Autumn Seasonal Beer Punkin' Ale

No, two packets is not over pitching. It is actually almost the exact pitching rate for this beer.

As far as spices go, I have no idea. Just stick with the plain pumpkin puree

Not that anybody particularly cares, but I thought I'd follow-up and say that my Lager version of this was very, very good. I wish I had made 18 gallons of it because 9 went wayyy too fast (2 weeks). Next year I'll definitely do a double batch. Thanks for the recipe, Reno. Anyone looking for a good pumpkin-spice beer, this one should be the end-all-be-all.

Word of advice: rice hulls are your friend.

I've been sparging for about an hour now, and I've collected about 2.5 gallons of delicious, pumpkiny nectar (mmmmmmmm). I only added about 0.75 lbs of rice hulls. I'd definitely go with 2 lbs next time.

This recipe is awesome; it smells delicious. Thanks again for sharing, Reno.

tre9er said:

Not that anybody particularly cares, but I thought I'd follow-up and say that my Lager version of this was very, very good. I wish I had made 18 gallons of it because 9 went wayyy too fast (2 weeks). Next year I'll definitely do a double batch. Thanks for the recipe, Reno. Anyone looking for a good pumpkin-spice beer, this one should be the end-all-be-all.

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Man, that is some serious talking-up of this recipe. Thank you! I'll have to try a lagered version of this when the keg starts getting low.

I used SF Steam, but fermented below 60 as I normally do with lager yeasts. Really let the spice elements shine.

Just bottled my Punkin' Ale batch. Can't wait until its ready! It's delicious now!

Wreck99 said:

Just bottled my Punkin' Ale batch. Can't wait until its ready! It's delicious now!

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:rockin:

My opinion is one packet of US05 is good, if rehydrated properly. If you just sprinkle on top of the wort without rehydrating, you are killing half of the yeast.

I've never done a starter for this beer. Pitch 1056, and call it good. Technically its under pitching by a lot, but it finishes fine just the same.

I didnt do a starter either. Started at 1065 i think.

When I brewed mine, for some reason my OG was really low...I don't know if my hydrometer just isn't calibrated, but it showed 1.037... After fermentation I was at a FG of 1.001. Bottled just over 2 weeks ago with 4.5 oz of dextrose.. I used 2 packages is US05 and I think it came out just fine..It's probably going to be a little dry because of the low OG but so far it tastes a lot better than the way to sour one I made last year..

Just had the finished product last night. Awesome beer. Perfectly spiced. Thanks for the recipe! Definitely making this again next year.

Here's the first bottle I opened of this years batch! I think it turned out pretty damn good, and a hell of a lot better than my batch last year! THANKS Reno! This ones ready just in the nick of time for thanksgiving. The only thing I changed from the OP was I substituted Northern Brewer for the last hop addition.

do you pickup alot of the pumpkin and pumkin spice aromas during fermentation, i don't pickup on any on my batch that started on saturday.

jdgapc said:

do you pickup alot of the pumpkin and pumkin spice aromas during fermentation, i don't pickup on any on my batch that started on saturday.

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This beer really isn't itself at all until about 4+ weeks.

Just cracked my first bottle after two and a half weeks. Very good, taking some for Thanksgiving tomorrow but I'm excited to see how much better it gets in the next few weeks!! Will brew again for sure.

So my FG is finishing a little high (1.025), but my OG was also a little high (1.071). Since my ABV is a little higher than expected, I was thinking about adding water to the fermenter to dry it out a bit.

Does anybody have any experience with this?

Try amylase enzyme. Just a scosche

brewski08 said:

So my FG is finishing a little high (1.025), but my OG was also a little high (1.071). Since my ABV is a little higher than expected, I was thinking about adding water to the fermenter to dry it out a bit.

Does anybody have any experience with this?

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Why not just leave it be??

Want to brew a Southern Teir Pumpking clone for my family to celebrate my upcoming granddaughters birth.

Found Reno's Pumkin extract recipe and Austin Home Brew Supply clone. AHS clone is so new can't find review when I search forum or AHBS site.

Does anyone have experience with this kit or Pumkin recipe that allows them to help me choose the best Southern Teir Pumking clone to brew.

Thanks for the recipe Reno.

Thanks all

k47k said:

Brewed this on 9/24. Drinking it today, pretty tasty, i drastically reduced the amount of spices, they are barely noticeable in the final beer, which is fine with me. i lightly rim the glass with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and sugar for those who want it to taste like pumpkin pie.

when i went to keg, i opened the primary and it smelled like someone farted in it. i was worried the beer was ruined, however the finished beer has zero fart taste or aroma.

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Read this to my SWMBO she said the glass rim idea sounds really tasty, she likes it. She said she's really glad the beer didn't come out tasting like a fart.
She asked me what a fart tastes like .... I didn't know so I thought I'd ask...

Hahaha. When I bottled mine it tasted and smelled bad and I also thought I fudged something up. After 4 weeks in bottle, I couldn't believe how good it was.

Krovitz said:

Hahaha. When I bottled mine it tasted and smelled bad and I also thought I fudged something up. After 4 weeks in bottle, I couldn't believe how good it was.

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HA, yup. Patience really pays off with this one.

Actually, mine is kind of hot right now and it's really covering up the spices. But I'm sure in a week or two I'll be posting about how much it's changed.

Mine has been in the bottle for 2 weeks now. I'm thinking of sampling one next week.

Well just made my second batch of this great brew. I bought the grain from an online shop because of a great deal. They shipped what was labeled at two bags of 5# of 2-row but there was an extra bag that just said 2-row. I assumed they just gave me extra grain. Well I learned an important lesson...always weight your ingredients unless you weight and bag yourself! I realized the grain bill was low during the fly sparge but obviously I was already a bit late, so I just finished it up.

OG as 1.053 (my last batch came in at 1.081) but I neglected 3-4 lbs of base malt. The final wort smelled awesome so I'm just going to call this one Drunkin Punkin Lite!

If you have some lme on hand, you could boost it. But, it'll probably be good all the same.

I'd just let it ride if I were you. I'm sure it'll end up tasting just as good, just without the winter warmer effect.

Mine ended up really harsh! I don't understand why. Could this have to do with my water? I used half a campden tablet for 10 gallons to dechlorinate.

It is really weak on the spices too. I'm not sure if I should just let it go longer (brewed 10/25, bottled 11/12) or if it's a lost cause.

Turned out great! Been in the bottles now for 3 weeks. You can tell the Pumpkin is there, but its not overpowering. Love it!

JordanThomas said:

Mine ended up really harsh! I don't understand why. Could this have to do with my water? I used half a campden tablet for 10 gallons to dechlorinate.

It is really weak on the spices too. I'm not sure if I should just let it go longer (brewed 10/25, bottled 11/12) or if it's a lost cause.

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Leave it alone. Don't crack a bottle till Christmas Eve. The spices come through very nicely with time.

This! Brewed this with a friend and it was overspiced. I said give it time, he said, "I give it to you." Change his mind in a month, more for me!

Yup. Just had my first full pint yesterday. It's about 2 weeks from perfection.

rewski said:

Well just made my second batch of this great brew. I bought the grain from an online shop because of a great deal. They shipped what was labeled at two bags of 5# of 2-row but there was an extra bag that just said 2-row. I assumed they just gave me extra grain. Well I learned an important lesson...always weight your ingredients unless you weight and bag yourself! I realized the grain bill was low during the fly sparge but obviously I was already a bit late, so I just finished it up.

OG as 1.053 (my last batch came in at 1.081) but I neglected 3-4 lbs of base malt. The final wort smelled awesome so I'm just going to call this one Drunkin Punkin Lite!

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Well fermentation is going great!

Second batch this year, five weeks primary. Bottling

wreck99 said:

turned out great! Been in the bottles now for 3 weeks. You can tell the pumpkin is there, but its not overpowering. Love it!

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+1

I brewed this again Saturday (3rd time) and had an interesting brew session. First, I wasn't paying attention to how much pre-boil volume I had in my pot and sparged a little (even though I BIAB) extra water through the grain. I noticed I had about 8¼ gallons of wort. No biggie, I decided to boil an extra 30 minutes to bring the wort volume down. Let the wort boil 30 minutes then started my 60 minute hop addition and brown sugar and continued on. Boil complete, cooled to pitching temp, checked volume, only 5 gallons in my pot and the OG was 1.082, yikes. Siphoned into the fermenter only 4½ gallons of wort. I didn't panic just went inside and boiled another gallon of water. I needed some anyway to rehydrate the yeast. I added ¾ gallon of water to the fermentor to give me 5¼ gallons and I took another hydrometer reading. Now the OG is 1.074, much better, poured in the yeast and let it rip.

Oh nice! Sounds like an adventure. I'm sure it'll be great

Going to do second batch this weekend.

Thanks alot Reno_Envy you #*(&$#(*^($&#(&$!
Thanks to you I am taking up home brewing
All joking aside. I have never brewed an ounce of beer. But a good friend made your recipe (some minor change I believe due to ingredients on hand) and I thought it was the best Pumpkin beer I have had (tried about 5 different commercial varieties). So I have spent the past 5 or 6 weeks weeks reading all about making home brew and have decided to take the plunge. I will be doing all grain with the BIAB (beer in a bag) method and your recipe will be my first attempt.:rockin:
It will take another week or 2 to gather everything I need and then it is brew time! I just hope I can wait long enough for the beer to mature before I start drinking it all

ChrisL_ said:

Thanks alot Reno_Envy you #*(&$#(*^($&#(&$!
Thanks to you I am taking up home brewing
All joking aside. I have never brewed an ounce of beer. But a good friend made your recipe (some minor change I believe due to ingredients on hand) and I thought it was the best Pumpkin beer I have had (tried about 5 different commercial varieties). So I have spent the past 5 or 6 weeks weeks reading all about making home brew and have decided to take the plunge. I will be doing all grain with the BIAB (beer in a bag) method and your recipe will be my first attempt.:rockin:
It will take another week or 2 to gather everything I need and then it is brew time! I just hope I can wait long enough for the beer to mature before I start drinking it all

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Ha! I'm sorry and you're welcome at the same time, then. I wish you luck. If you have any questions about the beer that isn't covered in this thread or any general brewing questions please ask.