[John Joe McCoy]

Hi Folks,

First time poster here. Have been brewing for the past few months but I wouldn't mind some feedback on a Oatmeal Stout that I was thinking of submitting to the National Homebrew Comp.

Recipe:
Method: BIAB
Size: 3 gallons
IBU 34.1

2 Row 70.3%
Flaked Oats 9.4
Chocolate Malt 4.7
Pale Chocolate Malt 4.7
Flaked Barley 3.9
Patent Malt 3.9
Crystal Malt 80 L 3.1
OG: 1.052

Mash at 154, single infusion.
Hops: East Kent Goldings: 1.2 oz for 60 mins
Yeast: Imperial Yeast Darkness A10

[Steve Ruch]

No roast barley?
I like to use blackprinz in place of roast barley in oatmeal and cream stouts.
Lots of people equate chocolate and (black?) patent malts with porter.

[BrewBama]

Kristen England’s Sierra Nevada Stout ‘clone’ uses Black Patent vs Roast Barley.  Is Roast Barley required in a Stout? Who knows

I love his opening line in the article he wrote about Black Patent: “If there ever was a malt equivalent of the crazy uncle that lives under the stairs, black malt (also called black patent malt) would be it.”

https://byo.com/article/back-in-black-the-truth-about-black-patent-malt/


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[John Joe McCoy]

No roast barley?
I like to use blackprinz in place of roast barley in oatmeal and cream stouts.
Lots of people equate chocolate and (black?) patent malts with porter.

Thank you for the feedback! I guess I could add some roasted barley to add some more bitterness to complement the sweetness of the crystal .

I think i will remove the black malt, and maybe up the chocolate %. I was adding the black malt to increase the SRM slightly.

[John Joe McCoy]

Kristen England’s Sierra Nevada Stout ‘clone’ uses Black Patent vs Roast Barley.  Is Roast Barley required in a Stout? Who knows

I love his opening line in the article he wrote about Black Patent: “If there ever was a malt equivalent of the crazy uncle that lives under the stairs, black malt (also called black patent malt) would be it.”

https://byo.com/article/back-in-black-the-truth-about-black-patent-malt/


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Thanks for the link! There doesnt seem to be a consensus on using black malt in stouts. Some people use them and some dont. I've seen previous winning recipes that have used black malt in stouts.... so who knows!

[pete b]

Have you brewed the recipe you posted? Since you are considering entering it in competition I assumed it was a brew you made and thought highly of. Either way it seems in the ballpark of a solid oatmeal stout. I would brew it then carefully compare it to a highly regarded commercial example, preferably one you can find out the grist for, you can look up what is considered a good example of the style. Take notes and if you feel it’s lacking in any qualities like mouthfeel, color, roastiness etc. adjust from there, maybe ask questions here about best ways to get from point a to point b. It’s a great way to learn about ingredients at the experiential vs theoretical level. Have fun!

[Megary]

Is Roast Barley required in a Stout? Who knows

I love this question.

I would say:
In an Irish Stout...definitely.
In an Oatmeal Stout...dealer's choice. 

But less % roast in an Oatmeal Stout vs. Irish Stout.

[Kevin]

There is an interesting read on roasted barley and Guinness from Ron Pattinson. The short synopsis is this: Before 1880 unmalted grain was illegal for brewers to use. There was some debate in the comments of that article whether that included Ireland but it seems that it did (Beer Nut). Ron did finally find a written passage listing the general grist of Guinness in 1972 and again in 1983 (Royal Park Brewery, London) that states 9-10% roasted barley was used. Again there was debate in the comments as to whether the Royal Park and the St. James Brewery brewed to the same standards and again it seems they did (Zythophile).

Here is Ron's post: https://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2007/11/guinness-and-roast-barley.html

[Iliff Ave]

I would swap out the flaked barley and use all flaked oats, swap the pale chocolate for regular chocolate, and swap the patent for RB. Just me...

[denny]

I would swap out the flaked barley and use all flaked oats, swap the pale chocolate for regular chocolate, and swap the patent for RB. Just me...

Agreed on all

[fredthecat]

tie me up and whip me but i used golden naked oats after reading so many glowingly positive reviews of it in my last oatmeal stout.

10% golden naked oats (some sort of crystal oat malt)
8% flaked oats


it had this weird musty taste which has only finally after 2 months bottled really settled into something palatable. i've used flaked oats alone many times before so i have to pin it on the golden naked oats. and in fact innis % gunn lager uses that and it has the same taste.


do not use golden naked oats imho.

btw my gold standard for an oatmeal stout is mcauslan oatmeal stout

[Northern_Brewer]

No roast barley?
I like to use blackprinz in place of roast barley in oatmeal and cream stouts.
Lots of people equate chocolate and (black?) patent malts with porter.

Not all stouts are Dublin stouts - and oatmeal stouts in particular are more of an English/Scottish thing, so I'd argue that if anything roast barley should be avoided in oatmeal stouts. And yes, London stouts have a lot in common with porters, having originally been partigyled with them...