Pressing pumpkins for their juice for a mead...advice?

[imaguitargod]

I want to make a Maple Pumpkin Mead and was thinking about renting a apple press, sticking pumpkins in it, pressing the juice out and using that as a base for some of the fermentables. My questions are as follows:
a) Has anyone done this?
b) Think 20 pounds of pie pumpkins would net me enough juice (say a gallon)
c) I have a juicer at home I could just run pumpkins though...think I should use that instead of a press?
7) Should I roast the pumpkins then press them? Should I leave the skins on?
d) Or should I just put some pumpkin puree in the fermentor and be done with it?

 

[LightningInABottle]

If you try this be sure to get pie pumpkins or to be more efficient use butternut squash. Scoop out the inards into a pie dish or baking dish. Then bake it. Do a search on the internet to find the exact times. I say butter nut squash because that is what they use for that canned pumpkin pie glop they sell in the stores. There is more matter on the inside. The pie pumpkin while being smaller has less "meat" on the inside and is more stringy. If you can get them try turbin squash. They taste better, but like the pie pumpkins they are a bit more work than the butternut squash.

Nix the idea of juicing the whole pumpkin. The tasty part is the inside matter. I haven't tried this but have thought about it. I'd try a 1 gallon tester to start with.

 

[imaguitargod]

If you try this be sure to get pie pumpkins or to be more efficient use butternut squash. Scoop out the inards into a pie dish or baking dish. Then bake it. Do a search on the internet to find the exact times. I say butter nut squash because that is what they use for that canned pumpkin pie glop they sell in the stores. There is more matter on the inside. The pie pumpkin while being smaller has less "meat" on the inside and is more stringy. If you can get them try turbin squash. They taste better, but like the pie pumpkins they are a bit more work than the butternut squash.

Nix the idea of juicing the whole pumpkin. The tasty part is the inside matter. I haven't tried this but have thought about it. I'd try a 1 gallon tester to start with.

So you are just saying throw it into the fermentor then, huh.

 

[LightningInABottle]

If you want pumpkin pie taste you might add in some pumpkin pie spices before you bake. If you want that pumkin pie taste to come through in the mead you might wait and add it to the secondary.

 

[imaguitargod]

If you want pumpkin pie taste you might add in some pumpkin pie spices before you bake. If you want that pumkin pie taste to come through in the mead you might wait and add it to the secondary.

Ya, I'm going to do all that. I've done pumpkin ale's many times. I want it so that it's similar to a melomel (sp), where the fruit is fermented with all the rest of the stuff. I'm just trying to decide on what form I want it in the fermentor, juice, puree, etc.

 

[biochemedic]

Pumpkin really neens to be mashed or you're going to end up with a lot of non fermentables.

You could consider making this a braggot of sorts, and mashing with a small amount of pale malt...if you use a small amount of six-row, you'll get more diastatic power for a lesser quant of grain.

Alternatively you could "mash" with amylase powder.

I agree with the other comments about using pumpkin pie spices to really get that pumpkin feel.

FWIW, its twice as easy and works just as well to use unsweetend, unspiced canned pumpkin mash!

 

[imaguitargod]

Pumpkin really neens to be mashed or you're going to end up with a lot of non fermentables.

You could consider making this a braggot of sorts, and mashing with a small amount of pale malt...if you use a small amount of six-row, you'll get more diastatic power for a lesser quant of grain.

Alternatively you could "mash" with amylase powder.

I agree with the other comments about using pumpkin pie spices to really get that pumpkin feel.

FWIW, its twice as easy and works just as well to use unsweetend, unspiced canned pumpkin mash!

I forgot to mention, this will be a braggot. Still trying to work out the details on this one....

 

[sublxed]

I want to do the same thing, and juice a pumpkin, doesn't look like anyone has done it. Do you ever juice it and how did it turn out?