Pumpkin Ale when Pumpkins are out of Season?

Hey friends,

I'm wanting to brew a pumpkin ale recipe that I picked up from my LBHS. Problem is, everywhere I go to or call says that "solid pack pumpkin" (comes in a can) is out of season.

My question is, have any of you used pumpkin pie spice instead? Its made up of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

Here is the partial-mash recipe I'm going off of:

Batch Size: 5G
OG: 1.060
FG: 1.015
Mash Time: 45 Min @ 170

(Grain Bill)
English 60L 8.00 oz 6.5 % 3.7
German Carafa II 4.00 oz 3.2 % 9.2
Belgian Aromatic Malt 4.00 oz 3.2 % 0.9
Belgian Pilsen Malt 4.00 oz 3.2 % 0.0
Solid Pack Pumpkin (in partial mash) 26.00 oz

(Extracts)
Extract - Light Dried Malt Extract 5lb 0oz 64.5 % 2.8
Sugar - Corn Sugar/Dextrose (Dry) 1lb 0oz 12.9 % 0.0
Sugar - Lactose 8.00 oz 6.5 % 0.0

(Hopping Schedule)
US Willamette 5.9 % 1.00 oz 28.1 60 Min
Styrian Goldings 3.1 % 1.00 oz 14.7 60 Min
US Cascade 5.4 % 0.50 oz 0.0 0 Min

(Adjuncts)
Chinese 5 Spice 2 tablespoon 15 Min
Allspice .25 teaspoon 15 Min
Molasses 1 oz (liquid) 15 Min

(Finings)
Irish Moss 1 teaspoon 20 Min

(Yeast)
#3522 Belgian Ardennes

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Its canned pumpkin. Its in EVERY grocery store go to the pie filling isle. Make sure you don't get the one with additional ingredients. Someone gave you some wrong info. Canned food is never out of season.

mosquitocontrol said:

Its canned pumpkin. Its in EVERY grocery store go to the pie filling isle. Make sure you don't get the one with additional ingredients. Someone gave you some wrong info. Canned food is never out of season.

Click to expand...

I wish it were that easy. According to every grocery store in the area (Los Angeles, CA) there is currently a shortage of it and I can't find it anywhere.

I agree...sounded weird to me at first and thought I got wrong info since its canned.

Maybe I could order some online?

There was a shortage of pumpkins last year due to flooding in certain parts of the country, so canned pumpkins can be hard to find some places.

Better bet would be to find somebody that bakes. They probably have a few extra cans in their pantry. I know that I always have a few on hand. Ordering online just sounds silly especially since shipping would cost most then the ingredients.

Pecafaced said:

There was a shortage of pumpkins last year due to flooding in certain parts of the country, so canned pumpkins can be hard to find some places.

Click to expand...

ahhh...just found this article in LA Times: http://tinyurl.com/y9gug7f
says that it won't be available until August, 2010

mosquitocontrol - great idea on finding somebody that bakes...another good reason to call my grandma up. I'm sure she's got a treasure trove of the stuff.

Thanks.

If you really want to buy it via shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Farmers-Market-Foods-Organic-15-Ounce/dp/B000HDI5O8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1268158202&sr=8-1

I have heard that Sweat Potatoes work just as well. Same color.

hopefully you can find it w/o buying online. when me and my brew buddy went to brew up pumpkin beers this fall, I went to at least 7 different stores before I could find it due to the shortage, and this is when it was in season. thought we were canceling brew day for a while. i seached ebay quick and found some of the small 16oz libby cans for $10! -Some people are f'ing crooks.

the last place i seen the canned pumpkin was in some sort of pumpkin bread kit at one of the local grocery stores, it had a 16oz can of pure pumpkin in it. check out the entire baking dept and don't be afraid to check out the lesser shopped stores.

Halldawg said:

I have heard that Sweat Potatoes work just as well. Same color.

Click to expand...

Butternut squash is another good option, any other squash could be interesting as well (its not like you get a lot of "pumpkin" character in a pumpkin beer anyway).

surferdrew said:

My question is, have any of you used pumpkin pie spice instead? Its made up of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

Click to expand...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/joie-de-vivre-fake-imperial-pumpkin-154242/#post1772714

I did not add allspice only because it mimics the flavors of the other 3 spices... didn't see the point.

I've made pumpkin beer before and I have to admit it tastes better WITHOUT pumpkin in it.

You're only going after the flavor of the spices any way.

I recommend using seperate spices over allspice also.

Use only fresh spices too. I like the pumpkin pie spice from Penzey's if you have one around you.

passedpawn said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/joie-de-vivre-fake-imperial-pumpkin-154242/#post1772714

I did not add allspice only because it mimics the flavors of the other 3 spices... didn't see the point.

Click to expand...

Do you think you could help me figure out an extract version of that? The GF wants me to make another batch of pumpkin and the one I made seemed a little light for me and not enough pumpkin for her. I'm thinking she'd really like that one and so would I.

homebrewer_99 said:

I've made pumpkin beer before and I have to admit it tastes better WITHOUT pumpkin in it.

You're only going after the flavor of the spices any way.

I recommend using seperate spices over allspice also.

Click to expand...

Allspice is a seperate spice, and while it does have some similar compounds/flavors to the other "baking" spices it does have its own character and is a classic addition to pumpkin pie (and mulling blends).

Neonsilver said:

Do you think you could help me figure out an extract version of that? The GF wants me to make another batch of pumpkin and the one I made seemed a little light for me and not enough pumpkin for her. I'm thinking she'd really like that one and so would I.

Click to expand...

I'll try (later), but I have been an AG brewer for all of my beers, so I don't have much experience with extract.

mosquitocontrol said:

Use only fresh spices too. I like the pumpkin pie spice from Penzey's if you have one around you.

Click to expand...

+1 on the penzy's, however i felt it was a little light on the cinnamon when i used it. I added some additional cinnamon to my brew.

passedpawn said:

I'll try (later), but I have been an AG brewer for all of my beers, so I don't have much experience with extract.

Click to expand...

I appreciate it, normally I just change all of the two row over to Light DME but this one has a lot of munich.

Oldsock said:

Allspice is a seperate spice, and while it does have some similar compounds/flavors to the other "baking" spices it does have its own character and is a classic addition to pumpkin pie (and mulling blends).

Click to expand...

I know it's a seperate spice. I was just stating that if you use the individual spices that allspice is not necessary.

If one wanted they could just use allspice...it's their brew afterall.

GREAT INPUT everyone...seriously, thanks. I'll be brewing in the morning and I'll let you know how it went.

Cheers!

Had a grand ol' time brewing up this Pumpkin Ale yesterday. My place smelled like pumpkin pie...never thought I'd say that in the middle of March.

This is the final recipe that I settled on (which doesn't include any canned pumpkin because of the shortage here in CA):

Batch Size: 5G
OG: 1.060
FG: 1.015
Mash Time: 45 Min @ 170

(Grain Bill)
English 60L 8.00 oz 6.5 % 3.7
German Carafa II 4.00 oz 3.2 % 9.2
Belgian Aromatic Malt 4.00 oz 3.2 % 0.9
Belgian Pilsen Malt 4.00 oz 3.2 % 0.0

(Extracts)
Extract - Light Dried Malt Extract 5lb 0oz 64.5 % 2.8
Sugar - Corn Sugar/Dextrose (Dry) 1lb 0oz 12.9 % 0.0
Sugar - Lactose 8.00 oz 6.5 % 0.0

(Hopping Schedule)
US Willamette 5.9 % 1.00 oz 28.1 60 Min
Styrian Goldings 3.1 % 1.00 oz 14.7 60 Min
US Cascade 5.4 % 0.50 oz 0.0 0 Min

(Adjuncts)
Fresh Pumpkin Pie Spice (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg) 1.5 tsp 15 Min
Molasses 2 oz (liquid) 15 Min

(Finings)
Irish Moss 1 teaspoon 20 Min

(Yeast)
WYeast #3787 Trappist High Gravity

Fermentation kicked in after about 5 hours and its been going bonkers ever since at 70F...good thing I have a 6.5g carboy!