Adapting A Recipe

[AgentPooky]

Hello,

For my second brew I would like to make a Pumpkin/Spiced ale and had a look at the recipe section.

These two Extract recipes caught my eye: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/punkin-ale-145060/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/thunderstruck-pumpkin-ale-ag-extract-versions-26699/

Now I don't want to spend a lot buying all the different hops and grains so my question is can I scale it down to maybe only use 1 hops and 1 special grain?

Also I can't get pumpkin pie spice where I am so can I make it up with cinnamon, nutmeg etc?

 

[BradleyBrew]

Go with a base grain or a Light LME then just use crystal 60. Could add some light brown sugar and obviously some pumpkin spice. Use a low level bittering hop. I enjoy Fuggle for my pumpkin ale.

 

[jan23778]

All recipes can be scaled down to a smaller quantity but I would not suggest omitting ingredients as you will end up with a very different beer. Same goes for changing the spice to a different one.

That said though, the beauty of homebrewing is experimentation. Give it a go, see what you come up with. If you are scaling down to a much smaller quantity, if the beer is not good, you haven't lost too much in the way of money spent on ingredients and you never know, you may come up with something new and great!! My advice: give it a go and have fun!!

 

[AgentPooky]

Go with a base grain or a Light LME then just use crystal 60. Could add some light brown sugar and obviously some pumpkin spice. Use a low level bittering hop. I enjoy Fuggle for my pumpkin ale.

Thanks.

I'm thinking 3kg dry malt extract
Kent Golding hops boiled 60min
500g crystal 60
Pumpkin spice stuff

Would that be okay? Any other suggestions?

 

[J187]

I think the premise here is flawed. I understand wanting to save money, but trying to skimp on specialty grains and hops to save money is like trying to make a cake with 1 less egg or something... you are going to completely change the composition of what you're making... if you want to change ingredients because you are trying to manipulate the flavors, profiles, and body of a beer, that's great. But don't try to cut back on things strictly to save money. If money is that tight, brew something cheaper to brew perhaps. Or save until you can afford the right ingredients.

 

[AgentPooky]

I think the premise here is flawed. I understand wanting to save money, but trying to skimp on specialty grains and hops to save money is like trying to make a cake with 1 less egg or something... you are going to completely change the composition of what you're making... if you want to change ingredients because you are trying to manipulate the flavors, profiles, and body of a beer, that's great. But don't try to cut back on things strictly to save money. If money is that tight, brew something cheaper to brew perhaps. Or save until you can afford the right ingredients.

Thanks, I agree it's definitely not ideal.

I'm wanting to make a 'Spiced Ale' as I like the warm flavours and christmasy feel...

For my second brew I don't want to go all out and buy all sorts of grains and hops, but of course I understand I should if I want to make the 'correct' thing.

Is there some extract Pumpkin/Spiced ale with less ingredients that I can brew perhaps?

 

[J187]

How about this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/smashing-pumpkin-ale-extract-kit.html

 

[AgentPooky]

How about this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/smashing-pumpkin-ale-extract-kit.html

Looks good, unfortunately there's nothing like that where I live...

I'm thinking it might be a better idea to forego the Pumpkin ale idea for the moment and just start off with something simpler like an Extract IPA or APA.

 

[AgentPooky]

I put together this recipe, can you please tell me what you think; any additions etc etc...

Thanks!

Pumpkin Ale
Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 21.0
Total Grain (kg): 3.900
Total Hops (g): 50.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.068 (°P): 16.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (°P): 3.6
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 7.04 %
Colour (SRM): 13.3 (EBC): 26.2
Bitterness (IBU): 22.7 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
3.000 kg Dry Malt Extract - Amber (76.92%)
0.600 kg Brown Sugar, Light (15.38%)
0.300 kg Caramunich II (7.69%)

Hop Bill
----------------
25.0 g Hallertau Mittlefrueh Pellet (6.3% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.2 g/L)
25.0 g Hallertau Mittlefrueh Pellet (6.3% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (1.2 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------
840.0 g Butternut @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
5.0 g Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
10.0 g Gelatin @ 0 Days (Primary)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 21°C with Safale US-05

Notes
----------------
5 Min from end of boil, add 1tbsp of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, coriander)

Recipe Generated with BrewMate