Pumpkin Ale

My wife asked me to make a pumpkin ale. After a bit of searching the internet looking at examples (mind you I don't think I've had more than 1 or 2 different pumpkin ales) This is my plan for Sunday. Any thoughts?

Style: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 7.10 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.50 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 14.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.4 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 83.1 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Mash
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3 lbs 12.0 oz Pumpkin - Canned (3.0 SRM) (2 big cans)
1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
10 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 2.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
1 lbs 2.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
6.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)

Boil Adjuncts
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1 lbs Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM)

Hops
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1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 60.0 13.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 25.0 4.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 5.0 1.3 IBUs

Spices
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1.65 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Boil 10.0 mins)
1.00 Items Vanilla Bean (Secondary 7.0 days) (2 beans, split and soaked in vodka)

Yeast
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1.0 pkg (11.5g) Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 18 lbs 14.0 oz
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 23.34 qt of water at 167.7 F 156.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 3.67gal) of 168.0 F water

Notes:
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Place the brown sugar into the boil kettle during the boil. Make sure to remove it from direct heat while mixing to prevent scorching of the sugar.

For a sweeter ale, use White Labs London Ale (WLP002) with a 2 liter starter.

Grain bill is similar to what I brewed yesterday, but mine didn't include any wheat. I went a little easier on the pumpkin spice in the boil and will add some back before kegging if I want more

I personally prefer my pumpkin beers without the vanilla. I'd also reduce the dark brown sugar to a half pound and ditch the wheat altogether.

I have heard from some people that brown sugar tastes differently after fermentation, so I have always avoided it. Is this an irrational fear?

Well, it is done. I kept the recipe mostly the same. I lowered the amount of spice and I'm still thinking about what to do with the vanilla beans. But so far everything was smooth. I didn't hit my target OG but it was close enough (1.070 instead of 1.072). The smell was amazing.

DonMagee said:

Well, it is done. I kept the recipe mostly the same. I lowered the amount of spice and I'm still thinking about what to do with the vanilla beans. But so far everything was smooth. I didn't hit my target OG but it was close enough (1.070 instead of 1.072). The smell was amazing.

Click to expand...

it DOES smell amazing after the spice addition, mmm

Pumpkin ale is in the keg and time will tell. It did taste great when I kegged it though. It's very mild in vanilla and pumpkin spice flavor. Overall it's like a lot like a amber ale but on the sweet side with just hints of the flavors. I think it will be a solid beer once it carbs up.