Briess Flaked Oats

Briess Flaked Oats are made from dehusked and unmalted oats prior to being cooked and flaked. This process gelatinizes the starches and makes them available to the enzymes present in the mash. However, since Flaked Oats are unmalted it does not contain the enzymes necessary for conversion so it will need to be mashed with other grains. Flaked Oats are readily incorporated into any mash but they will have less potential extract than most other flaked grains. There’s no need to mill Flaked Oats as the carbohydrates are readily available in the flaked form, but it can be milled if necessary. This adjunct is crucial to the production of Oatmeal Stouts and Porters and is often used, albeit in small quantities, in the production of Belgian White (Witbier). Flaked Oats have a fairly high beta-glucan content and this is one the reasons they’re used in brewing. The beta-glucans contribute weight and viscosity to a beer without adding sweetness. However, these thick and gummy beta-glucans can cause problems in your mash so be sure to use Rice Hulls or perform a mash out in order to avoid a stuck mash/sparge. Oats can be used in small quantities for mouthfeel/body or up to 25% for Oatmeal Stout. Feel free to toast them in the oven to give a fresh baked cookie character!