Pumpkin Questions

O.k. I'm brewing a pumpkin beer today. This recipe calls for adding 5 pounds of canned pumpkin to the boil. I am thinking that is gonna cause quite a mess. Thinking about putting the pumpkin in my hop stopper that is made from the PVC pipe and a paint strainer. My question to some of you pros is will that alter the flavor any? Does the pumpkin actually need to go into the primary fermenter or not? What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

ohiodad said:

O.k. I'm brewing a pumpkin beer today. This recipe calls for adding 5 pounds of canned pumpkin to the boil. I am thinking that is gonna cause quite a mess. Thinking about putting the pumpkin in my hop stopper that is made from the PVC pipe and a paint strainer. My question to some of you pros is will that alter the flavor any? Does the pumpkin actually need to go into the primary fermenter or not? What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

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I've heard that pumpkin is messy no matter what....If you can find a good way to contain it, then let me know. I am about to brew one myself!

Actually it doesn't make that much of a mess to just dump it in...That's all I have ever done if it calls for in boil additions.

You could use the strainer if you wanted to mess with it, but to me that's just more of a hassle, and one more thing to clean up. I just chill and rack off the goop in the bottom kettle. Cleaning the strainer bag will actually be more of a hassle with all the pumpkin and hop gunk caught in the seams and mesh.

For best results with canned pumkin, spread it out on a baking sheet and "roast" in the oven at around 350 for about a half hour until it turns a little darker that it is...that will create a maillard reaction that will carmelise the pumpking and draw out the sugars present in it.

Thanks revvy....I was reading the thunderstruck pumpkin ale thread and i guess i was worried about that as well...

5LBS.I used 1 can

My vote is to mash the pumpkin after toasting (as in, include it in the mash).

cactusgarrett said:

My vote is to mash the pumpkin after toasting (as in, include it in the mash).

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This is what i did as well. Use a lot of rice hulls and you'll be fine. It will also keep the majority pumpkin out of the boil and thus out of the fermenter.

Mashing is the way to go.

im going to start one this friday. wish me luck