American Oatmeal Stout

American Oatmeal Stout

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) 
OG = 1.068  FG = 1.014
IBU = 60–65  SRM = 35  ABV = 7%

For the regular strength stout recipe we’ve combined a classic oatmeal stout recipe with an American stout recipe. We keep a similar percent of base malt vs. specialty malt from our session stout, just adding more of everything. We tone down the black and roast malt character and up the chocolate malt character with this recipe. Oats take the place of the flaked barley to help increase the mouthfeel and body. Hopping-wise we’re shooting for just over 60 IBUs. Sticking mainly to American varieties with Simcoe® and Centennial adding flavor and aroma to the beer, we do add a touch of East Kent Golding with 15 minutes left in the boil to add a depth of hop complexity. We’re still looking for the beer to ferment a tad dry, but want to ensure the yeast can get through everything, so we’ll drop the mash temperature down to 154 °F (68 °C) and add extra yeast nutrient. This recipe is very similar in composition to the session stout, but with more pronounced ingredients and bolder flavor and aroma. We’ll use calcium sulphate and calcium chloride to help balance the hops. Otherwise the brewing procedures follow suit with our session stout.

Ingredients
11.5 lbs. (5.2 kg) 2-row pale malt (78%)
1.6 lbs. (0.73 kg) flaked oats (11%)
14 oz. (400 g) chocolate malt (6%)
6 oz. (170 g) roasted barley (2.5%)
6 oz. (170 g) crystal malt (120 °L) (2.5%)
12.8 AAU Warrior hops (75 min.) (0.85 oz./24 g at 15% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU East Kent Golding hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (5 min.)0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® hops (5 min.)
1 tsp. yeast nutrient (10 min.)
1⁄2 Whirlfloc tablet (10 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), Omega Yeast OYL-004 (West Coast Ale 1), or LalBrew BRY-97 (American West Coast Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
If starting with soft or reverse osmosis water, add 4 g calcium carbonate, 2.5 g calcium sulphate, and 4 g calcium chloride per 5 gallons (19 L) of strike water. 

Mash in, targeting a mash temperature at 154 °F (68 °C). Hold here for 60 minutes, then begin the lauter process. Sparge with enough water to collect 7 gallons (26.5 L) of wort in the kettle. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops, nutrients, and kettle fining per the ingredients list. After the boil is complete, turn off heat, add the final hop addition, then give the wort a long stir to create a whirlpool and let settle for 5 minutes. 

Chill wort to 68 °F (20 °C), aerate well if using a liquid yeast strain, then pitch the yeast. Ferment at this temperature for two weeks. Transfer to a serving keg or bottle and prime with sugar targeting 2.3 volumes CO₂.

Partial mash option: Swap out 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) of the 2-row pale malt for 5.25 lbs. (2.4 kg) extra light dried malt extract. Steep crushed pale malt and flaked oats in a muslin bag submerged in 2 gallons (7.6 L) water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Add the remaining crushed grains in a separate muslin bag. Allow those to steep with the grains for another 15 minutes. Remove both grain bags, placing them in a large colander and rinsing them with 1.5 gallons (5.6 L) of hot water. Top up the kettle to 5 gallons (19 L) with water. Off heat add the dried malt extract. Once fully dissolved, bring wort to a boil and boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe, topping the fermenter up to 5 gallons (19 L) prior to pitching yeast.