Pumpkin Ale Mash/Boil question

[vnzjunk]

It must be that time of year once again. Big interest in pumpkin beer. Me too

I am about ready to take the plunge using fresh pumpkin, fresh squash. I have cooked and scooped and pureed the pulp and have it sitting in the fridge.

Trying to figure out the best way to use in an all grain. My thought is either in the mash or possibly in a strainer bag late in the boil.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[BudzAndSudz]

This is a question of endless debate and you can find literally months of reading by using the search function.

That said, I am of the belief that it's best in the boil. I'm not looking to convert the starches in the pumpkin into fermentable sugars using the diastatic power of the mash, so I like to throw it in the boil so the various protein (not much) and starches from the pumpkin remain in the wort and contribute a delicious silky mouthfeel and rich pumpkin character to the finished beer.

That's for homebrew, and I've won a couple awards for that beer at homebrew competitions.
However, at work we put it in the mash, and we've won a gold at GABF for our pumpkin beer.

In summary; it doesn't f*%#ing matter

 

[The10mmKid]

This will be my first Pumpkin Ale also.

After a bunch of reading seems you can't go wrong with either choice; just how you're most best able to handle the pulp.

I'm going with the mini-mash because I'm liking how the amylase enzymes will break down some of the starches and add a bit more flavor and sugar to the wort.

I'll be using 2# of pumpkin for a 5gal batch.

'da Kid

 

[insanim8er]

In the mash is how I've done it. It can cause a stuck sparge, but you can use rice hulls to help avoid that. It comes out clean and filtered, so no loss or mess.

I talked to a brewer of a world class pumpkin, and they add theirs in the fermenter after the 4th day.

 

[GrogNerd]

talking about this yesterday and someone convinced me to put it in the strainer bag and steep it in the strike water while that's heating

you get color and the starches, no stuck sparge and no gunk in the fermenter to haze the beer

 

[vnzjunk]

Great reply and exactly what I was looking for. Your winners back up what you say.

Thanks, I'm ready to brew.

 

[bobeer]

I brewed my pumpkin ale this year biab style and put it in the mash. I made a pumpkin porter last year and put it in the boil. I just had one of this years ales last night after only being in the bottle for 5 days and it tastes great.
I was trying to avoid the stuck sparge issue so that's why I did a 3 gallon biab this year and it worked very well. If you have a setup to accommodate a biab brew then I'd suggest trying it out.
The porter I did last year had lots of trub from adding the pumpkin to the boil. I tried to strain it out as I put the wort into the carboy but I still ended up with a lot of trub in the end. Not a huge deal just thought I'd mention it. Also, the porter had sort of a vegetable backbone to it. It wasn't that noticeable but the ale I did this year has none. Just a nice pumpkin/graham-cracker taste.
Good luck with your brew!

 

[vnzjunk]

Well it is a done deal. I decided to go with placing it in the boil using a boil in the bag. I had baked and pureed 2 small pumpkins and 2 butternut squash. I mixed these together and placed into a boil bag and into the boil about half way on a 60 minute boil. Worked good. What was left in the bag was about 1/3 to 1/4 of what I started with and the solids in the bottom of the brew pot seemed no worse than I normally get without the extra addition. Smelled good, looked good and was bubbling away 2 hours later after pitching on top of a recent brew yeast cake in the fermenter. Next time I may try it in the mash or split it and do half in mash and half in the boil. Of course if it ends up very good I may just settle for what I did today.
Thanks for all the ideas and conversation.

 

[bobeer]

Looks good man! Thanks for the pics!!

 

[vnzjunk]

UPDATE: Pumpkin Ale

Well here it is post Halloween and only a few days prior to Turkey Day. According to the 6 week schedule I entered on my calendar brew schedule the pumpkin ale should be ready for consumption. I have to fess up I sipped my gravity sample at 2 week bottling and as usual it was very rough around the edges but showed promise (don't they all....LOL). At 4 weeks after most of the carbonating and some of the clarifying I couldn't resist and opened a bottle prior to putting the batch in the fridge for the final clarifying/settling and smoothing.....and it was good and going to get even better. And now after 6 full weeks........time to begin enjoying.
This beer is everything that I hoped it would be. When first poured a pumpkin aroma is evident to the nose and smells just like the smell you get when you are cleaning out the inside of a pumpkin before carving but less pronounced. Not a lot of pumpkin taste at the beginning of the taste.......but a more pronounced after taste of pumpkin but not overpowering. You don't have to go looking for it though. You know that you are drinking a pumpkin beverage. It is fairly smooth tasting now but like all my beers, the last bottles opened will have benefited from the additional 'ageing' and be the best of the batch. The beer is clear like water and a nice medium to dk medium golden color.
I like this beer and will make it my annual Harvest Pumpkin Ale. Well worth the added fuss of cleaning/cooking/mashing the fresh squash/pumpkin.
CHEERS

 

[GrogNerd]

:rockin:

 

[vnzjunk]

Finished Product. Could use a foamy'er head but I should be able to fix that down the road in the next batch. If not soon then fall 2014.
Cheers

 

[vnzjunk]

After 10 months of setting the last 2 bottles were opened. Clear, great flavor and decent head which was missing early (most likely not fully carbed).
Its almost time again for the 2014 version.