questions about brewing AHBS Pumpkin Ale

[JamesJ]

I plan to brew AHBS Pumpkin Ale kit this week, the extract version and was wondering when you put the spice pack that came with it in. During the boil or in the primary during fermentation? Also, just curious when in the process you added the pumpkin if you used any. The kit says it's optional. I went ahead and picked up 4 lbs of 100% pumpkin and plan to put it in the oven for 30 minutes. I was considering putting this into 2 grain bags and steeping it with the grains. Any thoughts or feedback is appreciated. I'm a noob slowly finding my way. Cheers!

 

[wildwest450]

I believe I put mine in with 5 minutes left in the boil. You'll want to use it, I made the same kit when I was doing extract brews, it was excellent. The pumpkin will go into the boil, just be prepared to lose some beer, there will be mega trub from the pumpkin.

 

[FatMonsters]

I put the spices in with 10 minutes left. I'm not really sure what time the spcies go into the boil will affect the flavor. I did it this way with my last year pumpkin and everyone said it was good, so I figured why mess with it. Maybe someone else can provide reasoning for the time the spices go in??

As for the pumpkin, right into the boil. Scoop it from the pan to the kettle. I don't strain the wort when the boil is done either, just pour it all into the fermenter.

 

[DLDave1978]

Since someone else is asking about AHS Pumpkin, I'll throw my question, or potential problem out:

I bought the minimash kit after reading a lot of posts about how good this stuff is. I brewed it Tuesday using canned pumpkin. OG was right where predicted. Dry yeast pitched and I put the bucket in the basement. Temp on the bucket was in the upper 70s. Wednesday morning, the airlock was bubbling away. By Thursday, there was no activity. Seems like a rather short obvious fermentation. I am worried that I have a problem now. Haven't had time to take a gravity reading. I put a wet tshirt around bucket to get the temp to 74.

Thoughts on this??

Thanks for any help!

 

[zac]

SWMBO LOVES this beer. I've brewed it twice so far & both times I've told myself I needed rice hulls. Twice I've forgotten to put the rice hulls in with the mash. (I mash my pumpkins with the rest of the grain) and TWICE i've had stuck sparges. I'm an idiot & I don't learn from my mistakes, but I'm telling yuh, this makes some damn fine beer.

I hate growing pumpkins, i hate pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin blah blah blah.. I swear to goodness SWMBO gets this orange glow around halloween/thanksgiving... but i loves me that pumpkin beer of hers......

going to bed now......

 

[zac]

..........another thread killed by zac


*takes bow* thank you, thank you..............


arg......

 

[Revvy]

So how'd this beer turn out?

Sorry zac....it's alive