Brewers have worked with oats in one form or another for centuries. Of course, there’s oatmeal stout, the famously nourishing British tonic that was reported to have aided nursing mothers and the convalescent in equal measure (See Ron Pattinson’s “A Brief History of Oatmeal Stout” for more about this style). But there’s also Kottbusser, a pre-Reinheitsgebot style from the German town now known as Cottbus, which is brewed with oats, molasses, and honey. Belgian Witbier frequently contains a good measure of oats, and even Tripel Karmeliet includes oats alongside barley and wheat.
Homebrewers who want to feel their oats have a number of excellent options from which to choose. Just make sure you know what you’re getting, as different products have different mash requirements.
Flaked Oats
Flaked oats are available from your local homebrew store, or you can purchase them at the supermarket. Just look for plain, unflavored, old-fashioned rolled oats, quick oats, or instant oats. All of these products have undergone starch gelatinization as part of the rolling process, and all work equally well in the mash tun.