Pumpkin Ale - Using Fresh Pumpkin

I'll be using several fresh pumpkins to put together a pumpkin ale (extract recipe).
After baking these guys for a while...
I am wondering what would be the best way to introduce the pumpkin to the wort. Cut into cubes and throw them in a grain bag? Or should I puree the pumpkins and dump them directly into the wort? Any other suggestions?
Thanks!

Im assuming your brewing extract...I've read that people try to "contain" the pumpkin in the grain bag but it just doesnt work. I would expect a lot of trub (if you dump in the fermenter) or lots of trub loss if you siphon.

Try doing a search for "Pumpkin" and you'll see some other opinions.

please clarify when you plan to add the pumpkin. based on my experience, i don't think you'll get what you're looking for by adding pumpkin to the primary. i'd at least boil it. if you're doing an extract brew you don't have this option, but the pumpkin wheat i just made had 3 29oz cans of pumpkin added to the mash. the grain bill was 13lbs and i added 1.5lbs of rice hulls to help the sparge. the sparge was slowish but didn't stick.

Here are Midwest's directions for their extract pumpkin ale...

http://www.brew-winemaking.com/ProductPDF/3614.pdf

I am PLANNING on adding the pumpkin at the beginning of the boil... and I am using an extract recipe. I cooked my fresh pumpkin last night. I am thinking I will dump that into a grain bag and hope for the best.
Midwest calls for the pumpkin addition during the last 5 minutes. I had been planning on adding it at the beginning of the boil.
What do you think?

I made a pumpkin beer with an extract/specialty grain recipe two years ago. You're on the right track by baking the pumpkins. Do that a day or so before you want to brew, then chill the pumpkin cubes in the fridge. Now, I boiled the pumpkin chunks in the wort, and the beer was pretty good. I've read other places that you should only steep the pumpkin chunks for 45 minutes to an hour at @ 155F then remove the chunks before boiling the rest of your ingredients. When I brew a pumpkin ale again, this is how I will do it to compare which I like best. Be sure to use SUGAR PUMPKINS, not just halloween carving pumpkins!!! That is very important. Sugar pumpkins are for cooking, eating, baking, brewing. Good Luck!

-5gB-