Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal stouts include oatmeal in their grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor and a smooth profile that is rich without being grainy. A roasted malt character which is caramel-like and chocolate-like should be evident - smooth and not bitter. Coffee-like roasted barley and roasted malt aromas (chocolate and nut-like) are prominent. Bitterness is moderate, not high. Hop flavor and aroma are optional but should not overpower the overall balance if present. This is a medium- to full-bodied beer, with minimal fruity esters.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces flaked oats

• 8 ounces 55º L British crystal malt

• 8 ounces British chocolate malt

• 3 ounces roasted barley

• 6 pounds light DME

• 2 ounces East Kent Goldings hops

• 1 teaspoon Irish moss

• Wyeast 1084 Irish ale yeast

• 1-1/4 cup corn sugar

Instructions:

1. Place the oats on a cookie sheet and then in a 325º F oven for 75 minutes, turning the oats every 15 minutes.

2. Once the oats are finished, combine them with the rest of the crushed specialty grains in a nylon hop bag and steep them in 1 gallon of preheated 150º water for 30 minutes.

3. Drain and discard the spent grains.

4. Bring at least 3 gallons of liquor to a boil, remove the brew kettle from the heat source then stir in the extract and the hops.

5. Return the brew kettle to the heat source and boil for 45 minutes, then add the Irish moss.

6. Boil for an additional 15 minutes, then remove the brew kettle from the heat source, cover it and drop the temperature of the wort as quickly as possible to 77º F.

7. Once the wort has cooled to below 77º F, take an original gravity reading, pour the wort into a primary fermenter through a funnel with a strainer and add enough cool water to create 5 gallons.

8. Once the wort has been transferred to the primary fermenter, pitch the yeast, stir the wort vigorously, seal the fermenter with an airlock and ferment at approximately 68-72º F for 1 week.

9. Rack the beer to a secondary fermenter and allow the beer to finish fermentation.

10. Once fermentation is complete, rack the beer to a bottling bucket, prime with the corn sugar and bottle and condition as usual.