Pumpkin Puree

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mjtski

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Would anyone know if it would be ok to use storebought pumpkin puree in a mash for pumpkin ale?

As fond as I am of homemade everything, I'm not able to roast and mash a pumpkin at home for various reasons.
 
Yep, just make sure to get the one without the spices. Libbys makes one thats 100% pumpkin. Still probably best to spread on a baking sheet and bake though.
 
Many people use the canned puree's for their pumpkin ale's, myself included. use the search function and search for pumpkin ale and you will come up with many great threads with some good ideas to get you going.
 
I just did my roasted pumpkin ale with 1 30 oz can of Libbys in the mash and another can in at flameout one bit of advice get some rice hulls for the mt cuz the runnings are super thick and I almost got a stuck sparge. ( I batch sparge so I'm sure if I was fly sparging I would have been screwed ) I also just sampled this brew for a hydro reading and the pumpkin flavor doesn't taste " artificial"
 
Yep, just make sure to get the one without the spices. Libbys makes one thats 100% pumpkin. Still probably best to spread on a baking sheet and bake though.

Any reason you say to avoid using the one with the spices? I have a Pumpkin Ale fermenting now that I mashed with 30 oz of the spiced Libby's Mix, I didn't think there will be any off flavors from this...
 
I did mine with canned pumpkin in the mash 60 ounces... With about a fourth pound off rice hulls. Taste good so far in the fermenter and the sparge was super quick.
 
Being that my LHBS is like 2 hours away, anyone have any opinion on using a grain bag for the pumpkin puree rather than driving 4 hours for rice hulls?

Will it work just as well?
 
That's my plan as well (grain bag for the pumpkin). I've done it several times in partial-match situations and the beer never seemed to suffer for it. I don't really know how critical it is, there may not even be that much (if any) starch in a pumpkin anyway.
 
be sure it is 100% pumpkin cause cheaper stuff is actually squash with artificial flavorings. That junk is no good for beer or pie!
 
Ya I've heard about the squash thing. Going to run to the supermarket tomorrow and pick out the puree.

Any more feedback on the grain bag? Is the flavoring substantially different? Thinking it might cause an uneven sparge runoff since its bagged.

So far as I know pumpkin doesnt effect OG at all, or if it does its negligible.
 
Any reason you say to avoid using the one with the spices? I have a Pumpkin Ale fermenting now that I mashed with 30 oz of the spiced Libby's Mix, I didn't think there will be any off flavors from this...

I think the number one reason is that you have more control over the ingredients when you choose your own spices. Also, a lot of the spice flavor will be driven off when you mash and then boil. The spices for pumpkin ales are generally added very late in the boil, so a mix might lose some of that spice punch.
 
Ya I actually plan on adding my spice at the very end of boil. Flameoff, spice, chill. Was even contemplating spicing post chill.
 
Ya I've heard about the squash thing. Going to run to the supermarket tomorrow and pick out the puree.

Any more feedback on the grain bag? Is the flavoring substantially different? Thinking it might cause an uneven sparge runoff since its bagged.

So far as I know pumpkin doesnt effect OG at all, or if it does its negligible.

I've done a couple of pumpkin beers, all of which included using the Libby's 100% pumpkin in the mash. I would caution against using a grain bag, partially because I doubt it will hold in all the pumpkin goop. You also run the risk of channeling in the grain bed but that would depend on if you plan on leaving it in the mash as you sparge.

Buy a bag of rice hulls and use them liberally. Then dump in the pumpkin goop, stir and mix very thoroughly before letting it rest.
 
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