input about pumpkin brew-1st time

[miranda28]

Hey! I'm coming to the beer side from being a wine brewer, and have a few questions! I would like to try and do a pumpkin pie beer with some added marshmellow vodka for a whipped cream type back flavor. Now, sounds yummy to me, but ive never made beer before and wanted to use a kit for my beer base. Can i add roasted pumpkin to a beer made with an ingred. Kit? If so, what would the process be? When would i add the pumpkin- is roasting just fine or do i need to
Do anything to it? Same with spices-timing? And how much flavored vodka would u add?

Thanks a bunch!

Miranda

 

[LLBeanJ]

Yes, you can add roasted pumpkin to the beer. Lots of recipes call for adding it to the mash, but my experience is that there is only downside to this and no upside. It adds very little, if any, in terms of fermentables and is a lautering nightmare. Instead, add it to the boil. I take canned pie pumpkin, spread it out on a cooking sheet, and bake @ 350° for an hour.

Add a teaspoon or 2 max of pumpkin pie spice with 5 minutes left in the boil. Don't overdo it. You can add more at packaging if you find the spice is lacking post-fermentation. The first pumpkin beer I brewed, I went with a tsp in the boil and added a 2nd tsp at kegging, which ended up being right on.

For the liquor, add it to taste at packaging.

As far as a base recipe to start with, an American amber would be appropriate as pumpkin beers are typically base malt, C60, and victory. For hops, IBUs should be moderate, say 20-25 from a 60 minute addition and if you want, a small addition (~2-3 IBUs) around 10 mins.

Edit: Forgot to mention, most pumpkin ale recipes include brown sugar. I use 12 oz dark brown sugar in the boil with 10 minutes remaining.