Pumpkin Ale( I know it's early)

[krops13]

I know it's early...... Really early. But I want this to have plenty of time to mellow out. I have a few "patrons" excited that I'm making pumpkin beer this year, I don't want to disappoint. I am aiming for a 10% ABV, I want to brew it at the end of this month and drinking it about mid oct. I think a 3 1/2 month rest should be enough time for all the spices and ABV to blend. So lets start with the recipe.
Pumpkin Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

21-B Spice/Herb/Vegetable, Christmas/Winter Specialty

Min OG: 1.030 Max OG: 1.100
Min IBU: 2 Max IBU: 100
Min Clr: 2 Max Clr: 25 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 18.00
Anticipated OG: 1.095 Plato: 22.59
Anticipated SRM: 16.0
Anticipated IBU: 23.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.47 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.080 SG 19.44 Plato

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
83.3 15.00 lbs. Pale Ale Malt (2 Row) France 1.039 2
8.3 1.50 lbs. Crystal 80L 1.033 80
4.2 0.75 lbs. Toasted Malt(2-row) America 1.033 30
4.2 0.75 lbs. Clover Honey Generic 1.035 0
Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Magnum Whole 14.00 23.4 60 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Whole 4.75 0.0 10 min.
0.50 oz. Willamette Whole 5.00 0.0 Dry Hop


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.00 Lbs Pumpkin Other 60 Min.(mash)
0.25 Oz Ginger Root Spice 10 Min.(boil)
5.00 Unit(s)Allspice Berries Spice 10 Min.(boil)
1.00 Unit(s)Cinnamon Stick Spice 10 Min.(boil)
4.00 Unit(s)Cloves Spice 10 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Nutmeg Spice 10 Min.(boil)


Yeast
White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Mash Schedule
Protein Rest Temp : 122 Time: 20
Saccharification Rest Temp : 150 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 170 Time: 5

As you can see there is A LOT of pumpkin. But the supermarket produce lady said they wont get the pumpkins untill oct, and then only have them for that month. I'm sure I can find some canned pumpkins but would rather use the real thing. What do you guys think about sweet potatoes in the pumpkins place. I've search the forum and people seem to be split. Do you think 3 1/2 months is a long enough rest for everything to mellow
Thanx in advance.

 

[smokinghole]

I think you're about on for time. I'm thinking about brewing up a strong pumpkin ale soon as well. I'll just go with organic canned pumpkin. When I feel like doing it. Pumpkin is not really available like they said until fall time frame since it is a fall crop. I lived near a place that sometimes grew pumpkins in their crop rotation.

 

[krops13]

Does the amount of pumpkin sound ok? I don't want it to be too much.

 

[homebrewer_99]

As someone who has used pumpkin twice...my 3rd and 4th batches didn't have any pumpkin in them and I could not tell a difference.

Many of us just use the spices...

 

[Malatesta]

+1 for sweet potatoes.

Used them in last year's Autumn Ale and everyone thought it had pumpkin in it. Baked them in the oven first so they were nice and caramelized, pureed, and then added them to the boil near the end. Added a nice earthiness that grounded the beer that I don't think I would have gotten with spices alone. I'll do it again this year.

 

[alcibiades]

ive used canned pumpkin in a grain bag during the boil with great results.

 

[krops13]

If I were to add the pumpkin into the boil how do you keep all the pumpkin out of the carboy.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

I have a Pumpkin Ale on tap right now. There was a terrible harvest last year with the floods and it is very hard to find tins of pure pumpkin right now. All my local stores were out. The place I found it and at a semi-reasonable price is here...

http://www.vitacost.com/Farmers-Market-Organic-Canned-Pumpkin

For my recipe I used x3 15oz cans and it seemed to be just about right for my tastes.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

Oh... and I poured it straight from the tin and in with my grain when I mashed.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Get ready for the worst sparge of your life. That is a crazy amount of pumpkin. I would drop it in half.

As HB99 noted, the pumpkin doesn't really contribute much flavor, but I think it is a nice addition for authenticity.

I personally don't use the pumpkin in the boil for fear of unconverted starches in large amounts getting into my wort. Especially with something you intend to age, I would do it in the mash or not at all.

 

[krops13]

Ok so 4 pounds puree. in the mash WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I'm a recent convert to steam mashing. (LOVE IT!!!) But I've noticed that after I drain the tun there is what looks like half to one pound of grain that was vaporized. This started when I started steam mashing. So I think its that. (one of the few times I changed only one thing in my system in a single moment ) What might this do the the pumpkin puree. Might I get 4lbs of pumpkin foam?

 

[krops13]

I went to the store to get the spices. but all they had was ground all spice. how much ground all spice would replace 5 whole all spice berrys?

 

[KAMMEE]

Probably would start with quarter teaspoon of the allspice. Its pretty strong. Also, I faced a similar problem finding pumpin but located some canned pumpkin at an organic food store, so you may have to pay up for it. Otherwise, my vote is for sweet potatoes in your mash.