First pumpkin spice batch.

[shawnfoxall]

Brewed a pumpkin spice batch today using a nut brown ale extract . I added two 30oz cans of pumpkin 4 table spoons of cinnamon (ground) a table spoon of vanilla extract and a table spoon of nutmeg. I tasted the wort and it was really bitter . Is this normal ?

 

[chickypad]

4 tablespoons is a helluva lot of cinnamon. For comparison I do about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon in a pumpkin beer, so you just used about 15-20 times that if you are talking a 5 gal batch. In that same recipe I use 1/4 tsp nutmeg (1/12th what you used).

That being said, you are tasting wort not beer. Those flavors will mellow with time but I'd say you over spiced.

 

[agentEhrman]

I'm going to assume that you mean teaspoon instead of table spoon?

How did you hop it?

I made one today with 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice. Mine tasted a little strong on the spices and I'm hoping it mellows out with time..

 

[ktblunden]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure 4 TEAspoons would be a bit much. 4 tablespoons would probably be way overkill.

 

[Cordane]

If it ends up too much when you're drinking it, try diluting it with another beer. Hell, a BMC would probably work. Just split the pour in the glass to taste. Good luck!

 

[Rentachik]

I agree with above... I used 1.5 tsp of pumpkin pie spice.

 

[shawnfoxall]

Oops. I did say and mean table spoon .. I don't hop it I used an extract nut brown ale kit and also used brown sugar. When I went back in the room last night the airlock was already going crazy. I guess I better start really liking cinnamon. Because this is probably going to taste horrible.

 

[shawnfoxall]

Also can just make another batch of nut brown and after fermentation just make them half and half ? That would mellow out the flavor and I never mind having two batches of a pumpkin beer. Plus it would be something good to take to the deer lease this winter.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Wow, this is gonna be a very sweet, cinnamon-y brew. Without hops, there's nothing to balance the sweetness of the wort out, and that's a $hit ton of spices/flavorings. In my pumpkin ale (amber ale base) I use 1/2-3/4 tsp of a spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice) late in the boil and then in secondary I add a spice tea made with a 1/4 tsp of the same spice blend. I use ~45 oz of unspiced pie filling (~30 oz in the mash and ~15 in the boil). I use noble hops (tettnang or hallertauer) for bittering and a touch of the same hop late for flavor. Turns out very nice, good spice on the nose and tastes like pumpkin pie (in a beer)

 

[shawnfoxall]

Ok so I am not trashing the beer what do you recommend I do to make it more tolerable ? I don't mind making three batches if need be of the nut brown ale and adding some hops to the beer. But I do want to mellow it out some. I will just add one more can of the pumpkin to one of the batches. I have a tank large enough to do the secondary for three batches together if that would help any.

 

[shawnfoxall]

Also the day after the boil the air lock was going crazy now it's just sitting there doing nothing. The temp is good and it hasn't been touched , moved or shaken.

 

[agentEhrman]

I wouldn't worry about the lack of air lock activity. I would just check the seal or lid maybe. I just got home to find my airlock full of pumpkin goop, and one side of my lid popped off. I would just wait until it's been a week, and then start taking hydro readings..

As far as what to do about too much spice, I would think blending two batches would work out. I would do that first, and if it's not enough then maybe have the next batch brewing so you can have it all blended for fall. Good luck, I think I over spiced mine as well. There are just so many recipe's out there with completely different spice additions. I think I prefer mine to be a little less than average. Ohh well, the next batch should be perfect, right?

 

[shawnfoxall]

I hope so. Thanks. I will double check the lid. Hope your brew turns out good.

 

[chickypad]

Ok so I am not trashing the beer what do you recommend I do to make it more tolerable ? I don't mind making three batches if need be of the nut brown ale and adding some hops to the beer. But I do want to mellow it out some. I will just add one more can of the pumpkin to one of the batches. I have a tank large enough to do the secondary for three batches together if that would help any.

If you've got the space I like the triple batch idea - two more without spice and combine. That's a lot of pumpkin beer though. And there's a chance it could still be too strong and now you've got 15g of it.

So, was the extract pre-hopped? It would be unusual to have a kit with no hops unless it was pre-hopped extract. Probaby want to figure that out before adding more hops to the next batches - I'd think you want to keep the bitterness medium/low on this so as not to compound the problem. Honestly, you can probably skip the extra pumpkin. Some folks don't even use real pumpkin in their batches, just the spices. There's a Basic Brewing podcast here where they did an experiment on that if you're interested.

 

[shawnfoxall]

Thanks. I appreciate the reply. Yea 15 gallons is a lot of pumpkin beer ! Thank god I love pumpkin beer and have friends that drink about anything !! I haven't ever had a pumpkin beer I didn't like so I would hate for the first one to be my own. This I only my second batch to ever brew. And I do have the space to combine them. I think I am going to go ahead and brew another batch and after fermentation combine them and just go from there I can let them sit for a couple weeks if i need to until I add the third batch. Not to mention the beer made 6 gallons according to te recipe I made so that would give me 18 gallons total. Send me you address and I will send you a 6 pack at bottling. My email is [email protected]

 

[shawnfoxall]

Ok tonight I took a reading of the alcohol in the brew and it didn't show anything. What could that be and what can I do to fix it ?

 

[chickypad]

Ok tonight I took a reading of the alcohol in the brew and it didn't show anything. What could that be and what can I do to fix it ?

You're not using the ABV scale on your hydrometer, are you? That's really more for wine. To get the ABV of beer take OG-FG, then multiply that value by 131.

Or plug your values into something like this.

Also be sure to correct for temp per the instructions with your hydrometer.