What about squash?

I'm seeing a lot of pumpkin threads. I've had some really good pumpkin beers and have made one in the past.

This got me thinking... what about other types of squash? Butternut in particular. It seems this would be nearly as effective since the starches are very similar. Also, my dad is growing a ton of butternut squashes and probably won't be able to eat them all.

I'm thinking they could be used for a fall harvest ale.

Anyone tried it? Did it come out as horrible as it sounds? Or did it make a decent pumpkin-like beer?

I see the opportunity here for you to try this out and let us all know how it goes. Try a couple of them in your favorite ale recipe. Roast them cut in half with the cut side down and then dump the mush from the inside into the mash tun with your grain and some rice hulls to free up the running. I would really like to know how this one works out for you. I am going to try doing a white/greenish pumpkin beer when those are available at the pumpkin patch this fall so I will post that on here as well if you will do this one.

I actually have a "Pumpkin ale" in the recipe section that uses buternut squash instead of pumpkin, it gives a sweeter more pumkin like flavor than a pumpkin. I highly reccomend it, but you are going to need about 6 or 8 squashes for a recipe. What you want to do is cut the squash up quite fine or grate it or put it in the food processor and then put it in the oven at 350 for an hour or two and let it start to carmelize. At that point it should be good to throw in for a nice pumpkin pie flavor.

Canned pumpkin isnt really pumpkin. If you wanted to try dickson or butternut Im sure it would work well.
Canned pumpkin - is it really pumpkin? - Slashfood

Hair of the Dog Brewing in Portland OR makes a squash beer called "Greg". Brewed for Greg Higgins for Higgins Restaurant. It is a light, fairly dry session beer that is quite tasty.

I used 2 cans pumpkin and 2 cans of squash in my beer last fall, tasted just fine to me and anyone who sampled it.