Help with Dogfish Punkin

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Beau815

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or any pumpkin ale for that matter. I have been adding bits and pieces from others recipes and some from brewers of this style. Below I have a recipe that is supposed to be close to DFH Punkin ale. I want it a bit higher abv... something like 9%. Aiming for 1.090 SG. I am only on my 3rd AG batch. I added some extra fermentables as well as hops to balance, which i have NO clue if it will balance. Anyone have anything to check if it will? Or does this recipe look unbalanced?

This is what the recipe maker said:
I put the pumkin right in the mash. I have been developing this recipe around my favorite pumpkin beer - dogfish punkin - and I think it is VERY close…

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Clone Recipe

Ingredients:
10 lbs pale 2 row malt - Ill add 5 lbs (15 total, to increase abv and i suck at efficiency so this may help)
1 lbs Special Roast (adding another pound total 2, using caramel malt?? like pumking)
1 lbs Crystal 60
2-large cans libbys pumpkin - in the mash (ill throw another small can in boil)
1 lbs brown sugar - 60 min (ill add a half pound more 1.5 total)
1 ounces Hallertauer - 60 min (add magnum .5 oz hop used in pumking)
1 1/2 TBS PUMPKIN PIE SPICE, boil 15 minutes (is this too much? others use 2 TSP not TBS)
1 tablet of whirlfloc – 15 minutes (is this needed?)
1 oz. Hallertauer finishing – 5 minutes (add sterling .5 oz hop used in pumking)
Wyeast American ale yeast (need stronger yeast?)
Procedure:
Shooting for an OG of around 1.070 or so. (want mine near 1.090)

Thanks all.
 
I want it a bit higher abv... something like 9%. Aiming for 1.090 SG.

Wow, if there's one flaw in their punkin' ale, it's the alcoholly taste. I think their punkin' ale would taste a lot better with a lower gravity around 5.0% abv. That's just me though... carry on.:)
 
Next time I make my pumpkin ale I am only using 1.5 teaspoons of spices. I originally made mine with a total of 3 teaspoons of spice (which is a tablespoon) and at first it was good but it did not age well.
 
ill take note of that, 1.5 teaspoons sounds fine to me.... ill update that on my recipe. Now's the time for brewing for Oct. 31st maybe 2 weeks from now, busy as hell for a while
 
And unfortunetely with spices it's all a personal preference. I have a rule with spice type beers. First time is a trail, second time deal with what you didn't like. Trial and error.
 
Brewing this badboy today! Hope to have it tapped for 10/31.

You certainly will have it fermented and carbed by then, but a 9% ABV spiced beer will very likely not be 'ready' in that short a time.

I don't want to discourage you though! Go for it! But if it's not good by Halloween, don't write it off. It will age well for along time!
 
I have my doubts as well, not aiming for 9% but decided to go with the original recipe. If not tasty by Halloween, certainlywill be by thanksgiving. Looks like you have some experience with pumpkin beer, how did yours turn out? I'll report back here after first tasting!

Cheers,
:mug:
 
:ban: and the wait was worth it! I brewed this back in late May b/c I knew it took FOREVER for those spices to blend appropriately. By October this is going to be a SMASHING beer. Here's the extract recipe FWIW:
---------Pumpkin Ale (extract)-----------
5 lbs amber DME
2 lbs Munich
0.5 lbs crystal 40
1.0 oz Goldings (60 min)
1 lb 13 oz canned pumpkin (60 min)
1.0 tsp allspice (10 min)
0.5 tsp cinnamon (10 min)
0.25 tsp crushed cloves (10 min)
0.20 oz irish moss (10 min)
--------------------------------------------

The recent batch was prepared using an all-grain version. All I did was convert the DME to 2-row and voila, it was ready to go. The beer does take more than 3 months to age properly and get a good balance. I gotta tell ya, I LOVE halloween with this beer in the wings. :mug:
 
:ban: and the wait was worth it! I brewed this back in late May b/c I knew it took FOREVER for those spices to blend appropriately. By October this is going to be a SMASHING beer. Here's the extract recipe FWIW:
---------Pumpkin Ale (extract)-----------
5 lbs amber DME
2 lbs Munich
0.5 lbs crystal 40
1.0 oz Goldings (60 min)
1 lb 13 oz canned pumpkin (60 min)
1.0 tsp allspice (10 min)
0.5 tsp cinnamon (10 min)
0.25 tsp crushed cloves (10 min)
0.20 oz irish moss (10 min)
--------------------------------------------

The recent batch was prepared using an all-grain version. All I did was convert the DME to 2-row and voila, it was ready to go. The beer does take more than 3 months to age properly and get a good balance. I gotta tell ya, I LOVE halloween with this beer in the wings. :mug:
Giving the Recipe a go... bottling it today... do you suggest waiting another 3 months in the bottles? or two months?
 
Putting the pumpkin directly in the mash is a big time PITA. Holy stuck mash Batman. DAMHIKT.....From now on I will boil the pumpkin with the wort in the BK.
 
I gave the beer a full five months to condition and it was TREMENDOUS by the time I started drinking it in earnest. :tank: I've taken to putting aside canned pumpkin each year for the following year's batch. It works for me. :fro: One thing, when the pumpkin is in the boil, a wort chiller at the end is your friend because the temperature crash will help bring the pumpkin to the bottom of the kettle. If you find that the pumpkin still doesn't want to come down after cooling, strain the wort through some cheese cloth across a sieve. It'll hyper-oxygenate the wort and you can pull the pumpkin out with little volume loss to the wort.

cheers and beers :tank:
 
I know this is old but anyone try this yet? I plan on brewing it soon.

If I were you I would look for a better pumkin clone. I live right by the brewery in VA.

The best pumkin beers I have tasted has been Alewerks and Schlafly.

Just my suggestion
 
If I were you I would look for a better pumkin clone. I live right by the brewery in VA.

The best pumkin beers I have tasted has been Alewerks and Schlafly.

Just my suggestion

I like the dogfish... Nice subtle notes, unlike pumking which is horrible... Just curious how close it is, or how good. What would be an ideal recipe in your opinion?
 
I hate pumking. I got it because everyone was all raving about it but it was trash in my book.

Schlafly has a very good pumpkin kick...lot more spice than Dogfish. It may very well be the best I tasted. I have all three here at my home now. Pumkin is one of my favs so i store away a few when the season runs out.

Looks like this guy has a good clone...I will probably brew this fall.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/schlafly-pumpkin-ale-clone-attempt-sorta-201624/
 
Thanks, going to give this one a try since I have all the ingredients. I'm actually looking for less spice kick, more subtle pumpkin taste... don't like drinking pumpkin pie. I'll post how it turns out if anyone is interested.
 
I brewed this about 1.5 months ago and agree on the alcoholy overtone, but the original is similar.

The other night after messing around with psi I found there's a "sweet spot" where this goes down dang creamy and smooth.

Going to try 6-8 psi tonight and increase very slowly, let you know what I find
 
I brewed this about 1.5 months ago and agree on the alcoholy overtone, but the original is similar.

The other night after messing around with psi I found there's a "sweet spot" where this goes down dang creamy and smooth.

Going to try 6-8 psi tonight and increase very slowly, let you know what I find

awwwww- that's just you kegging snobs thumbing your noses at us poor inferior bottling slobs !! :eek:
 
awwwww- that's just you kegging snobs thumbing your noses at us poor inferior bottling slobs !! :eek:


No dude! My bottle beers come out much more tasty actually...the temptation to drink is higher with a keg than a bottle IMO.

Btw I left in primary for a solid 4-5 weeks. Gives some mellow time
 
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