Malt & Barley Blues

[orlando]

Hi Guys,

I want to brew an Oatmeal Stout and am having a bash at my own recipe inspired by a few I have already seen. This would be my first effort like this so want to avoid it being FUBAR. Could those of you who have regular experience of brewing them take a look at what I've come up with and advise.

Thanks in advance.

Malt Teaser Stout


5.000 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 1 79.8 %
0.345 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 2 5.5 %
0.300 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 3 4.8 %
0.291 kg Oats, Flaked (2.0 EBC) Grain 4 4.6 %
0.200 kg Black Malt (1280.0 EBC) Grain 5 3.2 %
0.130 kg Roasted Barley (591.0 EBC) Grain 6 2.1 %
40.00 g Goldings, East Kent [7.05 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 7 26.0 IBUs
20.00 g Fuggles [3.85 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 8 7.1 IBUs
15.00 g Fuggles [3.85 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 9 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Fat Cat Yeast (Fat Cat Brewery #Charles Wells Brewery) Yeast 10 -

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.052
Est Final Gravity: 1.012
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.3 %
Bitterness: 33.1 IBUs Calories: 427.1 kcal/l
Est Color: 66.7 EBC

[WishboneBrewery]

looks fine but I'm not sure the 66.7 colour is right, with the dark malts you are using I'd have thought you would be at a minimum of about 180 EBC (assuming 23L batch)

[Spud395]

I've one in the pipeline thats not a hundred miles away from that.
I'd consider upping the oats a bit, for more of an oaty smoothness.

+1 to pdtnc, that will be black as the hob of hell

[orlando]

Hi Guys thanks for the input. The EBC figure was derived in BeerSmith 2 so can nty comment more on that. I have noticed that there is a discrepancy between GW's recipes and what they come out at when they are put into BeerSmith as far as colour is concerned. However I didn't think it was as large as you are suggesting. I'll let you know, as long as the flavour is right colour is just a cosmetic for me. The oaty smoothness Spud talks about is something I really desire so will certainly take that advice. How much more, another 50g?

[Spud395]

I'm only going for my 1st attemt either orlando, but talking to a buddy of mine who brews a fine example he normally uses 500g in a 23L brewlength.

I think I saw pdtnc use 10% recently? it's in brewdays anyway so worth a look.

Good Luck with this, I hope to get mine on during the week, this is what I propose for a 30L brew

Pale 5500g
Munich 500g
Toasted Oats 500g
Roast barley 250g
Crystal 250g
choc 100g

Hopped to 37-38 IBU with challenger and a few EKG at flameout
Or something along those lines anyway

[orlando]

I should have made it clear that this is based on a brew length of 19 litres as I intend to bottle all of it and prefer longer lengths in cask; bottle for shorter because they are a PITA. In the light of that do you still recommend upping it, currently 4.6% of the grain bill?

[Deebee]

i too would up the oats a fair bit. I might also consider flaked barley in the mash too. It helps with the smoothness.

[greenxpaddy]

Agreed, for an oatmeal stout you want a really good dose.

Where is the flaked barley?

[orlando]

I don't have any. It has got roasted barley in it, is that not enough barley? What does flaked barley bring to the party? I have upped the oats but haven't had a recommended amount. I've gone for 275g in a 19l brew length.

[Spud395]

Irish stouts will have up to 20% flaked barley in them, add's body, mouthfeel, the oats bring more of the same and smoothen everything out even more.
Wheat malt, flaked wheat or torry can also be used in stout to give a similar effect, lots of stouts are made without flaked barley.

[orlando]

I do have some torry so how much of that would you recommend?

[orlando]

I do have some torry so how much of that would you recommend?

[Spud395]

Well I see Graham Wheeler uses 21% torry inhis Burton bridge top dog stout, it's not something I've done.

I do often add some to other brews for head retention, but that would suggest that it can work in large quantities in a stout