Attempting a Pumpkin Porter

[RetroGameBoy]

Hello everyone,

I haven't done anything outside of premade extract kits yet, but thinking of doing a Pumpkin Porter similar to the one here: The Elusive Pumpkin Porter

LHBS will crush and bundle all of the specialty grains together and can only be purchased to the nearest ounce.

5 Gallon Extract

Fermentables:
7.3 lb Briess Golden Light DME

Steeping Grains:
37 oz Weyermann Carmunich (Crystal 60)
36 oz Briess Victory Malt (Biscuit) (Same as Briess Victory Malt on Brewer's Friend?)
4 oz Muntons Black Patent Malt (Used United Kingdom - Black Patent on BF)
8 oz Muntons Chocolate Malt (Used Briess Dark Chocolate Malt on BF)
4 oz Flaked White Wheat (American - White Wheat on BF?)

Hops:
1 oz Kent Golding [5.00% AA - Bittering for 60 minutes]
1 oz Willamette [5.00% AA - Flavoring added at 30 min boil]

Clarifier:
Whirlfloc [1 tablet - Added at 45 min into boil]

Yeast:
Wyeast London ESB Ale 1968

Other:
60 oz Canned 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
0.5 tsp Cinnamon

Add half of the DME at the beginning of the boil.

Bake the canned pumpkin for 30 min - 1 hour. Add 10 minutes before flame out.

Add other half of DME and spices 5 minutes before flame out.

I'm not sure if I entered it all correctly into Brewer's Friend (Preboil 3 gallons, Post 2 gallons, 25% efficiency) but:
Est OG: 1.075
Est FG: 1.023
Est ABV: 6.76%
IBU: 15.67
SRM: 38.56

Some questions and concerns before I purchase the ingredients and take a crack at this recipe:

1. Do you see any apparent changes or recommendations that need / should be addressed?
2. The ~5.5 lb of Steeping Grain seems quite a lot. Is it normal to have such a large number? I may need an extra grain bag.
3. Is the Flaked White Wheat necessary for all Extract?

Thank you all for your time! I'm quite excited to try a pumpkin brew as they are some of my favorites.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Thinking about buying everything early this week.

Still rather new, perhaps I put this in the wrong forum section. Should I see if it can be moved to a Recipe Database if more appropriate?

 

[RetroGameBoy]

I appreciate the forum move! Hopefully there may be some feedback on the recipe here.

 

[mpjay2000]

Good morning,

I've done a pumpkin porter a couple times. I'm an all grain brewer and haven't done an extract brew in a very long time so I don't know how to really critique your recipe. Here is what I do and it's come out pretty good:


Grain bill:
10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.33 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 8.33 %
1.00 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 8.33 %

2 Large cans (29oz) Libby's pumpkin (no spices added) --- Bake at 350*F for 45-60 minutes (longer if you're at high elevation) let cool before adding to mash

Mash (batch sparge)
Single infusion, Medium body, No mash-out
24QT of 163*F water (step temp of 156)

Boil (60 minutes)
1.00 lb Brown Sugar (60 min)
1oz Hallertaur (4.8%) (60 min)
1.5 Tbs McCormicks Pumpkin Pie Spice (10 min)
1oz Hallertaur (4.8%) (5 min)

Yeast
California Ale (WLP 001)

Notes:
The 2 large cans of libby's pumpkin puree (non-spiced) should be spread out on a baking sheet so it's about 1-1.5" thick. Bake between 250 and 325*F for 30-45 minutes or until the top starts browning slightly and the puree becomes less viscous. Then add to mash for the whole 60 minutes.

Also, be sure to use McCormick's Pumpkin pie spice.

Ferment around 60-64*F.

Mash thickness at 2.0 qt/lb, using a 1# rice hulls.

Good luck!
Jay

 

[3 Dawg Night]

I've bookmarked @mpjay2000's recipe to try later, but what's the thought process with adding the pumpkin to the mash instead of the boil?

 

[mpjay2000]

I've bookmarked @mpjay2000's recipe to try later, but what's the thought process with adding the pumpkin to the mash instead of the boil?

I am far from an expert brewer or scientist, but I just know it works to get the pumpkin flavor into the beer. That's an a lot of pumpkin to put into a boil, I really never have thought about doing that and really don't want to try.

Cheers!
Jay

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Good morning,

I've done a pumpkin porter a couple times. I'm an all grain brewer and haven't done an extract brew in a very long time so I don't know how to really critique your recipe. Here is what I do and it's come out pretty good:

Good luck!
Jay

I appreciate you taking the time to check my thread and post your recipe, I am surely going to go with McCormick's Pumpkin Pie Spice (from Wal-Mart). Looks like your AG is basically the same amount of baked pumpkin. In researching for Extract, I saw that a lot of people were frustrated with Pumpkin Ales and Porters due to the sparging(?) time, but adding the rice hulls as you have listed seemed to make it go a lot faster for those brewers.

Unfortunately I am stuck to extract for at least this brew and another one. I am looking to get into BIAB or AG soon, either just before Christmas or shortly after. Once I am there I'd like to try your recipe.

Before I buy all my extract ingredients, I was hoping to at least get some further feedback if the Flaked White Wheat was even necessary during the steeping portion. I suppose it can't hurt it.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I've bookmarked @mpjay2000's recipe to try later, but what's the thought process with adding the pumpkin to the mash instead of the boil?

Pumpkin purée can really make a mess, putting it in a bag in the mash helps contain the fiber. the last pumpkin ale I brewed used canned in the mash and roasted fresh pumpkin cubes in the boil.

 

[skibb]

I would recommend cutting out the black patent and replacing it with a dehusked roasted malt. Spices in general are quite bitter, and having acrid roasty malts in tandem with them can lead to a rough and unpleasant finish to the beer.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

I would recommend cutting out the black patent and replacing it with a dehusked roasted malt. Spices in general are quite bitter, and having acrid roasty malts in tandem with them can lead to a rough and unpleasant finish to the beer.

Thank you for your feedback! Definitely don't want to risk anything unpleasant in the end. I can no longer edit my first post, but I switched it out with Weyermann Dehusked Carafa III (roasted barley malt, dark). Do you think I will need a second muslin bag for steeping the grains? I think I will pick up an extra just in case. This looks like the largest grain bill for steeping I have done so far (Extract).

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Picking up the ingredients today to brew this weekend. I'll try and remember to post back in a couple months

 

[RetroGameBoy]

OKAY, update, this is the most delicious brew I have made to date. Only 3 reviews but a huge hit and I will be delivering some bottles for a few others to try. This will be a yearly brew.

I have labeled it Harvest Moon Pumpkin Porter and loaded what I could into Brewer's Friend if anyone is interested: Harvest Moon Pumpkin Porter - Extract Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Homebrew Beer Recipe - Brewer's Friend

General Notes:

• Used Muntons Chocolate Malt instead of Briess Dark Chocolate Malt. Unmalted Flaked White Wheat instead of American White Wheat. No options on BF.
• Spread pumpkin on a pan, bake 20-30 minutes at 350°F.
• Steep grains for 30 minutes at ~155°F.
• Half DME at beginning of boil, other half 5-10 minutes before flameout.

Notes from first brew:

• In fermenter for 17 days at ~74°F.
• 3.59 Gallons bottled
• FG 1.017 (7.61% ABV).
• 3.6 oz of priming sugar during bottling. I would recommend some more as it seems a bit lower carbonation.
• Suggest an extra muslin bag for steeping the large grain bill.
• Be careful, the baked pumpkin certainly adds to the volume. Lots of pumpkin trub when transferring to bottling bucket - Be careful when racking.

Pictures:

Cooking Pumpkin
Spread

After Oven

Steeping Grains (recommend 2 bags next batch / year)

Added pumpkin and hops:

After 17 days fermentation:

Bottled amount:

Color. taster from leftover bottling and first pour: