Pumpkin Ale....the start??

[brentt03]

Hey guys!

So fall is coming and I am in the mood to make a pumpkin ale. Been searching around for a base recipe and some common denominators.

My goal with this beer is to have it turn out as if it was a pumpkin pie stuffed into a bottle. Want to bring all the spices of a pumpkin pie and fall characteristics into the brew.

Some common things I have found are the spices (ginger, cinamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla sugar and allspice).

Also, I want the brew to be a deep dark orange, same color as a pumpkin would be.

In starting the recipe, what style can I study for a grain bill?

Thanks for the help!

 

[kaz4121]

I know that DFG Punkin is an american brown ale style...just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[TopherM]

I made the AHS kit with two 28 ounce cans of Libby's Spiced Pumpkin mix in the MASH. This turned out EXACTLY as you describe above. The AHS instructions actually say NOT to use spiced pumpkin, as it already comes with a spicing kit, but I used both and it has been my best beer to date.

 

[Paul07293]

I like a big, sweet base for Pumpkin ale but it also is pretty dark. I think amber ale would be a good start for the color you're looking for. A 2 row base with some 50-70 lovibond crystal for sweetness and color, that should get you in the copper/orange range. I use real pumpkin cut up and roasted till it caramelizes, then throw it in the mash. Cut back on the hops so the spices can shine through.

 

[beeber]

Carared will give a nice orange color.

 

[DD2000GT]

AHB pumpkin ale is a great one based on what you are looking for. Made it last year for Christmas but I actually used fresh cut up pumpkins in the mash. Excellent pumpkin flavor, fresh tasting, and no worries with the mash sticking.

I got rave reviews by all, even the miller lite guys.

 

[brentt03]

Sweet! Thanks for the replies guys! I am really looking forward to making a pumpkin brew for the fall! All this crazy hot weather has me craving a nice cool fall evening!!

 

[sonvolt]

Below is the recipe I used last Wednesday. I used 4 cans (60 oz, total) of canned Pumpkin in the mash. Previously, I had baked the pumpkin on a baking sheet at 350 for about 40 minutes. The mash was horribly stuck and took most of the day to get the wort into the kettle. I also used 1.5 TBSPs of Pumpkin Pie Spice added with 5 minutes left in the boil.

The wort tasted awesome! I pitched it onto a yeast cake of Nottingham, and it fermented out in about 48 hours. It will sit in primary until I brew again and need that primary fermenter.

Anyway . . .

Pumpkin Ale - Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (21A)
Brewer Nobody
Date 07/09/2011
Batch Size 5.500 gal Boil Size 6.394 gal
Boil Time 1.000 hr Efficiency 70%
OG 1.052 FG 1.010
ABV 5.4% Bitterness 24.7 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 9 SRM (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 169
Fermentables

Total grain: 11.250 lb
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pale Malt (2 Row) US Grain 9.000 lb Yes No 79% 2 L
Munich Malt - 20L Grain 16.000 oz Yes No 75% 20 L
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 74% 60 L
Cara-Pils/Dextrine Grain 4.000 oz Yes No 72% 2 L
Biscuit Malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 79% 23 L
Hops

Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Millennium 16% 0.500 oz Boil 1.000 hr Pellet 24.7
Misc

Name Type Use Amount Time
Canned Pumpkin Flavor Mash 0.000 tsp 0.000 s
Yeast

Name Type Form Amount Stage
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Dry 2.232 tsp Primary

 

[payton34]

the recipe database on hbt has a bunch of pumpkin recipes

 

[racin_ny]

I made this this one that Yuri Rage posted. It is very good I did the all grain version. Thunderstruck Pumpkin

 

[ToastedPenguin]

I brewed an Imperial Pumpkin Ale yesterday and the wort smelled and tasted like fall....

Here is the recipe I used which is made up of bits and pieces of other recipes that each had something I liked, just not in the same recipe:

Summary:
10G All Grain Batch
Est OG 1.093/10.2ABV (@ 75% eff) 1.082/9.2ABV @ (65% eff); I saw 65% efficiency
IBU 34.2
SRM 15.8

Grain Bill:
26lbs Pale Malt
1lbs Caramel/Crystal 80
2lbs Victory Malt
8.0oz Honey Malt
4.0oz Chocolate Malt
8lbs Pumpkin (heated to 152 in the oven prior to mashing in)
1lb Rice Hulls to prevent stuck sparge.

Total Grain weight: 37.75lbs

Mashed with 13Gallons of water @162.9, mash temp at @152 for 90min
Sparged with 4.5Gallons of water @168

Sugar/Spices:
1lbs 12oz Dememera Sugar (added after hot break)
1lbs Lactose @ 15min
1tsp Allspice @ 5min
1tsp Ground Nutmeg @ 5min
1tsp Ground Cloves @ 5min
2tbsp Ground Ginger Root @ 5min
4 Cinnamon Sticks @ 5min

Hops:
1.75oz Magnum @ 60min
.5oz Saaz @ 10min
.5oz Saaz @ 1min

Yeast:
2 x Wyeast 1028 London Ale Yeast

Primary Fermentation will be at 66 for ~10days
Racking into secondary I will be adding pure vanilla extract to taste and additional cinnamon and/or other spices if needed.

The beer will sit and condition until November.

The wort tasted outstanding and vigorous fermentation took off in less then 8 hours.