Pumpkin Porter Recipe

I'm currently working with a friend to come up with a Pumpkin Porter Recipe and I wondered if anyone's done one before (most of the posts don't have a lot of follow-up). We want something that's a porter, first and foremost, but with a definite pumpkin pie accent. We based this off of some of the recipes for Richard's Pumpkin Ale but added some Black Patent to it for the color.

9.5 lbs Pale Malt 2 row
2.0 lbs Munich Malt
0.5 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
6 oz Black Patent Malt

.75 oz Northern Brewer @60min
1.0 oz East Kent

1.5 tsp Allspice
2.5 tsp Cinnamon
1.5 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Irish Moss

1 Pkgs Scottish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1728)

3.5 Lbs Pumpkin

My concerns are that this is not enough spice. I heard that doubling the spice on this recipe would probably be best, and considering that the spice list was made for a more amber ale which the author mentioned being a bit weak on the spice side. I've heard to roast the pumpkin in order to carmelize it, but I've heard it works best in the mash rather than the boil. Anybody know if we're on the right track?

mcamarra said:

1.5 tsp Allspice
2.5 tsp Cinnamon
1.5 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Irish Moss

My concerns are that this is not enough spice. I heard that doubling the spice on this recipe would probably be best, and considering that the spice list was made for a more amber ale which the author mentioned being a bit weak on the spice side. I've heard to roast the pumpkin in order to carmelize it, but I've heard it works best in the mash rather than the boil. Anybody know if we're on the right track?

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that looks like way too much spice to me. i would reduce that and see how it is prior to bottling. if you think it needs more then add more later. there's a pumpkin porter recipe in Extreme Brewing that i made and it ended up as my favorite of about 7-8 different pumpkin beers i've done over the past 5 or so years. for the pumpkin, cut in half and bake in the oven @ ~350* for about an hour. that will soften and caramelize it. then cut off the skin and put in mash. maybe save a little for a late of flameout addition.

Thanks! What do you think about adding the pumpkin to the mash as opposed to the boil?

I'm considering doing the Pumpkin Porter recipe out of extreme brewing but dropping the pumpkin all together and only using the spices.

Alaskan pumpkin porter is highly spiced. i was put off at first.. but the second bomber i enjoyed a few days later was fantastic. i brewed a porter focused mainly on strong chocolate malt flavors and added:

2 T. cinnamon
1.5 T. allspice
1.5 T. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
1 t. ginger.
1 vanilla bean

it's a great beer. the extract spice potion was made w/ 1 cup vodka for a 5gal batch.