I've not posted for a while but been lurking (and trying the occasional mini-mash with reasonable results).
Anyhow, I picked up an Edme stout kit from the local Wilkinsons, plus a bag of beer kit enhancer. Dark spray malt would be better, so to add a bit more flavour and body, can I roast some flaked oats (porridge oats) and add it directly the wort?. If so, how much oats, and roasted for how long?. From a quick forum search, it seems this is done quite frequently for an AG mash, but I'm not too certain for a kit brew.
Cheers,
Dave
Stout kit and oats
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LovesDaBrewing
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DaveR
In order to 'mash' you need an enzyme (such as amalayse) to convert the starches stored in the grains into sugars. Malting is the process that produces those enzymes. The grain is allowed to start to germinate (this produces those enzymes to allow the plant can break down the starch into sugars to start growing). At the right moment the grain is heated and dried thus halting the germination but retaining the enzymes.
When you come to mash, those enzymes work on the starch in solution to break it down into sugars. If you have unmalted grains that do not contain the enzymes (such as oats) then you rely on there being enough enzymes in other malted grains to do the conversion on their behalf.
During malting, some grains are kilned futher to roast them and produce darker colours (amber, brown, chocolate, black). Unfortunately this breaks down the enzymes so they cannot 'mash'. Crystal malt is produced slightly differently in that it is kilned in a sealed vessel and held at the optimum temperature to mash itself for a period of time before being further roasted (and so loosing the enzymes).
So basically, you need a pale malt (and its attendant enzymes) in order to make use of those oats. If you are going to that much trouble with a kit the you might as well do a full mash (or mini-mash)
When you come to mash, those enzymes work on the starch in solution to break it down into sugars. If you have unmalted grains that do not contain the enzymes (such as oats) then you rely on there being enough enzymes in other malted grains to do the conversion on their behalf.
During malting, some grains are kilned futher to roast them and produce darker colours (amber, brown, chocolate, black). Unfortunately this breaks down the enzymes so they cannot 'mash'. Crystal malt is produced slightly differently in that it is kilned in a sealed vessel and held at the optimum temperature to mash itself for a period of time before being further roasted (and so loosing the enzymes).
So basically, you need a pale malt (and its attendant enzymes) in order to make use of those oats. If you are going to that much trouble with a kit the you might as well do a full mash (or mini-mash)
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DaveR
Thanks CC. My last mini-mash was a stout but without the oats, as a Christmas brew. Tried a bottle last week and it has a definite vinegar smell and taste. I'm going to leave the other bottles for a few more weeks but I don't hold much hope of any improvement, hence the kit. Might just throw a few extra hops in the fermenter......So basically, you need a pale malt (and its attendant enzymes) in order to make use of those oats. If you are going to that much trouble with a kit the you might as well do a full mash (or mini-mash)
Dave