So the other day I was sipping on an IPA eating a dried granola snack and it occurred to me that I could use it in a oatmeal stout. I was eating maple nut granola, so no fruit. There should be lots of fermentables in this stuff. I was thinking of seeping it in 155*F water before the boil with the grain. Maybe a pound should do it. Has anyone tried this?
Just remember there’s quite a bit of fat in granola. Might affect head retention. However, I’ve thought of it myself and think the flavor profile would complement many a beer.
Wouldn’t you gain head retention by dispensing with nitrogen? I have always had a problem with too much head dispensing with nitrogen. Just haven’t perfected it yet
Not necessarily. The oils could still cause poor retention.
Rather than going with granola, it might be interesting to use one of those multi-grain hot cereal blends. Such as:
That’s a good idea. As well as the cereal you could add honey and brown sugar to give the complexity of flavors granola has. That is what I was trying to accomplish anyway.
Some things to consider:
-
You’ll probably get the most flavor out of the stuff by toasting it on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or so (or until it starts to smell like cookies in the kitchen). I’ve done this when using just straight oats, and it seemed to make a difference.
-
These cereals tend to be pretty high in protein… If it was me, I might throw in a 25 minute rest at 130-135 degrees. Then again, if you’re only using a pound or so it might not be a big deal.
You think a pound isn’t enough? How many rolled oats do you typically use in 5 gallons?
I use a pound of oats per 5 gallons, and as BLATZ mentioned, toasting them is the bomb… Cheers!!!