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Author Topic: Oatmeal  (Read 1695 times)

TXFlyGuy

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Oatmeal
« on: February 29, 2020, 07:21:48 pm »
We are looking at a nice recipe from A-B's Research Pilot Brewery, an Imperial Oatmeal Stout.

Can we use regular oatmeal, like Quaker Oats? No? Yes? How about instant? Should we toast it first, in the oven?

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #1 on: February 29, 2020, 07:51:55 pm »
yes. i use oatmeal fairly often. it impacts the body and makes it much oilier. id go easy on it. i used oat malt for the first time recently and i didnt like the flavour, though others seem to.

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #2 on: February 29, 2020, 07:53:40 pm »
Yes, you can use Quaker.  You can toast them a bit in an oven for a few minutes if you like.

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.
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Offline Megary

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #3 on: February 29, 2020, 08:24:56 pm »

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

+1. Great advice.  I'd even suggest first cooking as per the directions on the box with a little extra water, then add to the mash.

Has anyone found the sweet spot for the smooth, silky mouthfeel?  I've used quick oats to 9% and found the creaminess noticeable...but I've seen recipes where the oats get pushed to 25-30%.  Maybe it's personal preference or maybe it's style dependent? 

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #4 on: February 29, 2020, 08:38:41 pm »

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

+1. Great advice.  I'd even suggest first cooking as per the directions on the box with a little extra water, then add to the mash.

Has anyone found the sweet spot for the smooth, silky mouthfeel?  I've used quick oats to 9% and found the creaminess noticeable...but I've seen recipes where the oats get pushed to 25-30%.  Maybe it's personal preference or maybe it's style dependent?

My "oatmeal" stout won a gold medal in its category..... without any oats at all.  I used rye malt instead, in the amount of 6.4%.  Personally I don't think oats are even 10% as effective as rye for adding body and creamy mouthfeel.  If you really want to know what oats will do, try brewing a 100% oat beer sometime.  It's not at all what you think it will be.  Now rye, on the other hand........
Dave

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Offline jeffy

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2020, 06:38:46 am »
If you add a little of the malt to the oats and rest it at mash temps for a bit before boiling, you’re conducting a cereal mash.  The mini-mash keeps the oatmeal from getting too gummy when boiled.
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TXFlyGuy

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2020, 06:49:08 am »
If you add a little of the malt to the oats and rest it at mash temps for a bit before boiling, you’re conducting a cereal mash.  The mini-mash keeps the oatmeal from getting too gummy when boiled.

There are recommendations for a step infusion mash, with a 30 minute rest between 105F and 115F, to break down the gum producers, beta-glucans. A 10% bill of oats should not impact the lautering.

TXFlyGuy

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2020, 06:50:02 am »

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

+1. Great advice.  I'd even suggest first cooking as per the directions on the box with a little extra water, then add to the mash.

Has anyone found the sweet spot for the smooth, silky mouthfeel?  I've used quick oats to 9% and found the creaminess noticeable...but I've seen recipes where the oats get pushed to 25-30%.  Maybe it's personal preference or maybe it's style dependent?

My "oatmeal" stout won a gold medal in its category..... without any oats at all.  I used rye malt instead, in the amount of 6.4%.  Personally I don't think oats are even 10% as effective as rye for adding body and creamy mouthfeel.  If you really want to know what oats will do, try brewing a 100% oat beer sometime.  It's not at all what you think it will be.  Now rye, on the other hand........

Interesting!

TXFlyGuy

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2020, 07:17:18 am »
Oatmeal

Oatmeal has early roots in brewing as well; oatmeal beers were brewed for a short time in the 1500s, but quickly died out due to the overpowering bitter taste of primarily using oatmeal in the grain bill. Oatmeal made a comeback when Scottish brewer James Maclay produced an “oatmalt” stout in 1895. In the early 1900s, oatmeal was used as an adjunct, but in very low quantities and sometimes less than 1 percent of the grain bill.

Today, this cereal grain is becoming almost paramount in English-style oatmeal stouts enjoyed by craft beer fans. Oats add smooth, rich, enjoyable textures to a stout. This is due to the starches, proteins and gums in the oats that have a tendency to thicken up the mouthfeel of the beer.

Offline goose

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2020, 08:41:27 am »
Yes, you can use Quaker.  You can toast them a bit in an oven for a few minutes if you like.

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

Agree on the toasting.  It adds more flavor and smells great when you are toasting them!

However, I have always heard that Quaker Oats are basically rolled oats and do not need to be gelatinized in a cereal mash.   Please correct me if I am wrong. That said, whenever I use oats in a beer I use flaked oats  They can be added directly to the mash without doing the cereal mash step.
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TXFlyGuy

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2020, 08:49:11 am »
Yes, you can use Quaker.  You can toast them a bit in an oven for a few minutes if you like.

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

Agree on the toasting.  It adds more flavor and smells great when you are toasting them!

However, I have always heard that Quaker Oats are basically rolled oats and do not need to be gelatinized in a cereal mash.   Please correct me if I am wrong. That said, whenever I use oats in a beer I use flaked oats  They can be added directly to the mash without doing the cereal mash step.

Rolled oats and flaked oats are one in the same. Oats are “flaked” by rolling them between two hot rollers.

Offline goose

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2020, 08:54:48 am »
Yes, you can use Quaker.  You can toast them a bit in an oven for a few minutes if you like.

In my opinion, they should be cooked first in a little water, brought to a boil to gelatinize and break out the starches.  If you don't cook them first, they'll just kind of sit in the mash and not break down too well.  "Quick oats" should be boiled 1 minute.  "Old fashioned oats" take longer, 5 minutes.  If you can find "instant oats" like the ones in little single-serve packs, those probably don't need to be boiled but it wouldn't hurt.

Agree on the toasting.  It adds more flavor and smells great when you are toasting them!

However, I have always heard that Quaker Oats are basically rolled oats and do not need to be gelatinized in a cereal mash.   Please correct me if I am wrong. That said, whenever I use oats in a beer I use flaked oats  They can be added directly to the mash without doing the cereal mash step.

Rolled oats and flaked oats are one in the same. Oats are “flaked” by rolling them between two hot rollers.

Knew about the steel rolling. Confirms my thinking.  They are the same.
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Offline Visor

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2020, 05:10:31 pm »
  Yup, never done a cereal mash with oatmeal and never noticed any more gumminess in the mash than normal. Dave's right about mouthfeel though, I couldn't begin to tell you which beer has oatmeal in it and which doesn't, but 15% or more rye and you'll definitely notice.
  I just brewed another batch of my Imperial Rye India Black Ale yesterday and am going to reward myself tonight with one from the last batch - if the stuff wasn't so exquisite to drink I'd never go through the misery of brewing it. 
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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2020, 07:47:06 pm »
yes. i use oatmeal fairly often. it impacts the body and makes it much oilier. id go easy on it. i used oat malt for the first time recently and i didnt like the flavour, though others seem to.

Not a fan of oat malt either. I get a strange earthy character out of it.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Oatmeal
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2020, 08:34:21 pm »
I have never preboiled the quick oats and have never had a problem with them not being preboiled. I just chuck them i the mash.