Pumpkin Beer Idea (Not what you think)

So, upon hearing and seeing that Iron Hill Brewery in PA tapped a hole in a 600lb pumpkin, put a spigot on it, filled it with beer and served pints out of it, I got to thinking...

What's to stop someone from attempting to primary ferment inside a pumpkin. I mean it's practically sanitized (think nature, not medical) on the inside if it's freshly cut, and they are known to withstand weeks before decomposing.

I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I think I may have to try it this week, if it's even just a 1 gallon batch.

Thoughts?

I think it is worth a shot with a faster fermenting ALE for a 1 gal batch. How are you going to seal it? If it spoils, it's only a gallon.

It's been done. You need to think bigger, my friend!

http://www.sloshspot.com/blog/02-25-2009/How-To-Brew-Pumpkin-Beer-in-a-Pumpkin-in-20-Easy-Steps-125

Seal it? I mean, it's a pumpkin. Not unlike a wooden barrel. Cut a properly sized whole, and jam a bung and airlock in it.

mc_eric, thanks for the link. That's freaking awesome that they mad a pumpkin mashtun too!

There's a dozen threads a year on that pumpkin fermenter story. It cycles through the web annually. I think someone on here even attempted it, and iirc the fermenter became a moldy mess.

Might be interesting to try a sour with it, drop in some Jolly pumpkin or orval dregs.

unionrdr said:

It's a very,very old way of making punkin ale...of a sort. You put sugar in it,can't remember if you added water,then put the lid on & cover it with melted wax. You may have to have added yeast as well,been some 40 years since pop taught my brother how to do it.
Anyway,the wax helps keep it together,since the inside of the punkin ferments away. I'll have to try & remember how it was done,since I didn't make any notes in those days.

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Wow, that took it to the next level. That honestly sounds a bit scary to me, but hell, I assume they survived it. Relax and pull those memories out of the back of your mind. I'm interested in the rest.

unionrdr said:

This was something my pour country brethren made,since they grew plenty of them. It was something done in my family for generations. I guess I shouldn't have waited so long to think about it?...

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How dare you neglect your heritage. I think you need to apply all the accumulated knowledge of your ancestors and make a thread about it.

mc_eric said:

it's been done. You need to think bigger, my friend!

http://www.sloshspot.com/blog/02-25-2009/how-to-brew-pumpkin-beer-in-a-pumpkin-in-20-easy-steps-125

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that was epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder would it would be like if you took a propane torch and charred the inside of both the mashtun and the fermenter, get a little roasty toasty action going. I'd even breakdown the mash tun and chuck it in the boil.

Revvy said:

I'd even breakdown the mash tun and chuck it in the boil.

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Hahaha! That's an amazing idea!

As for the seed, toast them and throw them in the secondary for a nutty aroma! (Who needs head retention when making a awkward beer)

barryshomebrew said:

As for the seed, toast them and throw them in the secondary for a nutty aroma! (Who needs head retention when making a awkward beer)

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I did this, this year actually... I have 5 gallons of Toasted pumpkin seed stout. I used pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds that were raw and unsalted) Then toasted and crushed them and tossed them into the mash. My beer does have head...

FWIW toasted pumpkin seeds turn into a peanut butter like substance that wants to stick to a grain crushers rollers. Nothing some water and a brush did not fix but it was still a mini-mess.

I was planning on posting up both recipies tonight in a seperate thread. I will pop back into this one and add a link.

As for unionrdr's pumpkin hootch...I am VERY interested in this. I would just hate to have to try it...