Pumpkin Ale help

[akillys]

So I'm looking at trying my hand at a Pumpkin pie ale. I know it is out of season but I would like to try one before it is in season. Below is the recipe I intend to follow.

Batch size: 5.0 gal

Yeasts
American Ale II Wyeast 1272

Fermentable
Briess 2-Row Caramel Malt 60L 1.0 lb Steep
Briess Golden Light LME 6.5 lb Boil

Hops
East Kent Golding (UK) 1.0 oz 60 min
Fuggle (US) 1.0 oz 15 min

Extras
Honey 12.0 oz 15.0 min Boil
light brown sugar 1 cup 15.0 min Boil
Unsulphered Molasses 1/2 cup 15.0 min Boil
Whole Cloves 1.0 tsp 15.0 min Boil
Pumpkin Pie Filling 3.75 lb 15.0 min Boil
Cinnamon (Ground) 1.0 tsp 15.0 min Boil
Irish Moss 1.0 tsp 15.0 min Boil
Vanilla Extract 3.0 tsp 7.0 days Primary

I have heard that some people have a hard time with the pumpkin flavor coming through as most of the sugar is fermented out. Would it be best to add another can or two of pumpkin pie filling along with more spices (if so which ones from your experience could use the extra boost) to the secondary fermenter? Or, should I backsweeten at bottling by making a mixture of the spices and a can of pumpkin pie filling as the primer (is this even possible?) and stove top pasteurizing once it reaches the desired carbonation level?

I have read many forums but can't seem to get a clear cut answer. Any advise from anyone who has brewed a partial mash pumpkin ale would be greatly appreciated. Basically, I'm looking for the maximum pumpkin pie flavor possible. Sorry if this has been confusing at all.

 

[Phoenix7801]

From what I've gathered from reading alot of posts a pumpkin ale usually doesn't have pumpkin. Instead you go for an ale with a nice body and pumpkin pie flavor.

 

[tooldudetool]

I've made a pumpkin ale twice that I'm happy with. I brew all grain, so I put the pumpkin in the mash to get some fermentable sugars out of it, without actually putting it in the boil. I've never tried it in the boil, so I can't offer advice on that. A couple of things though, I would be a little wary of putting a whole teaspoon of cloves in there, they are a very strong flavor. I went ahead and put 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice in at 5 minutes left. It has cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg, and really gives that pumpkin pie flavor you say you want. I would recommend using that instead of the whole cloves and cinnamon. Also, make sure you are getting 100% pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is usually already spiced, otherwise you will find the spice flavors pretty overwhelming, although they do fade with time. Another tip is to bake the canned pumpkin in the oven on sheet pans for an hour at around 375 degrees, which helps caramelize the pumpkin sugars, before adding to your kettle. Do not try to use pumpkin as a priming sugar in the bottle, that's just crazy talk. Pumpkin doesn't actually have that much sugar in it, and it is thick and cloudy, and would not do anything good in the bottle. Good luck!

 

[akillys]

Cool thank you for the help

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[inkman15]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I've brewed 3 batches of pumpkin over the last couple of years. Mine were all grain. Two times i used fresh sugar pie pumpkins (skin removed and the flesh baked for a while to bring out the sugars) and put them in my mash. The other time, I did not use actual pumpkin. I always have used the following spice addition at 2 minutes remaining in the boil:

.75 tsp cinnamon
.375 tsp Ginger
.185 tsp Nutmeg
.185 tsp Allspice

Then at bottling/kegging I make a "spice tea" by boiling ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg in 1 cup of water and throw that in before syphoning. I find that doing this really helps bring out the pumpkin pie flavors/aromas.

Ironically, the best of the 3 batches was the one where I didn't use actual pumpkin. We scored a 42 at a local competition on that one. Pumpkin is a very subtle flavor that tastes like squash. It's really the spices in pumpkin pie that people love. So, I find the actual pumpkin is optional though I like the idea of being able to say my pumpkin beer really does have pumpkin in it.

Good luck!

 

[smokey810]

Use pure pumpkin .. NOT pumpkin pie filling. I used two large (29 oz) cans of Libby's. Dumped them in a roasting pan in the oven at 350 for an hour and then added it to the boil with 15 minutes to go. Worked very well.

When I did it, I added spices directly to the carboy after primary fermentation was complete but I was planning on trying the tea method described by inkman next time around.

 

[akillys]

The tea method is more like what I was looking for and that is the method I will probably use. What should in do then for priming sugar? Would I use as much dextrose as normal or scale back?

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[inkman15]

Use the same amount of priming sugar that you would normally


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[akillys]

Cool thanks for all of the help and input.

 

[shortyz]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I've brewed 3 batches of pumpkin over the last couple of years. Mine were all grain. Two times i used fresh sugar pie pumpkins (skin removed and the flesh baked for a while to bring out the sugars) and put them in my mash. The other time, I did not use actual pumpkin. I always have used the following spice addition at 2 minutes remaining in the boil:

.75 tsp cinnamon
.375 tsp Ginger
.185 tsp Nutmeg
.185 tsp Allspice

Then at bottling/kegging I make a "spice tea" by boiling ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg in 1 cup of water and throw that in before syphoning. I find that doing this really helps bring out the pumpkin pie flavors/aromas.

Ironically, the best of the 3 batches was the one where I didn't use actual pumpkin. We scored a 42 at a local competition on that one. Pumpkin is a very subtle flavor that tastes like squash. It's really the spices in pumpkin pie that people love. So, I find the actual pumpkin is optional though I like the idea of being able to say my pumpkin beer really does have pumpkin in it.

Good luck!

follow this guys instructions. screw adding actual pumpkin to it, it just buggers it all up. people associate pumpkin pie with the spices, not the pumpkin!

 

[Chadwick]

I'm not making any inferences to the amount of spices you are using. However, I will say this much, based on my own experience. Be careful with how much pumpkin spice you use. It can become overwhelming very quickly.

Pumpkin ales/beers is an art of balance. Just a little too much spice and the beer is undrinkable. Just a little less than needed and it loses that pumpkin character. To make a good pumpkin beer requires just the right amount. What is the right amount? Well, that is the million dollar question.

 

[harebearva]

FWIW, I brewed the pumpkin recipe from Sam Calgione's Extreme book and it turned out excellent. His recipe calls for steeping the pumpkin to make sort of a pumpkin strike water. It does use fresh pumpkin however. My only adjustment was to add a bit of honey malt and some lactose. Anyway, it was good. The others are right in that most all the flavor is associated with the spices but there's just something about setting that bottle in front of someone and announcing that it was brewed with 10 pounds of fresh pumpkin. Satisfies the chef in you.

 

[akillys]

I agree, saying it has pumpkin in it makes you feel like a BAMF. I have seen people take it to far and ferment in a pumpkin. That's just doesn't seem like it would taste too good.
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[Chadwick]

I agree, saying it has pumpkin in it makes you feel like a BAMF. I have seen people take it to far and ferment in a pumpkin. That's just doesn't seem like it would taste too good.
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Ferment in a pumpkin? :rockin: That is so, hard-core. LOL

 

[akillys]

Yep it's called a cask-o-lantern

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[akillys]

So how do I measure out .375 tsp and .185 tsp?

 

[jtratcliff]

0.375=1/4 + 1/8

3/16 = 0.1875 which is close enough

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[seckert]

follow this guys instructions. screw adding actual pumpkin to it, it just buggers it all up. people associate pumpkin pie with the spices, not the pumpkin!

While I agree with you that the spices is what people are associating with a pumpkin beer. I find that not adding the pumpkin changes the specific mouthfeel of a pumpkin ale. I personally put some in my mash and some towards the end of my boil. I do carmalize it in the oven prior to so I draw the sugar out of it though. its subtle difference, however I believe it is there.
Just my 2 cents though...

 

[harebearva]

So how do I measure out .375 tsp and .185 tsp?

I quit measuring with spoons awhile back. I just use a gram scale. It's more accurate and repeatable for me. Although not everything gives you the gram weight unfortunately.

 

[akillys]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I've brewed 3 batches of pumpkin over the last couple of years. Mine were all grain. Two times i used fresh sugar pie pumpkins (skin removed and the flesh baked for a while to bring out the sugars) and put them in my mash. The other time, I did not use actual pumpkin. I always have used the following spice addition at 2 minutes remaining in the boil:

.75 tsp cinnamon
.375 tsp Ginger
.185 tsp Nutmeg
.185 tsp Allspice

Then at bottling/kegging I make a "spice tea" by boiling ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg in 1 cup of water and throw that in before syphoning. I find that doing this really helps bring out the pumpkin pie flavors/aromas.

Ironically, the best of the 3 batches was the one where I didn't use actual pumpkin. We scored a 42 at a local competition on that one. Pumpkin is a very subtle flavor that tastes like squash. It's really the spices in pumpkin pie that people love. So, I find the actual pumpkin is optional though I like the idea of being able to say my pumpkin beer really does have pumpkin in it.

Good luck!

Good call on the spice tea and the spice amounts. The beer taste so good with a pumpkin pie after taste. I almost want to put some ready whip on it lol. I don't know if this is because it is the first beer that I kegged or your directions on the spice additions inkman, but this is by far the best beer I have made yet.

 

[inkman15]

Glad it worked out for you! I really think the spice tea helps you to achieve the flavor you want. Also, kegging might be a factor too as the whole batch is sitting with the spices. I find my best tasting beers have been kegged too.


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