Pumpkin Ale Question

I received a recipe today for a Pumpkin Ale today and just bought all the ingredients. The step by step instructions mention when to toss the pumpkin into the boiling Wort, however they don't mention when to remove the pumpkin.

Do you typically let the entire wort ferment with the pumpkin in it, or do you remove it after it cools, along with the Hops?

Are you doing all grain or extract? I think the general consensus if doing all grain is to add it to the mash tun with the grains. If you are doing extract, I'm not sure.

I feel that the pumpkin in the mash adds a distinct and pleasant mouthfeel to the beer that you cannot get without it. A lot of folks that make "pumpkin" beers tho, do not use pumpkin at all, just the spices as the pumpkin itself can be difficult to handle and nasty to clean up.

Is it canned pumpkin? I would think that if you added canned pumpkin to 5 gallons of boiling wort it would not be canned pumpkin anymore. It would actually be 5 gallons of pumpkin flavored wort.

I guess I think it would just dissolve in the wort.
You can run it through a strainer when transferring to you carboy or bucket. Might help clean it up a bit.

It's real pumpkin.

Regarding all grains or malt extract, the recipe is a combo malt extract and crystal malt.

You add the Pumpkin when you add the Malt extract.... I just dont know when to pull the cubes of pumpkin out of the wort?

I try to strain out the biggest chunks while the wort cools...this year I mashed half of my pumpkin and added the other half to the boil, so there wasn't as much to have to get out...

I say do what you can to get most of it out...but no matter what, I bet you end up with a decent bit of pumpkin in your fermenter...won't hurt anything...

First be sure to cut it into about 1 inch squares and place it into your oven at 350 for a hour to carmelize the sugars. I did a extract last year and added the pumpkin in a bag during the complete boil. After your done toss it. There will be a small amount that makes it through the bag but you can either strain it when you put it in your fermentor or just let it go on in, it will settle out so its eally not a worry.

This year I did it all grain and added it to the mash tun. I just bottled tonight and the aroma and flavor are fantastic.

This is from Northern Brewers site regarding their "Smashing Pumpkin Ale"

"If you want to incorporate actual vegetables in this recipe,
you’ll need to purchase an additional 2 or 3 pounds of
Rahr 6-row (#G002) and provide your own 8 to 10 pound
pumpkin (winter squash like butternut or acorn will work
if pumpkin is out of season). Cut up the gourd, discard
the innards, and roast or microwave the pieces until soft
and cooked through, then peel. Mash the peeled, cooked
pumpkin flesh with upto 3 gallons of hot water, the 6-row
and the included grains at 152°F for 1 hour. Then strain the
liquid off and add it to the water in the boil kettle, topping
up to achieve 3 gallons."

I'm pretty new to brewing. What do you guys mean by mashed?

Vismich said:

I'm pretty new to brewing. What do you guys mean by mashed?

Click to expand...

I think in this case it refers to a anything in a soft pulpy state. Sorta like "mashed" potatoes. But a little chunkier

I think they mean to "mash" as in all grain brewing... hence the addition of the base grain