Pumpkin beer
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Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
There are lots of yeasts that do well at high temps, but they are usually not clean profile yeasts. Typically, yeasts that ferment at higher temps also have stronger ester profiles, which are not really suited to pumpkin beers in my experience. If you want the pumpkin and spice to be the predominate flavor, then it's better to use a clean variety of yeast that ferments a little cooler. Otherwise, you may end up with a pumpkin ale that has a Belgian/Saison type character to it.
Do you not have the ability to control fermentation temps? If not you could always use a swamp cooler.
Do you not have the ability to control fermentation temps? If not you could always use a swamp cooler.
Ok. What is a swap cooler? I have been fermenting around 72 degrees and was thinking this is warm. I do not like the yeasty flavors you mentioned and always keep a variety of dry yeast in my fridge which is why I ask which strain may work best for this full body full flavor pumpkin pie in a bottle beer.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Then I would use a clean strain like US 05.
A swamp cooler is where you put the fermenter in a Rubbermaid tub full of water and add frozen water bottles to keep the temp down. Fill the tub up to the same level of the beer in the fermenter. Change out one or two frozen water bottles twice a day to keep the temp down. If you keep the water in the tub at around 55F it will give you a fermentation temp of around 60-65F, which is perfect for a clean fermentation with US 05. After the first 3-5 days when the majority of fermentation is over you can let the water in the tub rise to about 65F, and keep it there for the duration until ready to package.
A swamp cooler is where you put the fermenter in a Rubbermaid tub full of water and add frozen water bottles to keep the temp down. Fill the tub up to the same level of the beer in the fermenter. Change out one or two frozen water bottles twice a day to keep the temp down. If you keep the water in the tub at around 55F it will give you a fermentation temp of around 60-65F, which is perfect for a clean fermentation with US 05. After the first 3-5 days when the majority of fermentation is over you can let the water in the tub rise to about 65F, and keep it there for the duration until ready to package.
If your ambient temp is 72 then like Stauffbier mentioned, a swamp cooler should do the trick. You should also drape some cloth over the fermenter so water is drawn up and over it, it is called evaporative cooling and it can lower the temperature a bit. You can probably get the temp down to 66. Do you have a basement? Mine is 68 in the summer and my house is hot as hell (no AC)
I have made this recipe twice before but used coopers yeast. It was ok. I try not to use coopers any more if I can help it. This should be ready for harvest. (B). If you have not tried Pumpkin beer before it is a definite try.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
I have a Pumpkin Amber recipe and a Pumpkin Porter recipe. I prefer the porter. I'm not a huge pumpkin beer fan. This year I'm thinking I'll make a very high gravity version of my pumpkin amber. I think I'll like it better that way.
I've never used Coopers yeast. I've actually read a lot of negative comments about it. When it comes to dry yeasts I almost always use US 05. Sometimes I'll use S 04 or Nottingham.
I've never used Coopers yeast. I've actually read a lot of negative comments about it. When it comes to dry yeasts I almost always use US 05. Sometimes I'll use S 04 or Nottingham.
Beernik
Well-Known Member
I make mine in August when I have have the highest temps in my cellar, so I do a pumpkin Saison.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
It's not the quintessential Fall pumpkin style per se, but I would imagine that pumpkin does work well in a Saison. I like Saisons myself, but I know a lot of people don't like them.
Fermentis puts out top notch yeasts.
I've used real roasted pumpkin once and loved it.
One pie pumpkin. Scoop out the guts. There's not much in a pie pumpkin. Slice into chunks. Put in the oven at 250 until it starts changing color. Add the roasted pumpkin right into the mash.
I've used real roasted pumpkin once and loved it.
One pie pumpkin. Scoop out the guts. There's not much in a pie pumpkin. Slice into chunks. Put in the oven at 250 until it starts changing color. Add the roasted pumpkin right into the mash.
Beernik
Well-Known Member
7.7% with Hallertauer for bittering and a late Citra addition. It never received any complaints.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
I did something similar on my pumpkin porter. I used a huge pumpkin (maybe 13in. diameter). I chopped it up and charred it on my grill until nice and blackened, then I wrapped it in foil with brown sugar and spices and baked in the grill until very tender. I then pureed it and put it in the mash. It contributed a smoky spiced pumpkin flavor that went very well in a porter.
Sounds good. What yeast strain?
Beernik
Well-Known Member
White Labs 566 - Saison II. Mashed at 145F. Made it nice and dry.
Sounds great. Hell, I might just eat that.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Yeah, my daughter and I did indeed eat some. It's super tasty!
Did a pumpkin today myself, light on the spices, gravity sample tasted great, going to be tasty in the fall.
I plan on doing a saison version before too long.
I plan on doing a saison version before too long.
