Pumpkin Ale: In the Mash or In the Boil (Or Both?)

[hiphops]

I am making a pumpkin ale (the Northern Brewer Smashing Pumpkin, to be exact: http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-SmashingPumpkin.pdf)

It seems there are two schools of thought relative to the use of pumpkins in the brewing process. One school says to add it to the mash. The other school says to add it to the boil.

What's the difference? If there is a difference, what about a Solomon-like approach in adding some to the mash and adding the remainder to the boil?

 

[Monstar]

Ha, Solomon like approach.

I do mine in the mash. Gives it a killer orange hue. Sparge is never bad, and the pumpkin flavor really comes through.

I've never done it in the boil, but it seems like less of mess to do it in the mash... unless it sticks your sparge.

 

[pdxkale]

I've done it for the last couple of years with the pumpkin in the boil. The only major pain is the loss of wort due to the amount of mass in your fermenter. I usually end up losing a good 2 gallons. The resulting beer is great, but do shed a tear for those precious lost bits of liquid nirvana.

 

[CTownBrewer]

Whenever I get around to brewing the Pumpkin Ale recipe I came up with, I'm doing both...the majority in the mash with a little bit in the boil. Elysian Brewing is known for making some great pumpkin ales & I've heard they get the pumpkin into their recipes every way you could possibly get it in there...mash, kettle, & fermenter.

 

[smithn]

I had the same problem i lost quite abit when i transfered whish I used a bag might of helped

I've done it for the last couple of years with the pumpkin in the boil. The only major pain is the loss of wort due to the amount of mass in your fermenter. I usually end up losing a good 2 gallons. The resulting beer is great, but do shed a tear for those precious lost bits of liquid nirvana.