Extract pumpkin amber ale

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blasbek

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Making a 5 gallon full boil extract pumpkin amber tomorrow, from items picked off the shelf of my lhbs, and would appreciate any pointers if any of the ingredients may not be suitable. This is my first beer that hasn't been a kit!!

Heating 1 lb 2 row barley 20 mins then removing
3.3 lbs amber malt extract
3 lbs dme
30 oz Libby's pure pumpkin (have 60 oz on hand)
1 oz willamette
1 cup (or more) brown sugar
Boil 60 mins with .5 oz cascade at 50 mins.

Using wyeast 1056 yeast cake.

Going to add spices such as cinnamon, ginger allspice and nutmeg after fermentation is complete. Then cold crash.

Will these ingredients make a drinkable beer? Can I add more brown sugar for alcohol and what are the downsides? Do the hops work for this? Should I cook the canned pumpkin first?

I really appreciate any help with this before I brew tomorrow.
 
Sorry, I can't really help. Never made a pumpkin beer, so don't know what to do with the pumpkin (does it need mashing or not) or what really goes with it.

I'm not a fan of spiced beer either, so can't help with the quantities or when best to add.

If you are just going to toss the 1 lb of 2-row in the 5 gallons and steep, you are wasting your time and money. 2-row needs to be mashed. To mash it, you would need to add it to 1.5 quarts of 160 F water and hold it somewhere between 150 and 155 F for about 30 minutes. Then rinse it in 170 F water.
 
I would use all 60 oz. of pumpkin pie filling. It will give you a more pronounced pumpkin flavor. Add brown sugar with 5 minutes left in boil. I did a pumpkin ale last year with 72 oz of pie filling and 1/2 pound of brown sugar. I also added vanilla, a lot of cinnamon, and pumpkin spices. I went a little overboard I know.
 
I also used two of the big Libby cans for mine. I put my spices in at flameout. I used 0.15oz of cinnamon and it think it was a tad too much. But I had doubled what i planned to use because on brew day I discovered we were out of allspice.

I didn't roast my pumpkin. And I put mine in with the mash.

I think as long as you keep away from strongly flavored hops, you'll be fine. You want them to complement the spices, not clash with them.
 
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