As manager of the Anheuser-Busch Research Pilot Brewery, I had the privilege of experimenting with all styles of beer, often incorporating the best and most compatible qualities of each to create new and exciting beverages. One such success from the RPB is an Imperial Oatmeal Stout, a hybrid of two classic stout styles: an Oatmeal Stout – a British seasonal take on the darker style that includes oatmeal for a smooth silky body – and a Russian Imperial Stout – a deep, roasty, intensely flavored beer with an elevated alcohol content. Regardless of experience level, the recipe below is great for any homebrewer, as the difficulty (and thus, resulting complexity of the beer) can be modified as necessary.
While a traditional Oatmeal Stout comes in at about 4.2 – 4.9% alcohol by volume (ABV), our Imperial Oatmeal Stout sits at a hefty 8%, in line with an entry-level Russian Imperial. We also aged our stout on vanilla and cocoa beans in bourbon barrels, a practice typically reserved for higher alcohol Imperials that can withstand such conditioning. Depending on the duration of aging, barrels used, and additional ingredients, this can result in vinous or port-like qualities.
I’ve provided two versions of the recipe for this beer below: one made entirely with grains for the purists out there, and another that employs the use of malt extract for partial-mash brewers (or those just looking to avoid some extra stress!). Check them both out and use the one you think will work best for you.
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE
Beer Targets
(5 gallon/19 L)
OG = 1.088
FG = 1.032
IBU = 30
SRM = 70
ABV = 8%
Ingredients
14.2 lbs. (6.4 kg) 2-row malt
2.1 lbs. (0.52 kg) chocolate malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) flaked oats
1.15 lbs. (0.52 kg) Briess Blackprinz® malt
1.75 AAU Cluster hop pellets (first wort hop) 0.25 oz/7 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hop pellets (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hop pellets (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
5 oz. (142 g) lactose powder (0 min.)
Wyeast 2035 (American Lager) or White Labs WLP840 (American Lager) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Instructions
Mash & Boil
Ramp the mash bed up through conversion, aiming for a target 55% real degree of fermentation (RDF). When the grain bed reaches a mash out temperature of 168 °F (76 °C), begin the lauter. During the sparge phase, add the first wort hops to the brewpot. This is a 60-minute boil, requiring the brewer to add hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list, and the lactose at the end of the boil.
Fermentation
Ferment at 55 °F (13 °C) with lager yeast. After primary fermentation is complete, rack the beer to a secondary fermenter and condition for one month. At the Research Pilot Brewery, the Imperial Oatmeal Stout was then split and aged on varying amounts of vanilla and cocoa beans in bourbon barrels for six months, but the beer will still be great without this extra step. Bottle or keg as desired.
PARTIAL-MASH RECIPE
Beer Targets
(5 gallon/19 L)
OG = 1.088
FG = 1.032
IBU = 30
SRM = 70
ABV = 8%
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) golden liquid malt extract
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) 2-row pale malt
2.1 lbs. (0.52 kg) chocolate malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) flaked oats
1.15 lbs. (0.52 kg) Briess Blackprinz® malt
1.75 AAU Cluster hop pellets (first wort hop) (0.25 oz/7 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hop pellets (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hop pellets (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
5 oz. (142 g) lactose powder (0 min.)
Wyeast 2035 (American Lager) or White Labs WLP840 (American Lager) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Instructions
Mash
Mix the 2-row pale malt and flaked oats in a large muslin bag and place them in a large brew pot with 4.5 qts. (4 L) water. Heat the grains mixture slowly until the temperature reaches 168 °F (76 °C) over the course of 45–60 minutes. While the mash is warming up, begin heating a separate pot of 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water up to 168 °F (76 °C). Add an additional gallon (3.7 L) of water, plus the crushed chocolate malt and Blackprinz® malt in a separate muslin bag once the mash has reached 168 °F (76 °C). After roasted grains have steeped for 10 minutes at this temperature, remove both grain bags and place in a colander.
Boil
Slowly pour the remaining 2 gallons (7.8 L) over the grains to wash out the sugars. Bring to a boil, adding the liquid malt extract and first wort hops off heat just prior to reaching a full boil. Stir until extract is fully dissolved. This, too, is a 60-minute boil, so once again add the hops and lactose at the times indicated in the above ingredients list.
Fermentation
Chill the wort and top off the fermenter to 5 gallons (19 L). Then aerate the wort heavily and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 55 °F (13 °C) with lager yeast. After primary fermentation is complete, rack to a secondary and condition for one month.
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