Pumpkin Ale Advice

[SLBrooks]

Hey everyone,

I'm working on my 4th batch of brew and need some advice.
I'm going to make a pumpkin ale for this Halloween/Thanksgiving using the AHS Pumpkin Ale recipe with double the spices and pumpkin to give it that strong pumpkin pie test.

But here's the problem, I REALLY want it to taste like pumpkin pie with cool whip, but I have no idea how to get a milk cream taste. A buddy of mine suggested using milk sugar, but no idea as to the quantity, or where you can get it (hes an idea man, not a process man like me).

Has anyone ever played around with anything like this?

Thanks

 

[jonmohno]

You could use lactose,which is used commonly in stouts, cream stouts.I didnt use enough in mine 8.25 oz per 5 gallons didnt seem to do it.I would suggest more than this amount like 3/4 of a pound+. I got mine at a food coop which i know you can in Austin. Now that you mention it i think i may use it in my next pumpkin, thanks. I would get some buiscuit or victory or even brown malt for some pie crust.

 

[Seven]

Try searching for threads on how to make milk stouts or chocolate milk stouts then modify your recipe to incorporate the same amount of lactose. I'm guessing you'll want to add about 1 lbs of milk sugar (lactose) to your recipe but it will increase the OG a bit. Which yeast are you planning to use? The yeast choice will affect the final flavor as well.

I was in a pub in Pittsburgh last Christmas and they had eggnog themed beers available at the time. Basically it was a holiday spiced beer with some sort of whipped topping and spices added to the top after they poured the beer from the tap. You may want to try something like this.

Good luck!

 

[passedpawn]

yes on lactose. Easy on the cinnamon - ruins these beers when there is too much. add lots of vanilla.

 

[cuart682]

Im not sure how to get the cream taste in there but would advise against doubling the spices they will over power the taste for sure.

 

[smalliewader]

I brewed a Pumpkin beer about 6 weeks ago for this Fall, haven't tasted it yet, but the reviews were good. It had 1lb. of Lactose in the 5 gallon batch. Only 3.5 tbsp of dry spices and it's fairly strong at bottling time....will probably mellow in the bottle though. I used 1/2 tbsp clove and I think that may have been too much, we'll see in a few months.

I put 1 tbsp each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. 1/2 tbsp clove, 2 tbsp Vanilla extract. At bottling, all I taste is the clove.

 

[onipar]

I brewed a Pumpkin beer about 6 weeks ago for this Fall, haven't tasted it yet, but the reviews were good. It had 1lb. of Lactose in the 5 gallon batch. Only 3.5 tbsp of dry spices and it's fairly strong at bottling time....will probably mellow in the bottle though. I used 1/2 tbsp clove and I think that may have been too much, we'll see in a few months.

I put 1 tbsp each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. 1/2 tbsp clove, 2 tbsp Vanilla extract. At bottling, all I taste is the clove.

Clove is really strong. Nutmeg is too. The ratio for 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice should be something like 1/2 tsp cinn, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp each cloves and nutmeg. Scale up for more. Alternately, you could use allspice in place of clove, or leave it out all together.

I've seen some recipes where people take an entire nutmeg nut, crush it up, and put it in the beer. That is *way* too much. Nutmeg isn't like a cinnamon stick. you can't put the whole thing into a 5 gallon batch.

For my own recipe, I'm planning on a 1 1/2 tsp addition at 5 mins, and another "spice tea" addition to taste after 3 weeks in primary.

 

[smalliewader]

Yeah, the recipe called for 1 tbsp and I instantly thought no way I'm adding a full tbsp of clove. But, cutting it in half still may have been too much. We'll see.

 

[onipar]

Yeah, the recipe called for 1 tbsp and I instantly thought no way I'm adding a full tbsp of clove. But, cutting it in half still may have been too much. We'll see.

Well, everything I've read about pumpkin ale suggests hat a nice long conditioning period will help mellow the spices, so you'll probably be okay. Was this a 5 gallon batch?

 

[smalliewader]

Yeah 5G and will condition until October, so not really worried about it. But I still think 1 TBSP would be too much for my taste.

 

[smalliewader]

Just an update..... I tasted a bottle tonight just to see where it's at after a week. It's freaking fantastic. The spices have mellowed even more. Still very up front, but not obnoxious. This beer is gonna be awesome in a few more weeks. To the op, the lactose really helps make it "creamy"

 

[Fish826]

Just an update..... I tasted a bottle tonight just to see where it's at after a week. It's freaking fantastic. The spices have mellowed even more. Still very up front, but not obnoxious. This beer is gonna be awesome in a few more weeks. To the op, the lactose really helps make it "creamy"

Glad to hear it. I'm debating about making a pumpkin ale of my own for this fall. Only problem is I've never tried one before and don't know if I would particularly like it. Do you know of any commercial pumpkin ales out there that I could try or do they not come out until later in the year?

 

[Brew_Meister]

Just an update..... I tasted a bottle tonight just to see where it's at after a week. It's freaking fantastic. The spices have mellowed even more. Still very up front, but not obnoxious. This beer is gonna be awesome in a few more weeks. To the op, the lactose really helps make it "creamy"

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I would be interested in seeing your recipe smallie if you don't mind posting. I have been researching a pumpkin brew for this fall and I am peanut towards the AHS pumpkin ale because of the good reviews.

 

[Brew_Meister]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I would be interested in seeing your recipe smallie if you don't mind posting. I have been researching a pumpkin brew for this fall and I am peanut towards the AHS pumpkin ale because of the good reviews.

Leaning... Not peanut

 

[passedpawn]

Glad to hear it. I'm debating about making a pumpkin ale of my own for this fall. Only problem is I've never tried one before and don't know if I would particularly like it. Do you know of any commercial pumpkin ales out there that I could try or do they not come out until later in the year?

Tough to find them before the fall. IMO the absolute best ones are Southern Tier Pumking, Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (in that order).

Of note is Post Road Pumpkin Ale. It's a smaller (5%) pumpkin with a nice body and decent biscuit malt background to carry the spices. Not as good as the big boys above. Also, Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale (it's a little darker, less spicey, pretty good).

The "to be avoided" list are, unfortunately, the ones you are gonna see a lot. Now, I know that some people like these, and of course tastes differ so please no flaming here. This is my list. Shipyard pumpkin Ale, Buffalo Bill Pumpkin Ale.

Those are the ones I've had. I think I saw some BMC offerings last year, but I didn't try them.

 

[Fish826]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try those and maybe just do an oktoberfest for this year.

 

[cincybrewer]

I just purchased the AHS Pumpkin Ale. The reviews were good but it seemed like most people thought there weren't enough spices, so I'm thinking about increasing the amount. I'm assuming I can use store bought?

Still deciding whether to add actual canned pumpkin. Doesn't sound like it adds much flavor. The lactose idea sounds really interesting.

 

[jonmohno]

Glad to hear it. I'm debating about making a pumpkin ale of my own for this fall. Only problem is I've never tried one before and don't know if I would particularly like it. Do you know of any commercial pumpkin ales out there that I could try or do they not come out until later in the year?

They usually dont come til the season, although ive still been seing Stevens Point Whole Hog Pumpkin still around-pretty good one but a big beer. Ive had Jacks and Blue Moon , but i think they were terrible.I completley missed all the seasonal ones last year and i recommend to stock up around then because they go quick.

 

[smalliewader]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I would be interested in seeing your recipe smallie if you don't mind posting. I have been researching a pumpkin brew for this fall and I am peanut towards the AHS pumpkin ale because of the good reviews.

It's the butternut squash beer in the vegetable beer recipe section.

 

[smalliewader]

Glad to hear it. I'm debating about making a pumpkin ale of my own for this fall. Only problem is I've never tried one before and don't know if I would particularly like it. Do you know of any commercial pumpkin ales out there that I could try or do they not come out until later in the year?

I don't, hence my desire to make one. In pa, we mostly get the bmc versions and they aren't good at all.

 

[Bmorebrew]

Of course everyone has their own tastes, that much is obvious, but I would take a second look at your intentions for this beer. Doubling the parts that make it a pumpkin ale really has the potential to make this beer extreme. For example, I love DFH Punkin Ale - to me its a session beer. Something over the top in spices and cream pumpkin may be a terrific dessert beer if you plan on serving them at a dinner, but I would caution this approach if you are looking for something you can enjoy all afternoon on a chilly fall afternoon in front of the grill or watching football or whatever.

Just my 0.02.

BTW, I believe I will be brewing this in a couple of weeks:"https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/samhain-pumpkin-ale-140674/"]
toasted my Marris Otter last Thursday :rockin:

 

[SLBrooks]

Well after reviewing everyone's advice (here and on the recipe) this is what I went with.... the wort tastes pretty good, a slight hint of spices...

I only made one modification, let me know what you think:

instead of using the spice packet that came with the kit (1tps cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp mace, crystallized sweet orange peel) i made my own and put it into a tea bag (the reason i did this was to be able to remove the spices after the burn out and not worry about the spice flavors proliferating during primary). I used 1 1/2 tsp cin, 3/4 tsp nut, 1/4 tsp allspice (mace is the husk of the allspice seed and have similar flavors) and fresh orange zest.

I stayed away from the lactose because one of the folks thats going to drink this with me is lactose intolerant and... well i dont want their bottom to fall out from it... literally

Like I said, the wort has a good strong pumpkin taste and it has a hint of the spices. I'm wondering if it will get stronger or if I need to dry hop with a cinnamon stick or 2 in a couple weeks.

Heres another question, the OG was supposed to be 1.052, and mine was 1.042. Now my thinking is the sugars make the water more viscous, so it would seem I didn't get a good soak on my grains... would that be an accurate statement? I also noticed the amount of time to get things to a boil ended up reducing the amount of wort from about 3 gallons to about 2 gallons... could that have caused the OG discrepancy?

I did notice that the puree kind of encased the grains for the first half of the soak...

Regardless I'm hoping this will turn out, and if not it gives me a reason to brew it again

 

[smalliewader]

Just a total guess here, but if you want the spices to be more pronounced, you'll need to add more in primary or secondary or even bottling. Cooking spices mellows them. I added all mine into the secondary and they are definitely mellowing with conditioning, but still very there and in your face, but in a good way. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for from the spices, pronounced or a subtle hint on the back end.

 

[onipar]

I'm planning on doing both spices at 5 mins and in secondary. What you can do is taste your hydrometer sample at around 3 weeks and if it doesn't seem spiced enough, do a "dry spicing" as you said.