BostonMike

Recipes 

Hi all,

I'm looking to do a pumpkin pie flavored mead. I've read some great recipes on here and some great discussion about it. However, I am curious when making a pumpkin pie mead if you really need to add pumpkin. Many beers that are deemed "pumpkin" beers simply add the pie spices (cinn., allspice, clove, nutmeg) and often taste the same. Does the pumpkin actually add all that much flavor? I'm curious what the difference would be between a recipe with pumpkin puree plus spices versus just the spices. Thanks for any thoughts.

Mike

mccann51

Recipes 

No, it's not necessary, especially if you're just looking for that pumpkin spice flavor. But, if you want a real pumpkin flavor, I would recommend it; adds a fuller mouthfeel in the mead (and in beers too; some beers you can really tell they used pumpkin and not just spice). I'd also recommend including some sweet potato, which helps develop that "pumpkin" flavor.

calicojack

Recipes 

pour your straight must into a pumpkin, cap and seal with wax. drill for an airlock with a cork screw

malkore

Recipes 

the good pumpkin ales DO have pumpkin in them. its a starch, and if you toast it a little first, you'll get some flavor and even a little fermentable sugar out of it.

but you're right that its more the spices that are recognized as the 'pumpkin pie flavor', so you would be able to do something.

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LadySibylla

Recipes 

I did the pumpkin pie mead in the pumpkin as the primary fermenter. It turned out great. The pumpkin wall inside turned white. I transferred the liquid out and into a 1 gallon glass fermenter with airlock. I mixed up 2 pounds of honey and 4 cups water, simmered with a cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and half teaspoon of allspice. Let it cool, poured into the one gallon with the pumpkin pie mead. It bubbled quite a lot the first 3 weeks, then settled down. It is true that the pumpkin gives the mead a smooth, almost buttery mouthfeel. I like the idea of toasting the pumpkin for the next time I decide to make it!

shadygrovebrewer

Recipes 

what did you mix up to put in the pumpkin? Also how do you keep the pumpkin from spoiling?

Atek

Recipes 

Do you have a link for the process on this?

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calicojack

Recipes 

Get you a large pumpkin.


Cut your top at an angle so it has something to rest upon when you put it back on. Completely de-seed it. GET ALL OF THEM OUT, but leave the stringy stuff in)

Fill full of water (till it's over flowing), crush two campden tablets and put into water. Let sit for about 2 hours.

While your letting it sit, mix up your must. I did 3.5 quarts of honey and one full gallon of water, with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and a couple others).

Once your done sulfiting (campden tablets) the inside, dump it out. get as much water out as you can. Then pour in your must. Put your top back on it and seal with parafin.

Use a cork screw to drill your airlock whole. make sure you get one that's long enough to get all the way through the shell.



let sit for NO LONGER THAN 10 days

Athos710

Recipes 

That whole process is freaking awesome. Thanks so much for posting it up. Did you pitch the yeast in the pumpkin primary or into the carboy secondary?

calicojack

Recipes 

pumpkin primary.