Yup, nice description of your process. Sounds like you'll have a tasty vanilla oatmeal stout on your hands in about six weeks!

i'd say it's going to be more of a oatmeal vanilla stout.

Let's compromise and say oatnilla (because vameal just sounds perverse).

It will be tough to compare it to my favourites... St. Ambroise Oatmeal stout and Dieu Du Ciel's Aphrodisiaque! But I will have pride in drinking this one... not possible with store bought brew!

Thanks, and Done... posted an intro here:

http://www.mrbeerfans.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/253422.html#Post253422

Okay, so I know it's not yet finished bottle conditioning yet but I did try one last Friday and then again tonight. So far with this one I'm thinking back and wishing I did 3 things...

1) No booster (still has a slight homebrew "tinge")... maybe will get better? Would like to maybe try DME next time or another can of sticky wicket.

2) Use more than 1/2 tsp sugar for bottle conditioning, there's hardly any carbonation in these ones... and barely any head after 10 days bottle conditioning. I have no problem with this stout being a bit more carbonated.

3) Use slightly less vanilla... it's a bit overpowering. I did soak 2 beans in vodka for a week then took one of the beans out. I dumped the remaining infusion plus one of the beans in (without really cutting it up, but did peel it open a bit) after a week fermenting. Still a bit too strong.

One thing I still can do and I will do is wait on it and maybe try one each week. Hopefully the flavours will come together a bit better!

Cheers,

J