preparing crimped oats for enzymes

[ben stiller]

I searched and could not find a definitive answer so I will ask. For my first AG attempt I used cracked corn and rolled oats from the grocery store. The ferment went very well. I was at the feed store today and picked up 50 lbs of crimped oats because it is considerately cheaper than the grocery store. My question is, do I need to further grind or prepare the crimped oats or can I just use them as they come out of the bag for a Booner's type no boil protocol?

[midwest shinner]

I can't say for sure having not actually seen what you're working with, but I'd have to say rolled oats are rolled oats. They should be pretty much the same as the grocery store ones, I did the same thing and the oats seemed identical. There shouldn't be any extra prep, rolled grains are steamed and rolled so they're already partially cooked, meaning they break down quite easily without a full boil

[HDNB]

while grinding further will make more starches available, it will make it much harder to strain the grain from wort.
oats are pretty slimey.

in my research, oats gelatinize at a lower temperature than most grains, and in fact you can get significant extraction at 80*C.
it is suggested to cook from room temperature, as opposed to adding boiling water to the grain. the cook time should be at least 1 hour. Oats are also reported to have shorter starch chains, making it more available to the enzymes for a better conversion to the simple sugars the yeast want.

in my experience, this all holds true. (what i mean is...thanks to the science dudes who did the research!... all i did was get a great conversion with 1/3 the cook time of corn and it made an awesome whiskey with a very smooth mouthfeel.)

my grain bills will get heavier on oats, it has been a good experience so far, but it needs other stuff like corn rye and barley to get a more robust flavour.

the summary is: leave them rolled it's good enough and will strain out easier. cook from room temp to hit your enzyme's requirements. at least an hour. and watch the Ph meets the enzymes needs too. (and then the yeasts)

[ben stiller]

I just reread my original post and realized that I screwed up and wrote rolled oats when I meant the new ones are crimped. Dumb mistake and I had not even started drinking yet. So the question is, do I prepare crimped oats differently than rolled oats? I edited the topic and original question. The grain bill will be 50/50 cracked corn and "crimped" oats. Sorry for the confusion.

[HDNB]

do one the way it is and do one milled. then let us know what happened!

[ben stiller]

HDNB that is a great idea. I have 50 lbs so that won't be an issue. Drinking some cranberry neutral and I am thinking more clearly LOL

[midwest shinner]

That is true grinding will probably help with faster conversion, at least it can't hurt. I just figured the rolled grains break down easy enough as it is and my mill is an undersized PITA hence my advice. But hell why not try both if you've got the grains and think you'll like the oat whisky enough(I know I do, actually my favorite AG ever was a 70%/30% split of rye and oats, respectively)
Edit to say: also yes rolled grains, especially oats are a slimey mess to separate from the mash even with a mop strainer, ask me how I know and why I generally choose to use regular unrolled grains now...

[ben stiller]

I made two identical washes except one had crimped oats out of the bag and the other I ground the crimped oats in my coffee grinder. There was no discernable difference in sg between the two so in the future I will not bother grinding the oats.

[HDNB]

good to know! thanks!

how was the straining of the wort? or are you fermenting on the grain? I'm thinking with good bag handling skills the non-ground up one will strain out easier?

that must be some coffee grinder...maybe a blender next time?

[ben stiller]

I am fermenting on the grain. I made a butt press yesterday and pressed the grains from my first AG ferment that used rolled oats(oatmeal). I pretty much let gravity do the work occasionally putting my weight on the top bucket which was filled with water. Went pretty good so I think the crimped oats will be easier and like you said the un ground ones even easier. Good bag handling skill are important.

The coffee grinder was a small Krups electric one. The oats grind easy just the capacity of the grinder makes the job a bit tedious. Rained all day yesterday so I had lots of time to invest.

[ben stiller]

Quick update on using crimped oats. I opened both fermenters today to check sg. The one with ground oats had very little floating on the surface. The fermenter with the out of the bag crimped oats had a solid layer of floating oats. Not sure if this means anything as far as the ferments. Both ferments measured just above 1 sg.

[HDNB]

i'd bet it means there is a little co2 gas caught up inside the hull making them float. thats good, the yeast must have found some sugar in there!

[shadylane]

Quick update on using crimped oats. I opened both fermenters today to check sg. The one with ground oats had very little floating on the surface. The fermenter with the out of the bag crimped oats had a solid layer of floating oats. Not sure if this means anything as far as the ferments. Both ferments measured just above 1 sg.

The CO2 is sticking to the crimped outs and floating them to the top.
The ground oats are denser and suspended in the ferment.
Sounds like both ferments are doing well, When their done fermenting on the grain, let us know how the squeezing goes
I love the flavor of oats, but hate the fermenter slime.

[ben stiller]

Thanks for the responses. Had not thought about CO2 making the oats float. Checked the fermenters last night and all off the oats had settled to the bottom in both. I butt pressed the 5 gallons that I ground and had very good recovery of the liquid and surprisingly
no evidence at all of the notorious oats slime. My first go around I used oatmeal and the result was quite slimy. This time I had a
very dry slime free paint bag full of grain. +1 for crimped oats. One tip when using a butt press. Make sure the drain valve is closed
before you climb up on the step ladder and start a siphon lest your left sock might become saturated with wash

[MooseKnuckle]

Did you do a boil or cook on these or just the no boil method you were hoping for?

[ben stiller]

Did the no boil method basically following the booner's protocol.

[moosemilk]

I had crimped oats and they came through my mill about the same as they went in. I mixed them with my corn and put them through together, helped them break up better.

[HDNB]

no evidence at all of the notorious oats slime. My first go around I used oatmeal and the result was quite slimy. This time I had a
very dry slime free paint bag full of grain. +1 for crimped oats.:

Thanks for sharing the outcome. do you have any final notes?

I'm guessing the hulls on the oat seed helped with the slime vs the oatmeal?

My feedmill does a 50/50 barley/oat crumble that has been magnificent for my purposes, mixed with an adequate amount of cracked corn. I can see a rolled rye /crimped oat/ cracked corn attempt in my future based on the positive outcome you are posting so far...whaddya think?

[ben stiller]

I agree that the hulls helped somewhat with the slime, but I did lightly grind the oats which resulted in some of
the hulls breaking up. I think that rolled oats break down easier and cause the slime. Since the SG did not suffer
I will always be using the crimped ones.

HDNB I think you will be very pleased with your rye/oat/corn grain bill. When you try it post your results so we can compare the outcome and see if there is consistency.