Pumpkin Ale canned pumpkin no grain bag?

I can't find a clear answer in any of the threads...


So, I'm making a Pumpkin Ale with canned pumpkin is it ok to add the pumpkin straight to the wort and let it settle out in the primary, or should I use a grain bag?

 

I did that last year, depending on how much pumpkin you add, add more top off water/wort to compensate for absorption, I lost 3 gallons making 2 5 gallon batches.

 

If you are doing all grain its best to add it in the mash, I have done it in the boil, never with a bag, and have never had an issue. Most of it will have worked its way out of a grain bag by the end of the boil anyway.

Side note: the pumpkin doesn't add that much to the flavor. Most of the pumpkin taste comes from the spices ago don't sweat the pumpkin usage too much

 

Ok, good. I added 60oz of canned pumpkin. There's a lot of settlement. I added an extra gallon of top off water.


My first post should have said "should I have use a grain bag"


Thanks for the quick replies.

 

It depends. Are you fermenting inside a pumpkin? If yes then no. If no then yes.

Also, why is no one racking on a can of baked pumpkin?

 

Why did you add top up water? You just took your gravity down and diluted your flavor for no reason. Sure, you might get 4.7 gallons instead of 5 but isn't 4.7 gallons of proper tasting beer better than 5 gallons of watered down beer?

All beer has trub, pumpkin beers always have more than normal.

 

I was reading a thread earlier about someone who discovered a source of infection was from racking onto pumpkin. And some resposes were because of the unconverted starches. This is just recently what Ive read so,whether other people do this successfully Im not shure exactly. So I hope this is helpfull,but I would look into it. But since I see many recipes even kits that just have you boil pumpkin in the wort and then strain or rack from that as you normally would I dont see the difference.Still unconverted starches? Maybe the fermenting beer is just more vaunerable with more of the starches?

 

I doubt an infection would occur in the secondary. Especially using cooked canned pumpkin. There is enough booze to kill the bugs.

Now, fermenting inside a pumpkin would probably create an infection, but that may be welcome.

 

Saw a pic recently of someone tapping a pumpkin cask-style that had been used as a fermentation vessel (or so it seemed)...

 

My starting gravity is 1.044

Target was 1.042 - 1.046. Would the pumpkin puree floating throw off the OG reading?

 

I'm going to try it. I've been trying to recruit a guinea pig here, but no luck so far.

 

this guy uses a pumpkin mashtun and fermentor.

http://www.sloshspot.com/blog/02-25-2009/How-To-Brew-Pumpkin-Beer-in-a-Pumpkin-in-20-Easy-Steps-125

 

No

 

Shhh... the secret is to add amylase enzyme to the fermentor to convert boil and primary additions of pumpkin during the ferment...

 

Now you've got me all worried. I say I added 1 gallon of top water, but even though I am well over the 5 gallon mark, I've really only got around 5 1/2 gallons of pure water in it.

I have never made a batch of homebrew that I would consider awesome. It just occured to me that I always topped off to 5 gallons without taking into account the extract and other additives (pumpkin)

Could this be causing me problems? I mean it's hard to tell how much you lose during boil and evaporation. But you should always add at least 5 gallons right and not just top off to 5 in the primary?

This kit had 64oz of extract and 60oz pumpkin. so the final capacity of 5 1/2 -5/3/4 wouldn't be that far off right?

 

Well, for a full volume boil I get between one and 1.25 gallons of boil of per hour, depending on humidity. That is outside in my garage and out of a kettle made from a keg.

To get a5 gallon end volume you need to have about 5.5 gallons in the ferment bucket or carboy regardless of what kind if stuff you have floating in the wort.

Yes, if you have been diluting your wort that might be hurtng your final product. Have you been taking gravity readings? Are they where they should be according to your kits or recipes?

 

This the first batch that I've brewed in about a year, I don't always take a gravity reading. Bad practice I know.

Seems likeI learn something new every time, and it's always the important questions I remember to ask after the brew......

Maybe it will at least be drinkable, another expensive lesson learned.

 

It will be beer, and probably good beer but taking measurements and find your homework will get you better beer.

Don't be afraid you ask questions. Pm me any time if you have any more if you don't want to create a thread for them

 

At least I pitched at fermenting temp this time and not 78 -80 degrees like the kit instructions say.

I think that's one of the biggest mistakes I've been making. I was pitching as soon as I could get it below 80, then through this forum I learned I was doing wrong.

Ha, I brewed a lager one time and kept it at 78 waiting for it to take off. Came home from work and it had a 1 inch krausen. I cooled it down but by that time it was to late.

That was a bad brew let me tell ya...yuck.