Flaked Barley Vs Quick Oats

[MattC]

Would like to know from peoples experience what the difference between quick oats and flaked barley would be in terms of flavour and body contributions to a stout. Just wondering if there is any point in adding both to a stout, or just stick with the oats.

Cheers

 

[MHB]

This is just a personal opinion and I know some will disagree.

Anything Oats can do Barley can do better!
The big problem with oats (well unmalted oats anyway) is the high B-Glucan content, according to the ads Oats will lower your cholesterol and help you poop better but the very things that make Oats a good breakfast make lauter like a bitch
For mine, use Barley every time, gives all the creamy mouth feel and body that Oats give and a lot less grief.

MHB

 

[manticle]

Can you toast the barley to get that nuttiness MHB?

Only ever done one brew with oats but toasted them lightly and found a flavour as well as mouthfeel benefit.

 

[MHB]

For flavour try Crystal Oats, malted and Crystal then toasted to about 15 EBC just lovely.

MHB

 

[manticle]

Forgive my ignorance. Crystal oats?

did a quick google search and came up with nothing. Are these malted oats that have been kilned wet like crystal malt and if so where do I get them?

 

[Ross]

Manticle,

Also known as naked oats - available at most good HBS's

cheers Ross

 

[haysie]

Spot on Ross, thats them, have used them in 3 brews and I reckon they were a waste of time, could have had the same beer with my normal bairds crystal and a tad of raw oats.

 

[Franko]

mmmmmmmmmm Golden Naked Oats

 

[MHB]

The only problem with them is they are so thin, if you dont crack them separately they often dont get cracked. Did lead to a couple of complaints when we first started using them, now we close the mill gap to about 0.5 mm then reset the mill and toss the oats in with the rest of the grist to mix them through.

Could be what caused you to be a bit underwhelmed by them.

MHB

 

[manticle]

Thanks for the info. I'll play around as I very much enjoyed the one and only oatmeal stout I've made (hybrid between my usual sweet stout sans lactose and Jamil's toasted oat version). I have enjoyed the ones I've tried from commercial breweries and other home brewers too.

I come back to my qoriginal question though - can flaked barley be toasted to give a nuttiness to the final product?

Sorry for slight OT mattc.

 

[bradsbrew]

The only problem with them is they are so thin, if you don't crack them separately they often don't get cracked. Did lead to a couple of complaints when we first started using them, now we close the mill gap to about 0.5 mm then reset the mill and toss the oats in with the rest of the grist to mix them through.

Could be what caused you to be a bit underwhelmed by them.

MHB

When using golden oats I crushed them fine, alsmost powder, then add them once the rest of the grain is in the mash. And give a quick stir into the top of the mash.

Cheers