Belgian pumpkin beer?

What are your thoughts on a pumpkin beer brewed with Belgian yeast. I have a bunch of WLP 500 from a yeast wash so I wanted to try it in a pumpkin beer. Thoughts?


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do it

The spice from the yeast will go well with a pumpkin beer.

Go for it! In a few weeks I'm going to try a Pumpkin Hefeweizen! Should be interesting.


Rev.

I dont really like pumpkin beers so when I set out to make one that would actually like this is exactly what I did. I also have this thing about putting spices in beers; mainly because of of how much I like the spice notes from German wheat and Belgian yeasts.
i dont have an exact recipe but off the top of my head
I used 2lb of homemade roasted pumpkin puree in the mash
for specialty grains I remember using biscuit, special-b and a crystal probably 60 or 120, I also think there was a pound or two of pilsner in there
I threw a pound of raw cane sugar in the boil
for hops i know there was chinook and saaz but there could have been some CTZ in there as well.
the abv was right at 7%
I served it a little young (~month from grain to glass) for more yeast notes but both of the 5g batches I did last fall disappeared very quickly; so more will be brewed as soon as pumpkins start showing up.

to answer your question, yes, do it and hide some because non-beer drinkers will love it

I think thats a great idea, let the yeast provide some of those flavors and phenolics naturally and you don't have to go as crazy with added spices.

Ok cool. Thanks for the input. Gonna be brewing it up on Friday!


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Sam Adam's actually released a Harvest Saison this year in their fall twelve pack and although it's not really one of my favorite styles it was pretty good. Go for it!


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Sounds like a great idea. Keep us updated!

pennahighlandbrew said:

Sam Adam's actually released a Harvest Saison this year in their fall twelve pack and although it's not really one of my favorite styles it was pretty good. Go for it!


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This...the saison was decent and I can see that style taking off, really nice mix of flavors and mouthfeel

21st Amendment's belgian tripel pumpkin beer was nice too, only because the spice was low and allowed the tripel to shine through

Brew that beer!

I have done this with a belgian dark strong.

Tip 1: Do NOT use powdered/preground spices at any point. They will make it into the final beer and act as nucleation points for the co2 to be knocked out of suspension. Use real/raw spices.

Tip 2: Cut the spices you think you should add by 1/3 to 1/2. The yeast not only creates some of these flavors but will amplify them.

GL

Zamial said:

Tip 1: Do NOT use powdered/preground spices at any point. They will make it into the final beer and act as nucleation points for the co2 to be knocked out of suspension. Use real/raw spices.

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What? I've used powered McCormick spices in several pumpkin ales and in Apple Pie ales with ZERO problems. Where are you getting this false information from? I've even had several bottles of Apple Pie Ale sitting in my fridge for nearly a year and have popped them open and they're perfectly and fully carbonated and spiced.


Rev.

Do it. I am not generally a huge fan of pumpkin beers, but one of my favourite commercial example uses a saison yeast - Great Lakes Saison Du Pump http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9408/73375/

Rev2010 said:

What? I've used powered McCormick spices in several pumpkin ales and in Apple Pie ales with ZERO problems. Where are you getting this false information from? I've even had several bottles of Apple Pie Ale sitting in my fridge for nearly a year and have popped them open and they're perfectly and fully carbonated and spiced.

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Personal experience as well as second hand knowledge. I suppose I should have added the word "can" to that tip. In my absence I forgot how critical the internet folk can be. YMMV but that doesn't mean it is false... BTW the second hand knowledge is from other pro brewers...

I have had nothing but horrid luck with the powdered spices and will never use them in my brewing again. If you search HBT you will also find others that have had this issue.

Since this was specific to brewing a belgian style, which is typically a higher carbonation volume it may be problematic.

I saw recently 21st Amendment had a pumkin triple in a pumkin porter mix 6'er

I've always wanted to do a Belgian squash ale, same deal but I'd use a gnarly squash like Blue Hubbord or something.

Do it.

Zamial said:

Personal experience as well as second hand knowledge. I suppose I should have added the word "can" to that tip.

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Well, as mentioned in my experience I've had zero issues using powered spices so I still wouldn't count that information as 100% correct and backed by irrefutable science. Just looked at my recipes and see between the Pumpkin's and Apple Pie ale's I've done 9 batches using powered spices, not one of them had any carbonation issues, all bottle carbed. Even the kits that come from stores like Northern and Midwest use powered spices.

Not looking to drag this on, it's just the information is so counter to the real world experiences I've had using powered spices. A nod to you though that whole spices are indeed better for flavor in that they are the freshest.


Rev.

So I decide to brew up my pumpkin beer using Belgian yeast. It's fermenting right now. I used a dark brown ale recipe and am hoping it will be around 8%. I will keep you updated when fermentation is completed. I'm hoping to have this done by October 18th for my Halloween party ( I am kegging so no co2 issues here)

Just transferred to the secondary. Came out pretty much the exact color I was shooting for. Taste is good but really green. Not super Belgian and not super pumpkin tasting just a hint of both. Now I'm gonna cold crash it for a week and keg it next Monday/Tuesday.