Oat Beer Experiment?

[manticle]

Actually 3 kg not 3.5 and I'm glad of that. Bitch to mill.

Anyone who uses a hand cranked mill, imagine wheat cracked on the tightest setting then add in some glue. My arm will be huge tomorrow.

Just heating strike liquor now. Nick - do you reckon your liquor absorption deficit was mainly due to uncracked oat malt?

 

[vykuza]

That would be my guess Manticle.


As an update, my OG was 1.037, target was much, much higher. I pitched it with some London Ale III before I headed to Melbourne earlier this week. Wort smelled like oat milk (like soy milk, but the oat version) and hops. Cloudy as all get out into the fermenter.

 

[manticle]

Mine so far has looked like a normal mash (proteins visible at the top of the mash, clear liquor at the top).

Just about 20 mins into the 65 rest. Will post pics when it's all finished but smells a bit like honey and porridge.

pH was pretty normal with small additions of CaCl2 and CaSO4 and a hint of phosphoric. 5.0 at mash temp (so 5.35 roughly)

 

[vykuza]

Sounds like you're on the right track then! Good luck mate

 

[manticle]

Unfortunately all is not super well.

Following the 72 rest, I had a lot of what looked like very, very fine proteins which wanted to stay floating rather than drop out so the wort, despite recirc was quite milky. Earlier mash steps showed protein distinctly separate from top liquor.

Didn't take an iodine test (never do) but SG into the kettle was 1025 (that's combined) and at 20 minute addition was only pushing 1030 at 25 degrees.

Just chucked in whirlfoc and yeast nutrient so we will see what happens but I'm expecting it to be more bitter and thinner than expected.

I guess that's what experiments are for.

 

[manticle]

Seems to have fermented out and tastes ok but is a bit thin. I'm thinking of steeping another 500g of golden naked oats and adding in for a touch more body.

 

[vykuza]

I should have reported back too, but I chucked mine down the sink. I pitched then went away for a week, came back and the yeast must have been DOA, as it had dropped 2 points, but was pure battery acid.

Test; complete failure, but all entirely my own fault.

I'd definitely try it again if I could use someone's adjustable mill, but won't attempt again with my current mill.

 

[manticle]

OK. Steeped 500g more of the toasted naked golden, boiled and added in. Also dry hopped with 1g/L styrians.

Bottled yesterday to about 2.2 Vol.

Took a sample along to a brew club meeting for interested parties. Favourable response from those who tried it and definitely worth doing a small batch a year for fun. Might try with different hops and yeast just to see how much the oats bring and how much you can shape them with other ingredients.

Basically it's got toasted porridge, apricot and peach notes, quite hazy but clearer than it was.

No finings post kettle.

Will know more in a couple of weeks.

 

[manticle]

Just carbing up now (in shed, cold weather in Melb) and could probably do with a touch more but good enough to report back on.

Still hazy - will put one away for 12 months but I reckon it will kick around for a while.

Small head but retention pretty good.

Aroma is really like toasted oats, honey and apricots. I keep thinking porridge but i'ts actually more like toasted muesli.

Flavour is similar. Apricots and peaches (stewed) with toasted muesli.

Definitely something I will rebrew - it's got decent, interesting flavours so I want to try and nut out the haze and low efficiency issues.

Hopefully Thirsty Boy and NickR will chime in once they've tasted a bottle from this batch but oat beer, in my limited experience, can be good.