Imperial Pumpkin - Need to balance the booze!

GregPearson33 · 11-12-2009, 02:43 AM

Heres the recipe for starters:

1 lbs. American Caramel 40°L info
1 lbs. American Caramel 20°L info
3.3 pounds Pumpkin (1 large pumpkin roasted 350° for 60 min then steeped with grains 60 min at 155°)
3 lbs. Dry Extra Light Extract info
3 lbs. Dry Light Extract info
2 lbs. Dark Brown Sugar info
.5 oz. Cascade (Pellets, 6.3 %AA) boiled 60 min. info
.5 oz. Cascade (Pellets, 6.3 %AA) boiled 30 min. info
1 teaspoon cinnamon (added last 5 minutes)
1 teaspoon allspice (added last 5 minutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla (added last 5 minutes)

Although I didn't take an initial reading, by my calculations the starting gravity was probably around 1.08. That was Saturday, and after a couple days of vigorous fermentation (today is Wednesday) I took a reading and got about 1.02.

Problem is - it REAKS of booze and the taste is still a little too sweet. I know some of the sweetness will be extracted as we get closer to final gravity, but that will just make the burn worse!

Is this a good candidate to try dry-hopping the secondary? Any suggestions for hops styles? Could the addition of more spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc) help balance out the booze?

jeremyx · 11-12-2009, 03:37 AM

That's about what mine was, only I left the spices out. Let it ferment for another week at least and it'll be great.

godofcheese · 11-12-2009, 02:31 PM

That boozy taste can go away over time. When I made a belgian wheat I had a good bit when we bottled it. 3 weeks and over night in the fridge, it was all gone.