Autumn Seasonal Beer Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale

[BudzAndSudz]

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.

I always just add the spices to an ounce or so of bourbon or rum. That way the heat doesn't volatilize any of the aromatics, and the rum is a nice, but subtle, flavor addition that fits very well.

 

[HopoftheMuffintoYou]

Brewed this last year...The fermentation was so violent it blew the lid off the bucket. Definitley be prepared with a blow off tube.

 

[NicoleBrewer]

Excited to make this! Ill use actual pumpkin though. It'll be interesting cause I've never added anything else but grain to my mash

 

[jwible204]

Excited to make this! Ill use actual pumpkin though. It'll be interesting cause I've never added anything else but grain to my mash

I'd recommend baking/roasting the pumpkin before mashing it with some brown sugar and spices, otherwise it doesn't lend much to the beer.

 

[jwible204]

I always just add the spices to an ounce or so of bourbon or rum. That way the heat doesn't volatilize any of the aromatics, and the rum is a nice, but subtle, flavor addition that fits very well.

That's a good idea, and I've had some variants with Rum that I liked, but I personally just want the spices in this beer, so I'd probably use vodka.

 

[jwible204]

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.

View attachment 142916

Good thing I had garbage bags below them.

Yep, that's typical for this beer, it's a monster.

 

[NicoleBrewer]

I'd recommend baking/roasting the pumpkin before mashing it with some brown sugar and spices, otherwise it doesn't lend much to the beer.

So how long do I bake canned pumpkin for?

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

I bake it for 60 minutes on a very shallow pan with spices and molasses. With canned pumpkin you nay not have to game it that long but I really enjoy that flavor myself.

 

[Nompton]

Well, maybe I was a bit ambitious. This was my very first "non-Mr. Beer" homebrew. I spent a couple weeks reading up on HBT and convinced myself I could do an all-grain as my first real home brew. Boy, am I tired.

I scaled my recipe to 3.5 Gallons, substituted Saaz for Sterling because my local homebrew shop did not have any Sterling (and it was suggested on this thread). I did not really understand how much grain an "all grain" recipe encompassed.

I ended at 1.080 OG, which I'm thrilled with, all things considered. I let my boil go a bit longer because I felt my wort volume was a bit high. I didn't really know if a yeast starter was necessary, but I went ahead and made one anyways. This smelled delicious when I was finished.

I headed a bunch of other's advice and left myself tons of room in my primary because I *expect* a vigorous fermentation. I have about 3.5 gallons with 3 gallons of room. I also put in a blow-off tube, which may have been over-kill.

Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone.

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

What kind of yeast were you using? With a lower volume lime that you might be OK with a single smack pack and you will be fine if it was a dry yeast. With liquid cultures your best bet is to always make a starter a day or two in advance of brew day. It does make a difference

 

[Nompton]

What kind of yeast were you using? With a lower volume lime that you might be OK with a single smack pack and you will be fine if it was a dry yeast. With liquid cultures your best bet is to always make a starter a day or two in advance of brew day. It does make a difference

I used WLP013. I made the starter 24 hours in advance.

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

Yea man you should be bubbling away good then

 

[jwible204]

Well, maybe I was a bit ambitious. This was my very first "non-Mr. Beer" homebrew. I spent a couple weeks reading up on HBT and convinced myself I could do an all-grain as my first real home brew. Boy, am I tired.

I scaled my recipe to 3.5 Gallons, substituted Saaz for Sterling because my local homebrew shop did not have any Sterling (and it was suggested on this thread). I did not really understand how much grain an "all grain" recipe encompassed.

I ended at 1.080 OG, which I'm thrilled with, all things considered. I let my boil go a bit longer because I felt my wort volume was a bit high. I didn't really know if a yeast starter was necessary, but I went ahead and made one anyways. This smelled delicious when I was finished.

I headed a bunch of other's advice and left myself tons of room in my primary because I *expect* a vigorous fermentation. I have about 3.5 gallons with 3 gallons of room. I also put in a blow-off tube, which may have been over-kill.

Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone.

Despite your lower volume, at 1.080 yeastcalc.com suggests 164 billion cells, so were correct in making a starter.

 

[jwible204]

Do you guys have photos of the finished beer? I'd love to see how it turns out for everyone! Here's mine from last year.

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

Hmm I may be able to post pictures of finished finished beer but that may be a bit nasty. The color was spot on to your though.

 

[ill4delph]

I guess i'll go ahead and get my first post out of the way by saying that im brewing this right now!!! cut it back to a 2.5 gallon batch though, and i am adding canned pumpkin that i roasted with some brown sugar. Cant wait until this is done!

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

From philly?

 

[jwible204]

From philly?

Yessir! Fairmount.

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

Awesome I'm in Mayfair and work in CC

 

[ill4delph]

Nice!! Im from NJ but ive been working in NE philly for about 6 years or so now. Wort is about 97f and cooling nicely. Smells fantastic!!

 

[Bombeque]

Made this two days ago. Used sf 05. I like a cleaner profile, and added 3 cups puréed pie pumpkin to the boil. Also added 1lb brown sugar at flameout. Effenciey was a bit low, got 1.083 but its happily fermenting away at around 65.

 

[ill4delph]

Thinking of adding a Vanilla bean soaked in some kind of alcohol when i transfer into secondary in 2 weeks or so. I know vodka is usually the standard booze of choice when soaking beans, but has anyone use anything else?

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

I just chuck in the beans myself. You might getter better flavor compliments if you used a spiced rum if you wanted to add the booze as well to the secondary.

 

[jwible204]

Thinking of adding a Vanilla bean soaked in some kind of alcohol when i transfer into secondary in 2 weeks or so. I know vodka is usually the standard booze of choice when soaking beans, but has anyone use anything else?

My friend made his last year with spiced-rum soaked oak cubes, it was a great combo of flavors.

 

[ill4delph]

Hmm, i actually just got back from San Juan and brought back a couple bottles of local rum. Maybe i'll throw in a bean and a bit of the oak aged rum i got. Stoked to try this. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

Yea man no problem. I like to use Pyrat Rum with pumpkin ales. It brings a lot of raisin, oak, dark fruit and vanilla flavors...the two go hand in hand IMO.

 

[Nompton]

Racked into 2d fermenter today. Attenuated down to 1.020, I am stoked. I had the typical worry of any new brewer that low air-lock activity meant something was wrong, but I left it alone, and everything went great. I don't think I had much over-flow activity because I way over-compensated for what I though was going to be a raging fermentation (~3 gal in 6.5 gal fermentor w/ overflow).

Sampled what was in the hydrometer test tube, tasted great. The pumpkin pie flavor was much more subdue from what I expected. I have a vanilla bean soaking in liquor, which I'll add in a day or two.

For being my first all-grain, I think I did pretty well. Already planning out my next brew.

 

[BudzAndSudz]

Haha you guys really didn't read much of this thread, did you? I suggested Bourbon or Rum not more than 2 pages back.

 

[BeerMeDuffMan]

Haha you guys really didn't read much of this thread, did you? I suggested Bourbon or Rum not more than 2 pages back.

I think that note was seen, but we were discussing what to soak vanilla beans in. Most sources state that vodka is best as it takes in a lot of the flavor from the beans, essentially making a home made vanilla extract. BUt if you were going to throw in the liquid with the beans, your best off going with the bourbon or rum.

 

[BudzAndSudz]

Well I think no matter what alcohol you use you'd be throwing the liquid into the fermenter. That's the idea behind making a tincture.