[klickitat jim]

I know it's been done, like Burnside's Oatmeal Pale Ale. I'm thinking of trying it once with mine. Mash pretty low (145) and build back body and mouthfeel with about 7% rolled oats. (Quaker or generic stuff)

If you done it, what's your experience?
How much haze should I expect?
In a 40-50 Ibu beer will the flavor be very noticeable?
Input of any kind is great.

[brewday]

I just used 3% oats along with 3% flaked maize in the All Day IPA recipe in the last Zymurgy issue and I really like it. I don't get any flavor from the oats (maybe a touch of sweetness from the corn) and it's crystal clear. I think it did the trick as far as building body.

148 Mash
1.040 OG
50 IBU

[BrodyR]

I'm doing the same thing this weekend - 2 row base then 5% each of Oats & Crystal-60. Loading up on Galaxy, Tomahawk, & Chinook. I know it's conventional wisdom to avoid it in light beers but after watching Tired Hands (an amazing brewpub just outside of Philly) make several amazing pales & IPA's loaded with oats I figured I'd give it a shot. The experience I got from their pales was a really great, unique mouthful/body. Nothing really in the way of haze.

This guy here went 20% oats trying to replicate Tired Hands flagship: http://riverwards.blogspot.com/2014/03/hopwards-tired-hands-brewing-hophands.html

[reverseapachemaster]

You really have to get the oats up there to make them noticeable as a flavor component. A brewery in San Antonio makes a pretty good oat pale ale and uses 17% oats. They post up homebrew versions of their recipes so you can see more about their oat pale ale at http://www.drinkrangercreek.com/homebrew-recipe-opa/.

[BrodyR]

You really have to get the oats up there to make them noticeable as a flavor component. A brewery in San Antonio makes a pretty good oat pale ale and uses 17% oats. They post up homebrew versions of their recipes so you can see more about their oat pale ale at http://www.drinkrangercreek.com/homebrew-recipe-opa/.

Very cool that they post that stuff for brewers! I think after this 5% test run I'm going to step up the oats to 15% or so in a pale.

[brewday]

I'd like to try that Ranger Creek recipe sometime, but note that it uses Oat Malt, not the adjunct. I think that would make a significant difference, though I don't really know anything about Oat Malt.

[denny]

I've tried flaked oats in an APA a few times and didn't care for the flavor I got from them.  I also didn't find them to add any body or mouthfeel.

[mabrungard]

In the Stout book by Lewis, he mentions that oats produced a harsher flavor. With respect to Jim's quest to restore body in that attenuated wort, I suggest that flaked wheat is a very good option. I find its flavor relatively crisp and clean. A percent or so will definitely add strong head building to the beer. You could also use flaked barley, but I found that it does have a distinctive flavor that doesn't meld well with pale worts.

[Iliff Ave]

Got my OPA in the fermenter right now. It is about 10% rolled oats and 10% oat malt with a Vienna Malt base. I normally do golden naked oats as well but the brew shop was out due to 'import' issues. I replaced that with crystal malt. My first batch had roughly 30% oats from all 3 types...

Bittered with Chinook, Cascade at 10 min, and hopstand with Palisade. Dry hopping with all 3.

[klickitat jim]

Hey thanks to all for great input. I think I'll give it a go and see what happens.

[klickitat jim]

I know it's been done, like Burnside's Oatmeal Pale Ale. I'm thinking of trying it once with mine. Mash pretty low (145) and build back body and mouthfeel with about 7% rolled oats. (Quaker or generic stuff)

If you done it, what's your experience?
How much haze should I expect?
In a 40-50 Ibu beer will the flavor be very noticeable?
Input of any kind is great.

Here's the final results. Tasty beer. Wife likes it.  But, mashing at 145 then adding oats to bring back some feel equals normal beer with a little oats haze. In other words, what's the point? So the next iteration will be same minus the oats and mashed at 154. If those two are similar but one is brilliant, you can guess my thoughts.

[theoman]

I often add oats to my brews. I'm not sure if I have a good reason, but I like how the beer turns out when I do. Typically, it's 2-3%. I always cook the oats first (even quick oats, though I know it's supposedly not necessary) and sometimes I'll let them toast a bit in the pot before I add water. The toasted oats are more easily detected.