How much pumpkin needed for pumpkin ale?

[jcs401]

Just bought a pumpkin ale brew kit from the local brew store, comes with everything needed except pumpkin. How much pumpkin is needed if I buy it out of a can? And also what spices are recommended?

 

[sasky7777]

Two of the big (60 oz?) cans roasted and then into the mash is a good start point. Adding to the boil adds too much sediment in the fermenter and you can loose a lot of volume. For spicing I keep it simple and use the pre-blended pumpkin pie spice. Depending on brand, freshness, etc. a rough guideline in 5 gal would be 2.5 tsp added anywhere from 10 min to flameout. If you need more you can add the same amount to 3 to 4 oz of vodka or spiced rum and add at bottling time, same goes for a couple beans of vanilla. The spice is easier to add than take away.

 

[boxofjibboo]

They don't list it in the instructions with your kit? Is this all grain or extract?

For my all grain in the past, and also today, I use 60 oz of canned pumpkin in the mash for a 5 gallon batch. I have and will use again, McCormicks Pumpkin Pie Spice.

You can search around in the recipes area and see how others have done their pumpkin ales as well.

 

[jcs401]

It did come with directions, it's a partial mash kit but it said "6lbs of pumpkin" ? I was a little confused, perhaps it meant a 6lb. Pumpkin?

 

[ericbw]

It did come with directions, it's a partial mash kit but it said "6lbs of pumpkin" ? I was a little confused, perhaps it meant a 6lb. Pumpkin?

I just did a 1 gallon batch, and used most of a 4 pound pumpkin. Peeled cut up and roasted with brown sugar. It was prob about 1 pound into the mash and 1 pound into the boil.

Your directions don't sound too clear.

 

[bzwyatt]

I bet it meant 6 lbs of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling).

 

[jcs401]

Should there be pumpkin put into the primary fermenter, or only the boil/steep process?

 

[jcs401]

My plan is to steep the grains in its own mesh bag, and steep the pumpkin in its own bag so I can remove after steeping, I'm not sure if I need to add pumpkin to the wort boil as we'll?

 

[bzwyatt]

It is up to you, people do it all different ways. The current issue ir zymurgy has a recipe I used as a model, it says to put the pumpkin in the mash. This helps convert the starch in the pumpkin, for one thing.

 

[jcs401]

Ok, I have 3 27oz. Cans if pumpkin, is it enough?

 

[bzwyatt]

For 5 gallons?

6 lbs was in the zymurgy recipe, a 10 gallon batch. I scaled mine down from that, did a 2.25 gal batch.

 

[CincyJoe]

I just did a nice pumpkin ale with only 1 15 oz can in the boil in a bag but it leached right through. I strained out before fermenting and beer was great. 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice at finish of boil and 1 tsp in secondary. Great 5 gal partial mash batch!! You don't need much pumpkin from a can. Make sure it's plain pumpkin because the pie filling looks identical and it is the same can.

 

[jcs401]

Does anybody know if I need to use brown sugar in my recipe or will the pumpkin pie spices be enough I have seen both used and different type of recipes however mine does not call for brown sugar? And how much of the pumpkin pie spice is needed for a 5 gallon batch?

 

[bzwyatt]

The recipe I used had a pound each of syrup and honey. A pound of brown sugar would probably be good too, in substitute for one of those. It will make it dry too though, since the sugar will ferment. But the molasses flavor should stick with brown sugar.

 

[jcs401]

The ingredients say "2/3 cup of dark brown sugar for priming"?? Would this be used instead of the dextrose when time to bottle? Or do I use the brown sugar during the boil?? Please see pix

 

[bzwyatt]

Yeah priming is for bottling. Check the end of the recipe to see if it says to use the sugar then. You'll probably melt it with a little boiling water and add it to the beer before you bottle.

But that is not a very precise way to measure, especially with brown sugar, which you can pack in the measuring cup or not, so you can end up with more or less than what you might want.

 

[jcs401]

So don't add any brown sugar to the boil? I have seen a lot of videos where people add the brown sugar to the boil which is why I am askin, and I really not feeling my bottles exploding when bottling. lol

 

[BrewerinBR]

I did two batches of Pumpkin this year, a Pumpkin Stout and a Pumpkin Ale. I use fresh raw pumpkin (20lbs whole) cut it into quarters and smoke it over a beechwood fire until it is soft. Cool and peel and add to mash ended with about 8 lbs per batch. With 5 minutes left in the boil I added 2 Tsp Cinnamon, 1 Tsp Ginger, 1/4 Tsp Clove and 1/4 Nutmeg. Fermented the Stout with WLP005 British Ale and the ALe with Fermentis US-05. After 21 days I boiled 1 15 OZ can of pumpkin in 1 quart of warter for 10 minutes and add 1 Tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 Tsp Ginger and 1/8 Tsp Clove and a sprinkle of Nutmeg along with 1/2 Oz Cascade hops for the Stout and 1/2 OZ Amarillo for the Ale... cooled and added to the fermenter. 10 days later I used 4.5 OZ of brown sugar in 2 cups water boiled to each batch and bottled. They are delicious... tested them a few days ago, not fully carbed up but close! They have a smokey spice pumpkin pie crusty taste that is wonderful... best pumpkins I have done.

 

[bzwyatt]

If you add it, put it in at the end of the boil, just to dissolve it and get it integrated. You don't want to cook it.

Obviously, you will still need priming sugar when you bottle (unless you use CO2)

 

[sasky7777]

Brown sugar is just glorified table sugar with some molasses and colour. It won't add much to the finished product. For this kit use it when you bottle as the instructions outline to carbonate.

 

[jcs401]

Just brewed it all. Everything seemed to go well however I did take a small sip if the wort and it seemed extremely spiced? I only did about 2tbs. Of pumpkin pie seasoning with 10min. Left, will these flavors mellow out at all during fermentation? Usually I only sample after transferring to secondary but just had to try???

 

[501irishred]

It'll be fine. To be honest, I've made em with pumpkin in the mash, pumpkin in the boil, and one that I called a pumpkin ale and I didn't even add pumpkin..... They all tasted close to the same.
The spices will change during fermentation, and begin to mellow somewhat over time. What kind, and how much spice is a delicate balance and will be a personal preference. I tend to use about 1/2 of what a recipe calls for (I don't care for overwhelming spice), but I brew at least one a year full tilt as I have friends and relatives that LOVE the be big spice kick.