Oatmeal in a stout

[Michael_biab]

What's the optimal amount of oatmeal in an oatmeal stout to be able to perceive it? So many recipes call for 1 lb. But I'm curious if anyone has experimented otherwise. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and they don't have to be limited to stout.

 

[ACBEV]

I don't know the optimal amount, but I do have the recipe for the first oat stout, brewed in 1909 by Maclay's...

Scottish Pale Malt - 31.3%
Continental Pale Malt - 19.7%
Oat Malt - 13.3% (not oatmeal)
Black Malt - 8.7%
American 6-row Malt - 7.9%
Amber Malt - 2.7%
Invert No.1 - 13.1% (Substitute with Golden Syrup)
Cane Sugar - 2.6%
Goldings @ 60 minutes (34 Bu)
Cluster @ 30 minutes (8 Bu)
1728 Scottish Ale Yeast
Mash @ 150f
Ferment @ 64f
OG - 1.062

The brewery recipe includes Licorice and linseed. At standard homebrew scale, Linseed 0.7oz and Licorice 0.4oz

The colour of the original recipe was 320 EBC (160 SRM), The brewery used "Brewers Caramel" colourant to acheive the very dark colour (google it).

Edit... Originally I got the recipe from here...
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/lets-brew-wednesday-1909-maclays.html

 

[Nosybear]

A pound seems about right.

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I put a pound of oatmeal in my stout, and while I am not sure if it has that great an impact on the flavour, It certainly has an effect on the body of the beer. Even the 1/2 pound in my witbier adds some smoothness and mouthfeel.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I wouldn't go over 10%

 

[J A]

Generally, I'd agree with the 10%, but when I think about it, my Guiness recipe uses right at 20% Flaked Barley. Oats will tend to add more slickness so that might be a reason to limit it. Using more than one type of flaked grain is a way to get more complexity and flavor as well as giving body and mouthfeel.

 

[CDC]

I'm doing an Oatmeal Stout and an Oatmeal IPA. I have 1# in each recipe. Wait a few weeks and I'll let you know!

 

[Brewer #89247]

I've typically stay around the 1# range for both IPAs and Stouts. Sure, you can go bigger, but watch your DP. Really just give that mouthfeel and "silkiness" to a beer that you'd otherwise use other adjuncts for as well.

 

[Michael_biab]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It seems like an experiment waiting to be done and rigorously evaluated! So far I've stuck with the conventional 1 lb as well. I think in my next batch of oatmeal stout or something similar I might try some flaked oats along with flaked barley or flaked rye and see how that adds to the complexity as JA suggested above. Please keep posting if you run into something of interest on this topic!

 

[ACBEV]

I have a general spec. sheet for Warminster malts this is what it says for their Flaked Malted Oats... Usage 5-10%... Pre-cooked/non-malted cereal, can be added directly to a mash. Adds toasted/biscuity notes, Improves mouth-feel and head retention

 

[J A]

I have to put together an Stout recipe for barrel aging soon and I'll use oatmeal and probably some flaked barley as well. I'll post it up when I figure it out.