Just brewed my Pumkin Ale

This was a fun brewing session that went off without a hitch. I've got to say that this is the best wort I've ever tasted. I know better than to think that the finished beer is a lock to be great but it sure has a good start.

I put the pumpkin in at the beginning of the 90 minute boil. The spices were added with 10 minutes to go and the maple syrup 5 minutes to go.
I didn't strain the wort I just drained it straight into the fermenter. I wanted as much pumpkin in there as possible. There is a ton of trub and pumpkin in the bottom as you can see in the pic. I'm thinking about doing the primary for 2 weeks, placing it in the refrigerator for a few days, racking it to a secondary and back into the fridge for about a month before kegging. I'm hoping I can get as much trub to settle out as possible so I will end up with at least 5 gallons of beer.

Wow that sure is alot of pumpkin you got there. Did you use canned or the real deal?

Chimone said:

Wow that sure is alot of pumpkin you got there. Did you use canned or the real deal?

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I just used 2 of the big cans of pumpkin.

What's the rationale for the couple days in the fridge between the primary and secondary fermentations? I've never heard of doing that before.

the_bird said:

What's the rationale for the couple days in the fridge between the primary and secondary fermentations? I've never heard of doing that before.

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I'm trying to think of ways to get as much settling in the primary as possible. That way I'll get more beer into the secondary. You are right. I've never heard of it being done either.

Actually, when it's cold outside, I'll chill the primary before racking. Sometimes it will knock out the chill haze.

When I went down to check on it earlier this is what I found. The pumpkin is now up top with the kreausen.

Could you share the recipe with us? This looks really good, especially with Fall right around the corner.

bootytrapper said:

Could you share the recipe with us? This looks really good, especially with Fall right around the corner.

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Here you go:

Richard's Pumpkin Ale

A ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 6.25 Wort Size (Gal): 6.25
Total Grain (Lbs): 14.50
Anticipated OG: 1.066 Plato: 16.17
Anticipated SRM: 12.5
Anticipated IBU: 25.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
65.5 9.50 lbs. American 2-row America 1.038 2
13.8 2.00 lbs. Munich Malt(2-row) America 1.035 6
17.2 2.50 lbs. Maple Syrup Generic 1.031 35
3.4 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Northern Brewer Whole 7.00 17.4 60 min.
1.00 oz. Goldings - E.K. Whole 5.00 8.5 30 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.63 Lbs Pumpkin Fruit 90 Min.(boil)
2.50 Tsp Cinnamon Spice 10 Min.(boil)
1.50 Tsp Nutmeg Spice 10 Min.(boil)
1.50 Tsp Allspice Spice 10 Min.(boil)
0.15 Oz Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

Safale US-56


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 12.00
Water Qts: 12.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 153 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 168 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 168 Time: 45


Total Mash Volume Gal: 3.96 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

After 2 days of very vigorous fermentation it is starting to slow down. All of the turbulence in the carboy broke up the pumpkin into small particles. Now I hope it will settle out into a nice compact brick in the bottom. Don't think I'll be harvesting the yeast on this one.

david_42 said:

Actually, when it's cold outside, I'll chill the primary before racking. Sometimes it will knock out the chill haze.

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not to hijak Rich's thread, but im going to give that a shot soon

Holy TRUB Batman!

Recipe looks great Rich! Please keep us updated! I'm following the other thread too, because this is a point of interest for me. Love the maple syrup in there!

Dude said:

Holy TRUB Batman!

Recipe looks great Rich! Please keep us updated! I'm following the other thread too, because this is a point of interest for me. Love the maple syrup in there!

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Hopefully you can learn from my experience! I will keep you up to date on it.

Just took this photo of the primary. The fermentation has slowed a lot and it is beginning to clear. Keeping my fingers crossed but I might just get 5 gallons out of this!

I racked it to the secondary tonight and it is quite clear. I thought for sure it would be cloudy.
This is going to be one strong beer. The gravity is at 1.012 so I'm looking at about 7.3 percent alcohol. I can taste the pumpkin and spices but the alcohol kind of mutes the flavors. I'll be putting it in the fridge soon to cold condition for a month and a half or so.
Keeping my fingers crossed.

how much were you able to siphon to secondary? i just racked mine and was only able to siphon about 4 gals, which concerns me mainly cause of the space left at the top of the carboy.

hoppedup said:

how much were you able to siphon to secondary? i just racked mine and was only able to siphon about 4 gals, which concerns me mainly cause of the space left at the top of the carboy.

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I got a little over 5 gallons into the secondary with very little trub/pumpkin getting in. I had about 6 1/4 gallons in the primary so I lost about a gallon to the pumpkin/trub/yeast slurry at the bottom.

RichBrewer said:

I got a little over 5 gallons into the secondary with very little trub/pumpkin getting in. I had about 6 1/4 gallons in the primary so I lost about a gallon to the pumpkin/trub/yeast slurry at the bottom.

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So moral of the story is have at least 6 gallons in the carboy.....

Soundin good bro!

Wish I was there to taste it!!!

Dude said:

So moral of the story is have at least 6 gallons in the carboy.....

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yup. i added an extra 1/2 gal to the primary thinking it would be enough since the 6lbs of pumpkin raised the water level in my boil pot by around 1/2. but now i know! hell maybe i can use the trub to bake a pumkin pie with!

hoppedup said:

yup. i added an extra 1/2 gal to the primary thinking it would be enough since the 6lbs of pumpkin raised the water level in my boil pot by around 1/2. but now i know! hell maybe i can use the trub to bake a pumkin pie with!

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I actually thought about that too. It might make an interesting pumpkin pie.

Dude said:

So moral of the story is have at least 6 gallons in the carboy.....

Soundin good bro!

Wish I was there to taste it!!!

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Same here Dude. I could use the feed back. Could use a brewing buddy too.

hey Rich, hows yours coming along? I opened another last night. I drank this one at cellar temps, and I think its much better that way.

The spices are really starting to age, and meld together well. The nutmeg has subsided, and the cinnamon is coming through alot more now. The hops are perfect for this brew, the complement everything very well. And my favorite part.....Its crystal clear, with an orange hue. :rockin: :rockin:

*into the notes....
-next time, more wheat and a tad more biscuit.
-the pumpkin flavor is great, I wouldnt change the amounts. Maybe caramalize the one going into the mash though.
-maybe a pound of honey to up the alcohol.

Chimone said:

hey Rich, hows yours coming along? I opened another last night. I drank this one at cellar temps, and I think its much better that way.

*into the notes....
-next time, more wheat and a tad more biscuit.
-the pumpkin flavor is great, I wouldnt change the amounts. Maybe caramalize the one going into the mash though.
-maybe a pound of honey to up the alcohol.

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Mine is sitting calmly in the secondary. There is just the slightest amount of yeast sediment on the bottom. I'm keeping it at about 64 degrees right now and I'm going to put it in the fridge at about 38 degrees this weekend. I'm planning on keeping it in there until I keg it about mid September. I want to eventually bottle most of it in Grolsh style bottles with Christmas labels, ribbons, and bows to give as gifts.

I just bottled the pumpkin ale today. I used my Beer Gun and StarSan for the first time.

I brought some of this to the LHBS tasting night last Thursday and I was encouraged by the reaction. One person there said it was the best pumpkin ale he's ever tasted. I think this might be a winner. It is going to make great Christmas gifts for some folks.