast them?

I've never used toasted oats myself. I like most oatmeal stouts... Samuel Smith is the exception. The toasted flavor in that beer is very overwhelming to me and doesn't work for me. Obviously many a people put that beer on a pedestal, which is perfectly fine... It just doesn't do it for me.

Here's my breakfast stout recipe...

Batch = 5.5 gallons
OG = 1.078

24 hour cold steep (room temperature) in 2 gallons of water (2 quarts per pound)
Chocolate Malt = 2 lb
Roasted Barley = 1.5 lb
Black Patent Malt = .5 lb

60 minute mash @ 155
Mash Water = 5 gallons (Strike Temp 173)
Sparge Water = 3 gallons (185)
Total Water = 10 gallons

80% Two Row Pale = 12 lb 6 oz
18% Flaked Oats = 3 lb 4 oz
2% Caramel/Crystal 120L = 5.5 oz

60 minute = 1.5 oz Nugget
30 minute = .5 oz Willamette
20 minute = Add the 2 gallons of dark grain tea from cold steep (return to boil to start 20 count)
0 minute = .5 oz Willamette
0 minute = 2.5 oz ground Sumatran coffee
0 minute = 2.5 oz Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate
0 minute = 1.5 oz Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

White Labs 001 California Ale Ale (Starter)

Rack onto 2.5 oz of ground Kona coffee in the secondary

****The coffee was a bit strong. I think I'm going to cut it to 1.75 or 2 oz additions****