"Breweries pay a lot of lip service to the mouthfeel-enhancing properties of oats, but after many months of debate among ourselves, we decided to write this recipe to find out whether they really contribute as much as they are given credit for. If you brew with oats because you’ve accepted this as common knowledge but have never actually experimented with it yourself, then I think this recipe will be especially edifying." —Alex Helms
All-Grain
Batch size: 5.5 gal (20.8 liters) (7 gal/26.5 l collected)
Brewhouse efficiency: 75%
OG: 1.075
FG: 1.012–1.016
IBUs: N/A
ABV: 7.5–8%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
8 lb (3.6 kg) 2-row malt
8 lb (3.6 kg) malted oats
0.5 lb (227 g) honey malt (optional)
HOPS SCHEDULE
1 oz (28 g) Amarillo at 15 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Mosaic at 5 minutes
2 oz Citra (57 g) at whirlpool
4 oz (113 g) Citra at dry hop
6 oz (170 g) Mosaic at dry hop
6 oz (170 g) Amarillo at dry hop
YEAST
For a very hazy beer, you can’t go wrong with Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) or Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III). For less haziness, greater attenuation, and a more neutral ester profile, Chico (Wyeast 1056 American Ale) is a safe bet. If you opt for either of the English strains, make sure to do a thorough diacetyl rest because even with the substantial amount of hops, you will notice the diacetyl if it’s there.
DIRECTIONS
Mash at 152°F (67°C). Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule. Chill and pitch the yeast as usual.
BREWER’S NOTES
You’re going to need to tighten down your mill because malted oats are skinny and their husks are invincible. At the very least, you can probably get away with sending them through a few times. Be careful during your lauter because this will likely transfer a lot faster than you are used to.
Feel free to adjust the hops quantities based on your specific water profile. We prefer soft bitterness in our hoppy beers, so if you know that these additions will be overkill based on your experience with your own recipes, then by all means change or ignore the ones here. Or just load it up with gypsum, whatever suits your taste best!
Apart from that, this is a pretty straightforward recipe, and if nothing else, you will probably be able to recognize the smell/taste of malted oats in your favorite commercial beers afterward. It’s very distinctive, but if you haven’t brewed with them before, you might have been confusing it for something else.