How necessary is it?
Traditionally, it’s crucial and not a dry stout without it. Beyond that, your choice.
6
^^^ Gotta have it in Irish.
With the understanding that a dry stout is actually a low gravity beer, the addition of raw barley is an important component for adding body. Without that addition, this beer would have an unremarkable body. The beta-glucans from the raw barley are the reason for that added body. They can come from raw barley, flaked barley, and chit barley. In general, those raw forms supply about 10 times more beta-glucan than malted barley.
IIRC I use at least 20% flaked barley in my dry stout. Agree, it’ critical for the style.
Got it, there will be flaked barley when I brew a dry stout.
I like flake barley.