Help with pumpkin problem

[Daneaux]

I used pumpkin in a can and wanted to really kick it up a notch so I used three times the usual amount. So here sits my primary that has settled for four days and it looks like when I rack to secondary I will loose half to the sediment. I know its not the smartest idea to add more water to bring the volume up but does anyone think I should leave it alone and produce only 2 to 3 gal and be happy or should I add more water to have a five gallon batch?

 

[homebrewer_99]

This is one of the reasons why I brew 5.25-5.5 gals.

If you have the time, tilt the primary (use a shim or a small jar under one side) and let the sediment settle a bit and syphon off more of the liquid off of the top.

I wouldn't add any water to your secondary. It's already beer.

 

[Daneaux]

Thank you. That is a bummer Looks like it will be extremly dense. That seems to be the trend in my brewing. I will tell ya how it turned out.

 

[Beer Snob]

I think it was last month's Zymurgy edition they had an article of a guy who fermented his beer inside a pumpkin! It was something like a 100lb pumpkin.

 

[casebrew]

Can't you just wait a couple more weeks for it to settle?

 

[Daneaux]

Yes I am letting it settle in primary for 2 weeks and then into secondary. Because we used so much pumpkin it has been 9 days and the sediment is still taking up 1/3 of the fermenter. I used way too much pumkin although I dont think the bottles will have a problem being emptied.

 

[Daneaux]

Bottled the batch yesterday. It is very creamy with a smooth taste of pumpkin. The pumpkin aftertaste is awesome. The spices are drowned out with the extra pumpkin additions but it works for me.

 

[Dude]

Wow...freaky. I was JUST thinking about starting a search for pumpkin recipes. I am definitely doing a pumpkin beer this year for a party that I have planned for around autumn, and I was going to try to get a pumpkin beer recipe ironed out in time to brew it in late July or so.

Do you mind posting your recipe?

 

[homebrewer_99]

You could always sprinkle more cinnamon on top of the head for decoration/flavor..

 

[JeffNYC]

How much pumpkin did you use? I am working on a recipe for later this year. Did you add it all to the mash? Any to the wort near the end? I was thinking of 2 cans during the mash, then 1 can later for a few minutes of the final boil to avoid boiling away all the flavor. Thoughts?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Wow...freaky. I was JUST thinking about starting a search for pumpkin recipes. I am definitely doing a pumpkin beer this year for a party that I have planned for around autumn, and I was going to try to get a pumpkin beer recipe ironed out in time to brew it in late July or so.

Do you mind posting your recipe?

Be careful/thoughtful when using the pie spices as the nutmeg/all spice/cinnamon combination can be very harsh in the beginning. You 're doing right by giving it 3-4 months to mellow out.

 

[Cheesefood]

Wow...freaky. I was JUST thinking about starting a search for pumpkin recipes. I am definitely doing a pumpkin beer this year for a party that I have planned for around autumn, and I was going to try to get a pumpkin beer recipe ironed out in time to brew it in late July or so.

Do you mind posting your recipe?

Take a look at the recipe in my sig. It was tasty and had a nice pumpin-pie flavor. You might tone down the spices and add some victory or biscuit malt to give it more flavor.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Take a look at the recipe in my sig. It was tasty and had a nice pumpin-pie flavor. You might tone down the spices and add some victory or biscuit malt to give it more flavor.

Pumpkin Light...isn't that a Jack-O-Lantern???

 

[Daneaux]

Sorry for not getting back quicker. I just went through my recipes and can not find either of my papers used for the pumpkins. So Dude, you are always helpful to everyone and I wanted to help you but I cant find it. When I do you will be the first I contact. To answer the how much pumpkin question: We used Six small cans(15 oz each) divided into two grain bags. Both went into mash at 154 deg. Sparge and rinse as usual but used one of the bags into boil for 60 min. You can also save 0ne cup of unmashed pumpkin in another bag and drop it into boil 15 min before flame out. The only problem was sooo much sediment with all the extra cans and we doubled the spices to 2 tbsp. I would add more next time yet I like the idea of sprinkling cinn on top for flavor.

 

[Daneaux]

I just found the notes but its not all grain. Last year I did an all grain version with cooked real pumpkin and the whole can of Pumpkin spices. Used cinn sticks and cloves for secondary. This one was huge and took up to now to condition with all the spices. The last one I toned down the spices and beefed up the pumpkin (cans this time). I couldnt find the original AG recipe so I used this one instead.

6.6 Lbs. Gold Malt Extract
6 cans Pumpkin meat
1.5 lbs. Pale grain
1 lb. British Crystal grain
2 oz. Willamette hops
Wyeast: British Ale
Mashed at 154 for 60 min. Sparged 170 for hour.
1 oz. hops at start of boil and other oz 10 min. to flame out.
Hope this helps.

 

[Shambolic]

If you want to knock it up a notch, give it a blast from your spice weasel. BAM!