I'm thinking about doing a pumpkin ale for the holidays next year. I plan on using real pumpkin in the mash with some pumpkin spice added at flameout.. I am going to use the Smashing pumpkin Kit from NB. I believe the OG is 1.064 or so. I want to boost this just a little bit with some brown sugar. Do I just add this during the last 15 mins of boil? How much should I be adding?
Pumpkin ale question
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manortc
Well-Known Member
From what I read, the last 15 min of the boil should work fine. Using beersmith, it looks like 1 lb of brown sugar (light or dark) adds about 0.009 to 0.10 to the OG for a 5 gallon batch.
Thought I would share this link to my version; since I will have to publish it anyway in a couple of weeks when it wins the Best of Show at the HBT competition 
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/lady-rumpkin-pumpkin-rum-ale-214177/
I am going to do another batch next month and let it age until fall, much like you plan on doing. What I found when I sent out the bottle to the finals is that the alcohol rum edge that it had last fall really receded into the background, in a word, Delicious! I think 4-6 months in the cellar did wonders for it!
Edit: In my excitement over seeing "pumpkin ale" I missed your question entirely, which of course has been answered. Brown sugar aside, I think the excellent reviewed Thunderstruck uses a pumpkin spice "tea" in secondary (as I did with the Rumpkin) which perhaps you would consider instead of adding the spice at flameout. It all depends on the flavor profile and intensity you are shooting for, of course.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/lady-rumpkin-pumpkin-rum-ale-214177/
I am going to do another batch next month and let it age until fall, much like you plan on doing. What I found when I sent out the bottle to the finals is that the alcohol rum edge that it had last fall really receded into the background, in a word, Delicious! I think 4-6 months in the cellar did wonders for it!
Edit: In my excitement over seeing "pumpkin ale" I missed your question entirely, which of course has been answered. Brown sugar aside, I think the excellent reviewed Thunderstruck uses a pumpkin spice "tea" in secondary (as I did with the Rumpkin) which perhaps you would consider instead of adding the spice at flameout. It all depends on the flavor profile and intensity you are shooting for, of course.
manortc
Well-Known Member
Caught my own typo, but it looks like you guys just read what I meant. It should read 0.009 to 0.010 (not 0.10) to the OG for each 1 lb of brown sugar for 5 gal.
TheWeeb said:Thought I would share this link to my version; since I will have to publish it anyway in a couple of weeks when it wins the Best of Show at the HBT competition
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/lady-rumpkin-pumpkin-rum-ale-214177/
I am going to do another batch next month and let it age until fall, much like you plan on doing. What I found when I sent out the bottle to the finals is that the alcohol rum edge that it had last fall really receded into the background, in a word, Delicious! I think 4-6 months in the cellar did wonders for it!
Edit: In my excitement over seeing "pumpkin ale" I missed your question entirely, which of course has been answered. Brown sugar aside, I think the excellent reviewed Thunderstruck uses a pumpkin spice "tea" in secondary (as I did with the Rumpkin) which perhaps you would consider instead of adding the spice at flameout. It all depends on the flavor profile and intensity you are shooting for, of course.
Sounds good. I am shooting for something a little smaller with 7% alcohol. A little more like DogfishHead's Punkin
