Mash temp for Pumpkin Ale

I am making a Pumpkin Ale tonight but the recipe I have does not list the Mash Temp.
I was thnking of going with 154, but I thought I would check here and see what ppl think.

Grain Bill:

9lb Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
1 lb Crystal Malt 60 L
.5 lb Chocolate Malt
Aprox 2.5 Lbs of pumpkin in the mash
(coated with pumpkin spices and brown sugar cooked at 350 for 2 hours)

I would seriously advise you to put the pumpkin in the boil. Granted, I used canned pumpkin, but I had a crazily stuck mash the first time I put the pumpkin in the mash. Used it in the boil the second time (after dumping the first batch) and everyone who has tried it says it is the first pumpkin beer that have had that has a pumpkin flavor in addition to the spices.

ColoradoXJ13 said:

I would seriously advise you to put the pumpkin in the boil. Granted, I used canned pumpkin, but I had a crazily stuck mash the first time I put the pumpkin in the mash. Used it in the boil the second time (after dumping the first batch) and everyone who has tried it says it is the first pumpkin beer that have had that has a pumpkin flavor in addition to the spices.

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I was going to put half of it in the mash and half in the boil for a total of aprox 4lb of pumpkin. Why would Pumpkin in the mash cause a stuck sparg? I was going to cut up the pieces smaller so they dont cause chaneling issues in the mash.

I would advise to put it all in the mash. Otherwise you will have over a gallon of trub loss in your fermenter. Also, make sure you use those mini pumpkins that are grown specifically for pies. The big jack-o-latern ones can cause an off flavor (I know this from experience) ... or just 100% canned pumpkin, it works just as well.

I'd mash at 156-158 because I like my pumpkins to have a real sweet malty flavor

I agree with O'Flan. I mash my pumpkin. I use a TON of canned pumpkin, and I'm always prepared for a stuck sparge. I got some hints from a pub owner who brews his pumpkin ale in a similar fashion. For a 15 gallon batch, the sparge can last over 6 hours. For both of us, the mash hasn't stuck, but it's been VERY slow. A pound or two of rice hulls is advisable if you use canned pumpkin.

You probably want to mash higher than 154. I use 156 for full body and a bit of sweetness.

Thanks guys! I'll put it all in the mash and go for 156. I'm heating the mash water up right now. It's going to be a long night, good thing I'm off tomorrow.

Well I just finished. I missed my target gravity a bit. recipe called for 1.059 I got 1.053, I'm not going to sweat it though. I tasted it and it tastes spicy and good. This was the first time I used my counterflow chiller in the winter. When I started the wort through it I thought the temp was too high because it wasn't regestering on the Blichman thermometer I had. After a min. or so it showed up on the lowest setting on the thing. It never even went over 62.

How was your sparge? Did it flow ok with the pumpkin?

Ó Flannagáin said:

How was your sparge? Did it flow ok with the pumpkin?

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I didn't have a single problem with it.