Lots of firsts ?s: BIAB, pumpkin, 3 gallon

[Peruvian802]

I'm trying to prepare to have a pumpkin ale ready in October and have been told it's necessary to start early to clarify and let the spices mellow. Given that pumpkin is notorious for struck sparges in a mash tun, I thought I'd try BIAB.

I'm going to scale it down to 3 gallons as a paint strainer fits over my 22qt pot but not my 40qt pot. I'm also not sure I could go through 5 gallons of pumpkin ale! Will the paint strainer be okay for canned pumpkin (will it clog or let too much through)? I could cube a pumpkin instead if there will be a problem.

Also, I've only done 5 gallon batches so how is it scaling down to 3 gallons? Finally, does anyone have a favorite 3 gallon recipe?

 

[happypanties]

I brewed a great pumpkin beer last year using 2.5 gallon BIAB batch last year. Getting ready to brew it again soon.

The recipe I made called for first caramelizing the pumpkin in the oven first and adding it to the mash. Then a spiced tea was added to secondary.

There was no problem adding the pumpkin to the mash, for the most part it dissolves into the wort making it nice and thick. Don't worry about the bag holding it, it's not a problem.

I'll post the recipe when I get home in a few hours.

 

[happypanties]

This is basically where I got the recipe from, I'd suggest reading it. I broke it down to 2.5 gallons below. You should be able to take the 15 gallon and break it down to 3 gallon easily by dividing everything by 5.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/thunderstruck-pumpkin-ale-ag-extract-versions-26699/

Batch Size: 2.5 Gallons
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.018
ABV: 4.99%
IBU: 13.0
SRM: 14.2

3.5lb Pale Malt
.83 lb Crystal 60L
.42 lb Biscuit
.17lb Flaked Wheat
30 oz Pumpkin - Spread the pumpkin on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F before adding to the mash.

.375oz Kent Goldings 4.5% (60 min)

0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) or one Whirlfloc tablet

Yeast - English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) or Fermentis S-04

During clearing stage, add a spice tea of .5 tsp "Pumpkin Pie Spice" or Pampered Chef "Cinnamon Plus." Steep spices in 1 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes, cool then add. Consider adding the spice tea a little at a time to achieve the desired flavor profile.

The thread mentioned above does warn about excessive trub from the pumpkin, which I do remember being an issue.

 

[RyeGuy]

I made one of these last year. Cooked the pumpkin as was said then puréed it and threw it right in the mash in my big biab bag. I used McCormick pumpkin pie spice at 1 min left in the boil I believe. Turned out pretty good. I'll post my recipe on here.

That remind me, I need to make this soon.

 

[RyeGuy]

This was my 10 gal BIAB recipe that you could scale down. It was supposed to be a DFH Punkin clone, which it turned out pretty close. I'm going to decrease the real pumpkin a little this year though.

22 lb pale 2 row
2.25 lb special roast
2.25 lb crystal 60
2 lbs brown sugar at 60 min
4 cans libbys non spiced pumpkin
1 medium pumpkin browned at 350F in oven then pureed

2 oz Hallertau 60 min 4.5%
1 small container McCormick Pumkin Pie Spice 15 min
2 oz Hallertau 5 min 4.5 %

Mash at 152F. Mashout 170F.

 

[Peruvian802]

Thanks for the recipes and encouragement. It seems that there's not an issue with draining the bag with pumpkin getting 'stuck' via BIAB. How long did you guys let these mellow before serving? I bottle if that matters.

RyeGuy - What size container was the spice in? What was your yeast choice?

 

[RyeGuy]

No, no sticking problems with BIAB. I love it, couldn't be easier. I used the 1.12 oz one. I think thats the only one in most stores. Its about 3 fingers high.

I used US-05 to let the pumpkin and spices shine through. You'll probably want a clean yeast for that reason. It was good to drink within about a month, but any more time you give it will let the spices meld into the beer more. I have mine scheduled to brew the end of August and will probably put it on tap a week before Halloween.

 

[Peruvian802]

Great stuff, RyeGuy. US05 is a fave of mine. I was thinking of brewing over Labor Day to bottle within 3 weeks and condition for about 1 month in time for Halloween.

 

[happypanties]

Thanks for the recipes and encouragement. It seems that there's not an issue with draining the bag with pumpkin getting 'stuck' via BIAB. How long did you guys let these mellow before serving? I bottle if that matters.

RyeGuy - What size container was the spice in? What was your yeast choice?

I bottle too, just treat it like any other beer. 2-3 weeks at 70 degrees to carb, then refrigerate for a week or two to chill/clarify.

 

[jonnyp1980]

My biab pumpkin is on day 7 of fermenting. It is also my first pumpkin ale I've made. Eager to put it to secondary after another week and see how the flavors are coming together.

 

[bigmike99]

Might be my first biab. Why not tackle something different for the first time??? Lol.

 

[Peruvian802]

I finally got around to this batch. Wow! BIAB is easy. I liked the small batch and a paint strainer fit over my 22 qt pot. With only 7 1/2 lbs of grain and pumpkin, lifting is out was easy. 75% efficiency with just a hot tap water sparge of 1/2 gallon.