[wswagar]

I inadvertently used some leftover Pilsner malt to brew 10 gallons of oatmeal stout yesterday. I know it is supposed to be for lagers but do you think it will work out?

grist bill: for 10 gallons

24 lbs pilsner malt (whoops!)
2   lbs flaked barley
1.5 lbs rolled oats
1.25 pounds chocolate malt
1.25 roasted barley
.5 lb black patent

here's the specs on the pilsner malt

Color (Lovibond)- 1.4-1.9
Moisture Max -     4.1%
Protein Total Max - 11
Extract CG Dry Min - 80.0

I know it's just homebrew and I should relax but curious if anybody else has made this mistake or even brewed a stout with pilsner malt on purpose?

[HoosierBrew]

It'll work fine, especially in a beer that roasty. You won't likely notice its character but it'll make a good beer.

[brewinhard]

With all of the roast in a good oatmeal stout, I really don't think you will notice any issues.  Your beer may attenuate a bit more (most likely not noticeable though) and you may have a "cleaner" base malt profile, but besides that, I bet it will come out pretty tasty.

[denny]

With all of the roast in a good oatmeal stout, I really don't think you will notice any issues.  Your beer may attenuate a bit more (most likely not noticeable though) and you may have a "cleaner" base malt profile, but besides that, I bet it will come out pretty tasty.

Why would it attenuate more?

[brewinhard]

Don't some pilsner malts have a higher diastatic power than other 2 row malts (i.e. Maris otter)?  Or am I just thinking out of my *ss?

[denny]

Don't some pilsner malts have a higher diastatic power than other 2 row malts (i.e. Maris otter)?  Or am I just thinking out of my *ss?

It's more like some pale malts, like MO, have a slightly lower DP than pils or other pale malts.  But not enough that you'd ever notice it, especially in a stout.

[tesgüino]

You may be confusing attenuation with conversion. Diastatic power controls conversion, but if you're doing a standard 60 minute single infusion mash, either 2-row or Pils will have plenty of DP to get the job done. More won't get the job donner .

[brewinhard]

Good call.

[Bklmt2000]

Pilsner malt is perfectly fine in an oatmeal stout.  The main base malt in my brewery is Weyermann Pils, and I've made many stouts with it over the years.

I'm drinking a Foreign Extra Stout right now where Pils malt was the main grain (along with some flaked barley and 1 lb of roasted barley), and it's quite tasty.

Just an opinion.

[wswagar]

thanks for all of the replies, I bottled this last night and as usual I always taste a small sample as part of my routine. It tasted delicious, full bodied and roasty. Looking forward to trying it after it's done bottle conditioning.