Little Drummer Boy's Oatmeal Stout

This recipe bagged a third place award in the stout catergory at a
competition a few years ago, and it was the first time I tried to
brew it! (I wrote my notes so the beginning home brewer can make this
successfully. So just bear with me if your brewing technique is
beyond this.)

Brewer:	AG Winch		Email:	andrew.winch@epa.state.oh.us
Beer:	Little Drummer Boy's Oatmeal Stout		Style:	Oatmeal Stout
Type:	Partial mash		Size:	6 gallons
Color:	154 HCU (~47 SRM)		Bitterness:	66 IBU
OG:	1.066		FG:	1.025
Alcohol:	5.3% v/v (4.1% w/w)
Water:	City water water filtered through a Pur undersink mounted system.
Grain:	1 lb. British pale 1 lb. American chocolate 0.25 lb. American black patent 0.25 lb. Roasted barley 3/4 lb. Flaked oats
Mash:	75% efficiency
	don't mash the roasted barley or black patent. If you do, you will draw off tannins during the sparge, which will make the wort too bitter. You add these to the sparge, as you only want the color. Since there are few fermentable sugars with this grain bill, you can do a teabag sparge with the grain: place the grain in a muslin bag or some old pantyhose. After steeping at 150°F for about 45 min in about 3 qts. water, just plop the bag in a strainer, pour your wort over the grain slowly, then sparge with 170°F to reach a final volume of 2 gallons.
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.066	6 gallons
	3.5 lb. Amber dry malt extract 3.5 lb. Dark dry malt extract
	I like moss, just activate 1 tsp. in water for 15 minutes before using, don't boil for longer than about 20 min, otherwise it becomes ineffective.
Hops:	2 oz. Eroica (12% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Fuggles (aroma)
Yeast:	Yest isn't terribly impt., as this is such a thick brew. I usually culture the sludge from my previous brew and pitch about 2 quarts of it. Alternatively, you could use two packets of a dry ale yeast. Just make a starter the day before so it chew through this wort.
Log:	do whatever you like. Secondary ferm. is not necessary since it so dark, but if you want to go ahead. I usually bottle after 2-3 weeks. Using a glass fermenter is fun b/c you can see the yeast at work. Just keep it covered with a pillow case or bag, as light oxidizes the brew.
Carbonation:	use about 1.5 cups DME boiled in about 1 qt. of water for 30 min. Just use your experience really.
Tasting:	I like hoppy brews, so that's why I am out of the range for the style. But some judges obviously like my way of thinking too! Once you get above 40 IBUs, there's not much taste difference - it's all good!

Recipe posted 10/25/01.