Autumn Seasonal Beer Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale

[J-Tho]

I brewed this about a month ago and have been way to busy to transfer to a secondary. Think there's any point now? Or should I just go ahead and bottle it? Also, did you guys sanitize the bottling/kegging spice addition somehow before adding it?

 

[jwible204]

I brewed this about a month ago and have been way to busy to transfer to a secondary. Think there's any point now? Or should I just go ahead and bottle it? Also, did you guys sanitize the bottling/kegging spice addition somehow before adding it?

I didn't rack mine last year or this year, mine sat in Primary for about 6 weeks before kegging. It definitely cleaned up a LOT in the keg, it was still a bit cloudy going in.

I actually just add the spice without sanitizing it, I don't think it's that big of a risk considering the 9.5% ABV, but I tossed around the idea of boiling it very briefly in a small amount of water before adding.

 

[BudzAndSudz]

I soaked it in a very small amount of vodka last year (just enough to get it wet) as a precaution and it was perfect.

 

[syke0021]

I don't plan on kegging my batch because I want it to be easily transported during the holidays. I was planning on boiling my vanilla and spices along with my priming sugar as a precaution. I have some pure vanilla that was purchased for me as a gift south of the border that I was planning on using. I'm thinking I should use 2oz based on some of the previous posts.

 

[TX-straggler]

What mash and sparge temp is working for everybody on this brew

 

[jwible204]

What mash and sparge temp is working for everybody on this brew

I mashed it this year at about 154, sparged at 168 per usual.

 

[jwible204]

Just wanted to post that this beer was entered into it's first contest and took home 2nd place! It wasn't sanctioned and was up against 20 Pumpkin style beers. I also recently entered it into a big AHA sanctioned event, we'll see how it does next weekend.

 

[HopoftheMuffintoYou]

My batch has been sitting in bottles now for 3 weeks. At 2 weeks I tried one and there was an off taste present, however, I cracked one open yesterday (at the 3 week mark) and it has cleaned up nicely. I'll probably let it sit in the bottle a week or two before cracking the remaining bottles open. It seems like they're still a tad young, but even at 10.2 abv there isn't really an overwhelming taste of alcohol in the beer, as the spices really mask that. And it finished around 1.022 so it's nice and sweet. I don't think my vanilla extract turned out to be that potent but there is still a hint of vanilla in the after taste.

I had it in the primary for 5 or 6 weeks and did not transfer to a secondary. Mashed @ 154.

 

[h0psnobery]

bump

 

[yourhuckleberry]

Spice Additions - 1.0 heaping tsp of the following added @ 5 minutes -
nutmeg, cloves, alspice, ginger, cinnamon

Is that 1.0 heaping tsp of each ingredient?

For example: 1tsp nutmeg, 1tsp cloves, 1tsp all spice, 1tsp ginger, and 1 tsp cinnamon?

I am excited to try this.

 

[DUNDASJ]

What size mash tuns do you guys have? 38 pounds of grain is a ton. I wish I could make a 10 gallon batch of this but i sure won't be unless I make another mash tun other than my 10 gallon drink cooler.

 

[jwible204]

What size mash tuns do you guys have? 38 pounds of grain is a ton. I wish I could make a 10 gallon batch of this but i sure won't be unless I make another mash tun other than my 10 gallon drink cooler.

70 qt, it's quite full when i mash this grist.

 

[jwible204]

Is that 1.0 heaping tsp of each ingredient?

For example: 1tsp nutmeg, 1tsp cloves, 1tsp all spice, 1tsp ginger, and 1 tsp cinnamon?

I am excited to try this.

1 tsp of each ingredient.

 

[TX-straggler]

Wake this thread up!

 

[TX-straggler]

Fall will be here before we know. Finally gonna brew this recipe, should be in its prime Oct-Dec, pumped!!

Anymore thoughts on when the pumpkin should be added and why, seen so much back and forth on the subject, guess Ill just add it to the boil.

 

[jwible204]

Fall will be here before we know. Finally gonna brew this recipe, should be in its prime Oct-Dec, pumped!!

Anymore thoughts on when the pumpkin should be added and why, seen so much back and forth on the subject, guess Ill just add it to the boil.

If you feel compelled to use pumpkin, you should bake it with sugar/spices then add it to the mash. I personally don't use it.

 

[Chug]

I plan on giving this a shot. The feedback sounds amazing, but I'm still a little leary on adding 2 pounds of crystal to a 5 gallon batch. And also, 40 IBU's seems a little excessive for a pumpkin ale. Can someone please ease my mind on these probably minute issues I'm having with it? I'm still having night terrors from the "Pumking clone" I brewed last year and need assurance this won't break my heart.

 

[tfratzke]

Any more than half a tsp of each in a five gallon batch would be way too much. Half tsp each in 5 gallons at 15 min left in the boil and another half tsp each at kegging is PERFECT!

So just to be clear, you added another 1/2 tsp of each of the spices again at kegging instead of using Pumpkin Pie Spice? Making this on Saturday, looking forward to it!

Thanks!
Tony

 

[jwible204]

So just to be clear, you added another 1/2 tsp of each of the spices again at kegging instead of using Pumpkin Pie Spice? Making this on Saturday, looking forward to it!

Thanks!
Tony

No, I use a pre-blended pumpkin pie spice at kegging.

 

[jwible204]

I plan on giving this a shot. The feedback sounds amazing, but I'm still a little leary on adding 2 pounds of crystal to a 5 gallon batch. And also, 40 IBU's seems a little excessive for a pumpkin ale. Can someone please ease my mind on these probably minute issues I'm having with it? I'm still having night terrors from the "Pumking clone" I brewed last year and need assurance this won't break my heart.

I would agree, but with a beer this big/malty/sweet, it's just fine. It attenuates down to 1.020 without issue, I've even had it drop further than that.

 

[walcotteric]

Planning on brewing this beer today or tomorrow. Any major changes from original recipe that I should know about?

 

[walcotteric]

So there seem to be mixed opinions on whether to just add spices or to actually add pumpkin or pie mix. Anyone have a convincing argument either way?

 

[tfratzke]

I made it for the first time last weekend. I added the 60 oz of canned pumpkin (baked previously in the oven). I put it in the last 15 minutes of the boil in a paint strainer bag. It gave the beer a wonderful orange color, and even after 6 days fermenting, i can still smell some pumpkin aroma. It is a bit messy, and i would like to try it with real pumpkin sometime.

Sounds like it is awesome without the pumpkin too!

Tony

 

[walcotteric]

When adding the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract at bottling, do you just add them to the bottling bucket or are you supposed to boil them with the priming sugar or something like that?

 

[tfratzke]

Add them at bottling/kegging time.

 

[jwible204]

I add them right to the keg, then rack onto them. I'd suggest boiling up about 1/4 cup of water, then let it cool and add the spice once it reaches 180. The vanilla extract I use is literally just vodka with vanilla beans that have been soaking for a few years, so it is sterile by default.

 

[NFryan]

Made this over the weekend. Some how I got the worst efficiency I have ever had and wound up with an OG of 1.074... My water calculations were off as well and I have 11.25 gallons of wort fermenting. None the less I'm still hoping it tastes as good as it smells...

 

[jwible204]

Made this over the weekend. Some how I got the worst efficiency I have ever had and wound up with an OG of 1.074... My water calculations were off as well and I have 11.25 gallons of wort fermenting. None the less I'm still hoping it tastes as good as it smells...

Your water volume is the reason why your efficiency was so low. If you boiled that down to your 10 gallons, it would increase your OG by about 10%.

 

[NFryan]

Your water volume is the reason why your efficiency was so low. If you boiled that down to your 10 gallons, it would increase your OG by about 10%.

Yea I know I had a minor mishap in my calculations. I am going make it again soon. My fermentation however has been crazy so far with s04.



Good thing I had garbage bags below them.

 

[sasky7777]

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