Subbing oat malt for corn in a cream ale

[JakeAndBake]

Just like the topic says. I want to do a cream ale with oat malt instead of rice or corn. Trying to go for something light and drinkable so i have a few recipes ready for summer time. The recipe I'm looking at is from BCS, calls for 1 pound flaked rice, I was gonna sub in 3 pounds of malted oats (I also want to up the gravity a bit).

Does that sound about right? Or is there anything about using oat malt I don't know that wouldn't make it suitable for a cream ale?

Edit: For that matter, what should should I mash at? I was thinking 154 but your input would be appreciated.

[anday6]

I've been seeing a lot of cream ale recipes out there with wheat or oats (usually flaked) in place of the other adjuncts to add a creamy mouthfeel. I think this style is really all about minimal flavors beyond malt and light hops and a clean ferment.

play around with it and let us know how it goes.

[BrewerJ]

If you are going to brew a five gallon batch then 3 pounds is too much and its too much even for a ten. Now you want to know if you can sub them, sure, but you get completely opposite results from oats as you would with corn or rice. Corn and rice are used to lower the mouth feel and up the gravity since they are 100% fermentable. Oats on the other hand are used to increase mouthfeel and will have a bigger impact on flavor. Now, I think oats would be a nice addition in the .5lb per five gallons ratio as they do add a nice creamy mouthfeel.

Now if you want to enter this beer in a bjcp comp you are going to keep the oats really restrained and pretty much need rice or corn to develop the right flavors in the beer.

[JakeAndBake]

I might try that. I'm not really looking to adhere strictly to style (this is a summer drankin' beer for me). I don't think I want it to have a bunch of body so maybe I'll try it that way. I'm thinking if there is a palish ale that will take more than that, it's gonna be a English style beer, like a mild or a ESB. Just brewed an ESB, shoulda tried some out...guess it gives me something to compare it to though.,..