Are you kidding? Another pumpkin thread?

Ok. All this talk of pumpkin beers has me chomping at the bit.
I'm intrigued by pumpkin, always have been. I love cooking with it. My wife makes a pumpkin cheesecake totally out of this world. I've always wanted to brew with pumpkin, but I've always been turned off at every pumpkin beer I've ever tried. They just don't do it for me. However, I'm trudging ahead with this. I'm going to avoid the commonplace "pumpkin ale", and try something different.

Here it is, let me know what you guys think, please add suggestions.

The Great Pumpkin Porter

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 11.50
Anticipated OG: 1.058 Plato: 14.22
Anticipated SRM: 35.0
Anticipated IBU: 30.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.5 5.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
17.4 2.00 lbs. Munich Malt(dark) America 1.033 20
8.7 1.00 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
8.7 1.00 lbs. Chocolate Wheat Malt America 1.029 350
8.7 1.00 lbs. Maple Syrup Generic 1.031 35
4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120
4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 20L America 1.035 20
4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 80L 1.033 80

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 8.00 17.2 60 min.
1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 6.50 8.6 20 min.
1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 6.50 4.2 5 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1028 London Ale




Notes
-----

Add 2 large cans (cooked) pumpkin to mash

Add 1 large can (cooked) pumpkin
to secondary fermenter



SPICES:

1.5 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice in secondary.

Add additional 1.5 tsp if needed after tasting.

Great to see you back on the horse, Dude.

Looks like a good recipe dude.
I'm still not sure about adding pumpkin anytime after the mash. You wouldn't be boiling it in the secondary so maybe you will be OK.
Mine doesn't taste too bad but the alcohol is over powering everything. There are only hints of pumpkin and spices. At this point, I don't think boiling the pumpkin hurt anything. We will see.
I used 2 1/2 pounds of maple syrup and when I tasted it after racking to secondary, I couldn't detect any flavor from it. I'm pretty sure it's from using 1056. That sucker attenuated big time from 1.067 down to 1.012. (I added the syrup at about 5 minutes before flame out. I'm sure that 1028 won't attenuate anywhere near that.

Brewing this baby right now. All is going well--adding the second hop addition in 25 minutes.

I was totally clueless on what to do with the pumpkin. Some say mash it, some say boil, some say secondary. So what I did was cooked a large can of pumpkin in the ovenfor an hour, then put it into the boil at 60 minutes. I'll add spices at the end of the boil as well, then add another cooked can of pumpkin to secondary.

I can't wait for this to be done. Gonna be good I hope.

I put my pumpkin in a grain bag and simmered it for a while. This extracted nice color and flavor but reduced the sediment.

Take it easy on the spice. I'd go 1 tbsp, then bump up from there to taste. That stuff can be strong.

Cheesefood said:

Take it easy on the spice. I'd go 1 tbsp, then bump up from there to taste. That stuff can be strong.

Click to expand...

Roger that--I've heard it can be overpowering.

Dude said:

Roger that--I've heard it can be overpowering.

Click to expand...

isn't canned pumpkin cooked?

I forget what we put in but I think 2 tbsp, it is fairly strong but good. it is in a stout.

Yes, but roasting it in the oven gives it a nice caramel flavor/aroma.

Dude, I'd be wary of adding spices to the secondary. They have a hard enough time integrating as is. Are you planning on doing a supplementary boil?

Evan! said:

Dude, I'd be wary of adding spices to the secondary. They have a hard enough time integrating as is. Are you planning on doing a supplementary boil?

Click to expand...

Troof! I did 1 tbsp in the boil an one in the bubble and it had a strong pumpkin flavor. It tasted like pumpkin pie for the first 6 months, then mellowed out.

Coincidentally, one of by buggers picked up a little bottle infection and had a sour taste that was borderline enjoyable. I think a small batch with a little Brett might be a fun option. Pumpkin Lambic anyone?

I guess I'll wait until I taste it after a few weeks in secondary to see if I need to add more spice.

If the fermentation is any indication, the aroma will be fine. The airlock is pushing out the usual wonderful smell, as well as a strong fresh pumpkin aroma as well. Really liking that!

Here is the actual recipe I used--I tweaked a few things from teh original version.



The Great Pumpkin Porter


A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics

----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50

Total Grain (Lbs): 11.50

Anticipated OG: 1.058 Plato: 14.22

Anticipated SRM: 35.0

Anticipated IBU: 30.1

Brewhouse Efficiency: 80 %

Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

43.5 4.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2

17.4 2.00 lbs. Munich Malt(dark) America 1.033 20

8.7 .50 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2

8.7 .50 lbs. Chocolate Wheat Malt America 1.029 350

8.7 .05 lbs. Flaked Barley 1.034 35

4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120

4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 20L America 1.035 20

4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 60L 1.033 80


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

0.50 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 8.00 17.2 60 min.

1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 6.50 8.6 20 min.

1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 6.50 4.2 0 min.


Yeast

-----

Safale-56

Notes

-----

Add 1 large can (cooked) pumpkin to boil 60 mins), add 1 TBSP. pumpkin pie spices* to boil 15 mins)


Add 1 large can (cooked) pumpkin

to secondary fermenter


*Pumpkin pie spice consisted of equal portions each of: Cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg

NOTE: recipe is not updated in my sig at this time.

I kegged mine about 3 weeks ago and it has an alcohol bite to it. The spices have faded way too much. I may add more to the keg and then bottle it. I hope the alcohol mellows a bit. That Safale-56 really attenuated. The Maple syrup I put in it doesn't even come through.
Oh well. Keeping my fingers crossed.