gumpbrew

Recipes 

I have a Smashing Pumpkin Ale kit coming from Northern Brewer. Here the list of ingredients:

SPECIALTY GRAIN
- 0.5 lb Briess Caramel 40
FERMENTABLES
- 3.15 lbs Amber malt syrup (60 min)
- 1.0 lb Pilsen dried malt extract (60 min)
- 3.15 lbs Amber malt syrup late addition (15 min)
HOPS & FLAVORINGS
- 1 oz Cluster (60 min)
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (0 min)
I plan on using Wyeast 1056 American Ale

I want to know from all of you pros with Pumpkin Ales what I can add or do different to make this a kick ass pumpkin brew.

Whether it be pumpkin, spices, hops, grains, LME, or anything else.

Thanks for your help in advance...

Cordane

Recipes 

Are you convinced that the recipe as is won't kick ass?

__________________
Do - with which I buy beer stuff!
Ray - the guy I buy stuff from!
Me - the guy I make beer for!
Fah - a long way to the store!
So - I'll have another beer!
La - ... um... la la la la la laaaaa!
Ti - No thanks, make it a beer!
And that brings us back to Do!
Cordane's Rolling Kegerator (Image Intensive!) - 23 kinds of awesome!

gumpbrew

Recipes 

Lol... I am sure it will, Northern Brewer always puts together excellent kits.

I've heard of people putting in canned pumpkin, ginger, and other spices...

Just looking for some input or something I could add... That's all.

Trubnoob

Recipes 

Made this extract kit yesterday. Baked some pumpkin purée with brown sugar and then mashed it with 6-row per NB directions. Added 8oz of biscuit malt to steeping grains and plan on racking on top of two vanilla beans later. Looks and smell great, but I'm sure the kit would've been tasty on its own.

Happy brewing!

eyebike

Recipes 

how about maple syrup as bottle conditioner rather than the normal corn sugar? Might take a little longer but should add some fun flavor notes

gumpbrew

Recipes 

How much pumpkin puree and brown sugar did you use?? And how about baking temp and time??

Thanks

MMJfan

Recipes 

I did a different recipe bui I too baked my canned pumpkin. I had 60 oz that I spread on a cookie sheet and baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. For the last 5 minutes I spread brown sugar over the pumpkin so I wouldn't carmelize the brown sugar...

gumpbrew

Recipes 

More instructions from Northern Brewer:
If you want to incorporate actual vegetables in this recipe, you’ll need to purchase an additional 2 or 3 pounds of Rahr 6-row (#G002) and provide your own 8 to 10 pound pumpkin (winter squash like butternut or acorn will work if pumpkin is out of season). Cut up the gourd, discard the innards, and roast or microwave the pieces until soft and cooked through, then peel. Mash the peeled, cooked pumpkin flesh with upto 3 gallons of hot water, the 6-row and the included grains at 152°F for 1 hour. Then strain the liquid off and add it to the water in the boil kettle, topping up to achieve 3 gallons

Should I mash with 2.5 gallons and rinse with a .5 gallon for a total of 3 gallons? Then I will have 3 gallons of wort... I plan on using 60 oz. of pumpkin puree...

Trubnoob

Recipes 

I did 60oz of the pumpkin purée at 350 for 20 minutes also. The brown sugar was cooked that whole time too. I sort of eyeballed and sprinkled it over the pumpkin. I think it was about a cup.

I mashed with 3 gallons because every thread I've seen says you'll lose some wort to the pumpkin. I strained the mash through a nylon bag and ended with 2.5.

tjt_88

Recipes 

I started a pumpkin beer I put a 30oz can of pumpkin in it with two pounds of brown sugar and I'm going to soak some oak chips in bourbon. Should be good