Ok I'm going to be brewing an Oktoberfest from an extract kit in about 30 mins. Had a last min thought. I would like to infuse a little pumpkin flavor. Not too strong, just a hint. Whats the best way to go about that. keep in mind, I have canned pumkin readily avail. so that would be the easiest for me if its even an option. Any thoughts?
Oktoberfest Kit w/ Pumpkin? HELP!?!?!
- Thread starter kyleaubu
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for my pumpkin ales i add pumpkin in a muslin bag for the last 15 minutes of the boil (most of the pumpkin leaves the bag, but some of the bigger pieces stay behind) I use 6 15oz cans for a 5gal batch. Pumpkin flavor is pretty mild anyway. Mostly you taste the spices in those pumpkin ales. I don't think you'd have a problem adding 2 cans of pumpkin to the oktoberfest and that should give it a mild flavor.
vicratlhead51
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Like bdupree said most of the flavor comes from the spices. Try adding 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice in the last 5 min of the boil (I think its a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves but you can find it in jars that just say pumpkin pie spice). Then before you secondary or after fermentation is complete take a sample and see if there's enough flavor for you. If you want more spice flavor make a "tea" by adding more spices to a cup of boiling water then just add that to your brew. Sometimes it takes some aging for spiced brews to taste good so don't be worried if it doesn't taste right when you first try it. You might just have to wait a couple weeks longer. I know I had to let mine mellow for 2 mos before it was good to drink. Of course mine was an ale and your oktoberfest is probably a lager so maybe the lagering will take care of the aging thing.
vicratlhead51
Well-Known Member
Ya know I had another thought too, something I haven't tried since I didn't actually use pumpkin in my pumpkin ale(I actually called it sans-pumpkin ale) but I was thinking about lightly roasting some canned pumpkin in the oven and steeping it like a steeping grain at the beginning of the boil. I know AG guys put it in their mash so I was thinking I could treat it like an extract brewer treats grains. If you try this let me know how it turns out because I'm definitely thinking about doing it in my next pumpkin ale. At least then I can really call it a pumpkin ale 
Ya know I had another thought too, something I haven't tried since I didn't actually use pumpkin in my pumpkin ale(I actually called it sans-pumpkin ale) but I was thinking about lightly roasting some canned pumpkin in the oven and steeping it like a steeping grain at the beginning of the boil. I know AG guys put it in their mash so I was thinking I could treat it like an extract brewer treats grains. If you try this let me know how it turns out because I'm definitely thinking about doing it in my next pumpkin ale. At least then I can really call it a pumpkin ale
Ive done this and topped the pumpkin with some brown sugar to carmelize. Baking it brings out the armomatics and gives a nice flavor. Then treat as a 60 minute addition in a bag. Strain though when you put into the fermenter. And dont be surprised if you lose a lot of water to the pumpkin soaking it up.
vicratlhead51
Well-Known Member
Good to know its been done. Now I'll feel safer doing it myself. Let me get it straight though, you leave it in the whole boil then?
vicratlhead51
Well-Known Member
K, I think that's what I'm going to try on my next one. Man all this talk about pumpkin ales makes me want to brew one. I was going to wait til summer so it'd be ready for the fall but now I think I might have to do it after the other three I have planned
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