As a learning activity & an exercise in experimentation, I was thinking about making an Oat based beer (although I'm not planning on doing it in the short-term, I'll wait until I have more experience with grains). A bit hard to find much information on it, but I have found a few references which indicate that it is possible (and has potential). I know that beers with a large % of oats run the risk of ending up a bit astringent, so I was thinking of using some lactose to help offset this. Below is what I've come up with so far, has anyone done anything similar?
40% Oat Malt (extract?)
20% Golden Naked Oats
10% Rolled Oats (plain)
10% Rolled Oats (oven toasted)
10% Honey Malt (or Melanoidin Malt)
10% Honey
? Lactose
Not sure on hops yet
(Fuggles, Goldings, NB, Columbus)?
Not sure on yeast strain yet:
normal options - (Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale, WLP023 Burton Ale, WLP051 California Ale V)
different options - (WLP500 Trappist Ale, Wyeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat, Wyeast 3333 German Wheat)
crazy options - (Lambic / sour mix)
To reduce the "gum levels", use a beta-glucanase rest at temperature of about 35-45C. Hold the mash temperature for 30 mins in this range.
Then possibly a protease rest to break down large proteins for 30 mins @ 45-55C.
Heat water and maintain a temperature of ~70C for one hour to convert the starch.
Mash-out at 75C
Begin the sparge, maintaining the sparge water at just below 75C.
40% Oat Malt (extract?)
20% Golden Naked Oats
10% Rolled Oats (plain)
10% Rolled Oats (oven toasted)
10% Honey Malt (or Melanoidin Malt)
10% Honey
? Lactose
Not sure on hops yet
(Fuggles, Goldings, NB, Columbus)?
Not sure on yeast strain yet:
normal options - (Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale, WLP023 Burton Ale, WLP051 California Ale V)
different options - (WLP500 Trappist Ale, Wyeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat, Wyeast 3333 German Wheat)
crazy options - (Lambic / sour mix)
To reduce the "gum levels", use a beta-glucanase rest at temperature of about 35-45C. Hold the mash temperature for 30 mins in this range.
Then possibly a protease rest to break down large proteins for 30 mins @ 45-55C.
Heat water and maintain a temperature of ~70C for one hour to convert the starch.
Mash-out at 75C
Begin the sparge, maintaining the sparge water at just below 75C.