Pumpkin Pie Mead (fermented in a pumpkin)

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thiessenace said:
Hey. Does anyone use acid blend? I am totally new to the game of mead. Just wondering because i heard from the local brewing store that acid blend is required.

I did, yes. The OP did not.

You will need to back sweeten this. I added some Sparkalloid today to mine and took the opportunity to taste test. Let's just say it's dry.... When I rack it again in a couple of weeks I will back sweeten and leave it sit and mellow. Right now the spice taste will take your head off :-D. All by way of saying, it has a whole lot of sweetness in it total by the end. Without the acid blend I'm not sure it'd taste like wine, as you expect some acidity from a glass of wine.
 
How did you estimate capacity based on your pumpkin size? I wanna make approximately 5 gallons based on my fermenting bucket.
 
I can't quite imagine a pumpkin that would hold 5 gallons unless you grow one of those giant pumpkins. Mine was a nice big jack o lantern size and held one gallon just right.
 
Way to awesome of an idea.
I would have been worried about mold or other infections but I've got to give this a try.

I picked up some local honey last weekend for beer, but I may have to stop and pick up three or four more pounds this weekend and try this!
 
Just be sure all your utensils are sterile, including the ones you cut and scrape the pumpkin with. And if you have any RealLemon around the house, try wetting the cut surface and the cap with it. Might hold off mold a few extra days. And of course siphon the mead out when it's time to go to the carboy so as to avoid the mold that will inevitably grow on those surfaces eventually. Have fun!
 
springmom said:
Just be sure all your utensils are sterile, including the ones you cut and scrape the pumpkin with. And if you have any RealLemon around the house, try wetting the cut surface and the cap with it. Might hold off mold a few extra days. And of course siphon the mead out when it's time to go to the carboy so as to avoid the mold that will inevitably grow on those surfaces eventually. Have fun!

I didn't even think about the carving tools, thanks
 
I JUST pitched my yeast on a 2.5 gallon batch last night. Believe it or not, the pumpkin held almost 2.75 gallons, so it was perfect! Also picked up a nice 3-gallon glass carboy for secondary while I was at the store too. I'm planning on having this ready for Christmas 2013 at the earliest, with a few bottles headed to my dad's wine cellar over the next few years. I have pics of the process so far, and I plan to keep them for future's sake when opening the bottles each year.

Interesting development though. They were out of Sweat Mead yeast, and so I explained to the guy that I was shooting for a dry mead with about 12% ABV based on my starting OG of 1.092. He said that a simple Ale yeast was taken up to 17% by a local brewer who did a barleywine, and would be good for bringing out the honey and spice flavors while cutting down the sweetness. I was sold, so I pitched the Ale yeast last night. I will let you know how it tastes when I rack it in a week or so.

Questions: I pitched it last night and left for work. I didn't agitate it this morning after stirring it up last night. However, it was definitely starting to gather on the top in colonies even though there wasn't any foam. Should I go home at lunch to stir? Or can I wait until the end of the day and make sure to stir then? I didn't realize how you needed to agitate mead for the first 24-36 hours.
Also, I didn't add ANY yeast nutrient. I didn't totally scrape the pumpkin clean and left a bit of guts attached to the sides, but took all the seeds out. I assume there should be enough nutrient in the pumpkin to get it going, but it still worries me of course. It's my first batch, so I need advice. Should I add something else to get it going, or am I okay with nutrients because its in a damn pumpkin.
 
Sweat Mead? Ewwwwww :-D

You certainly can wait until you get home. As for yeast nutrient, it won't hurt but I know zilch about the yeast you used. I'd call my supplier and ask him, or other folks on here who are beer and ale brewers can help.

Relax and enjoy this. It's great fun just to use a pumpkin as a primary :-D
 
I JUST pitched my yeast on a 2.5 gallon batch last night. Believe it or not, the pumpkin held almost 2.75 gallons, so it was perfect! Also picked up a nice 3-gallon glass carboy for secondary while I was at the store too. I'm planning on having this ready for Christmas 2013 at the earliest, with a few bottles headed to my dad's wine cellar over the next few years. I have pics of the process so far, and I plan to keep them for future's sake when opening the bottles each year.

Interesting development though. They were out of Sweat Mead yeast, and so I explained to the guy that I was shooting for a dry mead with about 12% ABV based on my starting OG of 1.092. He said that a simple Ale yeast was taken up to 17% by a local brewer who did a barleywine, and would be good for bringing out the honey and spice flavors while cutting down the sweetness. I was sold, so I pitched the Ale yeast last night. I will let you know how it tastes when I rack it in a week or so.

Questions: I pitched it last night and left for work. I didn't agitate it this morning after stirring it up last night. However, it was definitely starting to gather on the top in colonies even though there wasn't any foam. Should I go home at lunch to stir? Or can I wait until the end of the day and make sure to stir then? I didn't realize how you needed to agitate mead for the first 24-36 hours.
Also, I didn't add ANY yeast nutrient. I didn't totally scrape the pumpkin clean and left a bit of guts attached to the sides, but took all the seeds out. I assume there should be enough nutrient in the pumpkin to get it going, but it still worries me of course. It's my first batch, so I need advice. Should I add something else to get it going, or am I okay with nutrients because its in a damn pumpkin.

Just chill and see what happens.
 
LovelessAndroid said:
I JUST pitched my yeast on a 2.5 gallon batch last night. Believe it or not, the pumpkin held almost 2.75 gallons, so it was perfect! Also picked up a nice 3-gallon glass carboy for secondary while I was at the store too. I'm planning on having this ready for Christmas 2013 at the earliest, with a few bottles headed to my dad's wine cellar over the next few years. I have pics of the process so far, and I plan to keep them for future's sake when opening the bottles each year.

Interesting development though. They were out of Sweat Mead yeast, and so I explained to the guy that I was shooting for a dry mead with about 12% ABV based on my starting OG of 1.092. He said that a simple Ale yeast was taken up to 17% by a local brewer who did a barleywine, and would be good for bringing out the honey and spice flavors while cutting down the sweetness. I was sold, so I pitched the Ale yeast last night. I will let you know how it tastes when I rack it in a week or so.

Questions: I pitched it last night and left for work. I didn't agitate it this morning after stirring it up last night. However, it was definitely starting to gather on the top in colonies even though there wasn't any foam. Should I go home at lunch to stir? Or can I wait until the end of the day and make sure to stir then? I didn't realize how you needed to agitate mead for the first 24-36 hours.
Also, I didn't add ANY yeast nutrient. I didn't totally scrape the pumpkin clean and left a bit of guts attached to the sides, but took all the seeds out. I assume there should be enough nutrient in the pumpkin to get it going, but it still worries me of course. It's my first batch, so I need advice. Should I add something else to get it going, or am I okay with nutrients because its in a damn pumpkin.

That has got to be one HUGE pumpkin!
 
Racked today into my secondary after 9 days. Smells very sour. I'm worried its ruined... :(
 
I racked mine to secondary and shortly racked again because of the buildup of pumpkin pulp at the bottom. My original 1+ gallon of must is down to about 3/5 gallon now. Kind of disappointing on yield. It was dry so I added some sweet mead to secondary to bring the volume up. I also did a pumpkin wine and a pumpkin cider about the same time in a pumpkin and got the same low yields with those. In short fermenting in a pumpkin gives lower yields, hope my doctoring them up helps..
 
That's one of the downsides of any one-gallon wine, it seems. I added apple juice to mine. Makes it more of a harvest wine, but I've tasted it and it is going to be good.
 
I whipped up a batch of this today... Holy crap you guys weren't lying when you said there were a lot of spices in this. I pre-measured the volume capacity of my pumpkin and it held 1.75 gallons, so I upped the recipe a bit to take full advantage.

One question, has anyone had any problems with acetobacter with this?
 
If YOU were an acetobacter, could YOU live in all that spice? :-D. But seriously, as has been said before here, keep everything sterile and there's no reason for problems. Unless you pick a toting pumpkin to begin with. That would not be good.
 
I never sanitized my pumpkin. But i cant really tell you forsure how things will turn out cause i am bulk aging. Btw is bulk aginh a good or bad idea¿
 
thebigred67 said:
Did you guys sanitise the inside of the pumpkin?

The inside of the pumpkin IS sanitary until you cut into it. Sanitize your tools and you'll be fine. Well, and I'd say don't cut it open and then fill it hours or days later!
 
My pumpkin mead cleared really fast. Mine came out very dry so I did a big back sweetening. It sure does taste very good when sweetened, that dry stuff scared me. With the added sweetness the pumpkin comes through. Can't wait till this done.
 
Hey i made this recipe. I super excited.to try this. I think i might of made a minor mistake. I added two quarts of water and boiled like it said. Followed the recipe. When i added to my pumpkin i top it up with boiled water and eventually transfered to my secondary. I did a gravity test the other day and put it back. I took a shot glass of the must and tasted it. It tasted a bit wateres down. I was considering racking it and adding more honey. Any auggestions??
 
Hey. I am totally going to try this! It is such a awesome ide! Just one question. Did you use cambden tablets when you added the must into the pumpkin? Or did you add it to the must 1-2 days earlier then add to the pumpkin.

The inside of the pumpkin is pretty sanitary to begin with. I did not use any sanitation additives.
 
Wow ! I love the sound of this ! I am going to make this! Cannot wait till pumpkin season now !
 
I did something similar this past season, more like a pumpkin pie wine. I used apple cider, maple syrup, piloncillo, pumpkin pie spice, raisins, pecans etc all in a wax sealed pumpkin with an airlock. Used WLP500. It was oustanding :)
 
Has this been tried without scooping out the insides? Say just poking a hole large enough for a funnel to get in there and filling it up that way? Not sure how much it would hold but should allow the pumpkin to last a bit longer I would think atleast
 
Has this been tried without scooping out the insides? Say just poking a hole large enough for a funnel to get in there and filling it up that way? Not sure how much it would hold but should allow the pumpkin to last a bit longer I would think atleast
That's an interesting idea. I'm not sure if I'd want the flavor from the seeds in it though. Plus, most pumpkins have a lot of guts. So I don't think you'd get much liquid in a pumpkin that way...Hmm. It's worth considering though.
 
Has this been tried without scooping out the insides? Say just poking a hole large enough for a funnel to get in there and filling it up that way? Not sure how much it would hold but should allow the pumpkin to last a bit longer I would think atleast

This was my post originally, and I have tried this recipe (with some minor differences) three times with great success. The last one was a little too much nutmeg, but has mellowed out a little over the year. This year I am totally going to try your suggestion. There are a lot of guts in there, but a lot of that is void space. I don't remember the seeds providing much of any taste (unless cooked). We shall see how it goes!
:rockin:
 
You could use a piece of wire with a hook bent into the end to fish out most of the guts through the small hole making more space for liquid.
 
I was thinking more pumpkin mummification as in the Egyptians removing the brain through the nose of the deceased and pouring resin and spices back in, hahahaha.
Use the one on the far right. :)
roman_surgery.jpg
 
'Is it safe?'
Is it secret?..Oh wait, you mean fermenting in a pumpkin. Probably. If you dig around a bit here you'll find a lot of discussion on the subject, but basically, there isn't really anything that can both hurt a person and survive in a 4%+ alcohol solution. The very few things that can will make your brew both smell and taste like gym socks. So, if it smells like gym socks, don't drink it. :D

Even if you did start drinking the gym sock brew, you'd have to drink a fair bit of it. In all likelihood, you'd puke before you got enough of it down to do more then give you a night counting the tiles in your bathroom.
 
What about wax on the cut area with a pressure lock? Btw I'm going to try this next weekend and age it for next Halloween!
 
What about wax on the cut area with a pressure lock? Btw I'm going to try this next weekend and age it for next Halloween!
Can't see why it wouldn't work but myself I'd stay firmly in the 6th century and just replace the plug and let the gas seep out around the edge of the cut but hey that's just me.
 
What about wax on the cut area with a pressure lock? Btw I'm going to try this next weekend and age it for next Halloween!
Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to stop reading my mind. Failure to comply may result in confiscation of your pumpkin pie mead. :mug:

I've got a pumpkin cleaned out. I've got my 1.090 mead base ready. I've got cheese wax heating in a double boiler on my stove. I'll post pictures when I can be away from it for a while. :ban:
 
Ok, so mine is a little different. 5lbs of mountain gold madhava honey. That made 2 gallons of 1.090 must. To that, I added 2 tsp yeast energizer, 4 tsp yeast nutrient, 1 tbs ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves. The yeast was a 5 gram packet of Pasteur champagne sprinkled over the top.

I figured I'd get about 1 gallon in the pumpkin... No. The whole 2 gallons fit. Though it was pretty tight. I'd be more concerned about a blowoff, but champagne yeast is pretty tame stuff. The entire underside of the lid is coated with cheese wax too. I have an airlock installed, but I doubt it's actually necessary. The lid didn't fit snugly after waxing, and I'm expecting lots of co2 loss around the edge.

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Had to try this. Jacko'lantern pumpkin right out of the garden, must prepared as per original post. Only problem I had was too much honey and the pumpkin barely held a gallon resulting in a ridiculously high gravity of 1.170......I hope this doesn't ferment too dry
 
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