Question about AHS's pumpkin ale

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Cerpintine

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AHS Pumpkin Ale

So it says optional pumpkin is not provided . I went out and got my three lbs and then called them and inquired about it. Basically they said all the flavors are provided via the specialty grains and any pumpkin is added during the steeping process (I'm doing the extract). B/c the pumpkin is/would be added so early doesn't that effectively just make it a novelty (ie not actually adding anything)? Or will it indeed impart some more flavor?
 
AHS Pumpkin Ale

So it says optional pumpkin is not provided . I went out and got my three lbs and then called them and inquired about it. Basically they said all the flavors are provided via the specialty grains and any pumpkin is added during the steeping process (I'm doing the extract). B/c the pumpkin is/would be added so early doesn't that effectively just make it a novelty (ie not actually adding anything)? Or will it indeed impart some more flavor?

I was planning on making this same brew next week. I was told that the pumpkin is only for texture, and it adds little to no flavor, and the same thing about the spices. They add all of the flavor.
Does anybody else know different?
Dave
 
I brewed this recipe twice,saved a few from the 1st batch.1st btach had no pumpkin,2nd had pumpkin.Tasted the same,the gravity was a little higher though with the pumpkin(Although i did mash the pumkin).Its up to you,to me no taste difference!
 
I just made the mini-mash recipe. I could taste the pumpkin in my OG Hydro sample. That being said I have no idea how this will translate to final product. You could "steep" the pumpkin for 45 mins @ 155 deg F. Same effect as in mini mash w/ pumpkin I presume.

btw the sample tasted like a pumpkin pie with all the sweetness of the wort!

edit: forgot to mention I steeped 2 cans of Libby pumpkin with the grains in the mini-mash.
 
I think you will get some real pumpkin flavor if you toast it in the oven before adding it to your boil.
 
Thats right BeerCigars, I placed my canned pumpkin on a cookie sheet for 30 mins @ 350 deg F. before I added it to the "mash".
 
Thats right BeerCigars, I placed my canned pumpkin on a cookie sheet for 30 mins @ 350 deg F. before I added it to the "mash".

I ordered the extract kit. Can I bake the canned pumpkin like you, and add it to the boil?
I wanted to use fresh pumpkin, but can not find one.
Dave
 
I ordered the extract kit. Can I bake the canned pumpkin like you, and add it to the boil?
I wanted to use fresh pumpkin, but can not find one.
Dave

Yes you can. But be prepared to lose close to a gallon of beer. You will have a ginormous trub monster in the fermenter.
Ask me how I know.;)

DSCN1482.jpg
 
I'm sure that the pumpkin does impart some actual pumpkin flavor. But, one thing I think when people say the spices are what make it taste like pumpkin, is that how many of us just eat pumpkin by itself on a normal basis? My guess: not many. Most of our tastes of pumpkin come in pie form (which contains all the spices included in these recipes).

Either way, I'm still going to be brewing this kit (and adding pumpkin in the mash) in the coming month to give to people as gifts.
 
Well, I ordered mine today, and it looks like they shipped it out. Don't have tracking info yet, UPS just says billing info received. Because Monday is a holiday I will probably get it Wednesday.

I do want to use the pumpkin. What if I boil it in the wort, and run it through a fine strainer, try ang get some out so it doesn't pile up on the bottom of the fermenter like Wildwest's?

With this, I also ordered the corn sugar and wine yeast to make EdWort's Apfelwein... Next week is going to be a good Brew week for me!


Dave
 
I brewed the AHS Pumpkin Ale extract kit recently and added a little over 3lbs of canned pumpkin to the boil that I roasted in the oven as others have mentioned. I racked it into a secondary today to get rid of the thick trub and I lost almost a full gallon of beer.

I'm not complaining, I expected to lose that. To me it was worth it to be able to add in some real ingredients and not rely on just spices for flavor.
 
Is a secondary necessary? Or just prefference? I have only been home brewing for about 2 months, and only have 2 6.5 gal brew buckets, and 2 6 gal better bottles. Nothing smaller.
If I end up with only 4 gallons is a 6 gal better bottle going to leave too much head room for the secondary?
Thanks,
Dave
 
Is a secondary necessary? Or just prefference? I have only been home brewing for about 2 months, and only have 2 6.5 gal brew buckets, and 2 6 gal better bottles. Nothing smaller.
If I end up with only 4 gallons is a 6 gal better bottle going to leave too much head room for the secondary?
Thanks,
Dave

Opinions will vary WILDLY on these questions, but most will agree that use of a secondary depends on preference. It WILL however provide a cleaner beer, especially when using an adjunct such as pumpkin.

IN MY OPINION in regards to using a 6/6.5 gallon vessel for secondary, I see no problem. When racking your beer into secondary, a significant quantity of CO2 comes out of solution. CO2 is heaver than air and essentially forms a CO2 blanket at the top of your secondary, protecting your beer from oxygen damage and thus negating oxidation concerns.
 
Opinions will vary WILDLY on these questions, but most will agree that use of a secondary depends on preference. It WILL however provide a cleaner beer, especially when using an adjunct such as pumpkin.

IN MY OPINION in regards to using a 6/6.5 gallon vessel for secondary, I see no problem. When racking your beer into secondary, a significant quantity of CO2 comes out of solution. CO2 is heaver than air and essentially forms a CO2 blanket at the top of your secondary, protecting your beer from oxygen damage and thus negating oxidation concerns.

Thanks for the info. I will start it in a brew bucket, and rack it to a better bottle as the secondary. I have not used a secondary yet, How long did you leave it in the primary? Until signs of fermentation stop, or by hydrometer reading?
Thanks again
Dave
 
The baked pumkin, steeped with the grains, added about raised my gravity to 1.064, up from the 1.054 expected gravity. Mine's been in primary for 2 weeks. I am going to secondary for around 3 weeks, for bulk aging and clearing purposes. Plus it'll keep me from drinking it all.
 
Is a secondary necessary? Or just prefference? I have only been home brewing for about 2 months, and only have 2 6.5 gal brew buckets, and 2 6 gal better bottles. Nothing smaller.
If I end up with only 4 gallons is a 6 gal better bottle going to leave too much head room for the secondary?
Thanks,
Dave

As stated this answer is up to heated debate, so I will not attempt to give you a definitive answer. However, when I have a beer like this pumpkin ale which has a lot of trub I always do a secondary to allow it to clear further before bottling.
 
I was thinking about ordering this kit. If I use real pumpkin, will I still get mega-trub? How should I do it? I was thinking about cutting it into chunks and baking it.
 
Do you guys think it contributes to the color at all? I did a mash with pumpkin and found that the wort had a beautiful orange color when I was transferring it to the primary. Is that just from the malt or what?
 

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