Pumpkin Ale- Need Opinions

[JeffoC6]

What do you guys think about this recipe:

http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...?title=its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-papazian

I want to start prepping to brew a pumpkin ale soon so that it can condition in bottles for a few months before the fall rolls around.

I saw this recipe and it looks pretty good in my opinion, but I have some questions that I'm hoping you can help me with:

1) Where on earth can I get a pumpkin at this time of year?

2) Am I correct in assuming that you simply take the roasted pumpkin and add it with the 6-row and Caramel Malt?

3) Since I do BIAB, am I correct in assuming the following process (per the linked recipe):

- I can simply add all of my water at the beginning, achieve my strike temp, and mash in with the 6-row and Caramel Malt and achieve 122* for 30 min.

- Then, add my roasted pumpkin pulp and bring up to 148-152* for 60 min.

- Then, after 60 min., bring my mash to 170 and mash out for 10 min.

- After 10 min., remove my bag and start my boil, adding the hops and spices outlined in the recipe.

Does this look about right?

4) The boil says 75 to 90 minutes? Can someone clarify? What should I plan for (so I can properly measure my water beforehand).

5) What yeast would you recommend?

6) What is the optimal way to condition this? Obviously I'll let it ferment out, then bottle, but how long would you leave it in bottles? And at what temp would you leave those bottles at?

THANK YOU!

 

[JonK331]

Canned pumpkin works very well. Just look for something without preservatives. Spread it on a cookie sheet and roast until slightly browned. Then add to the mash. Add a lot of rice hulls or the mash with stick. There are a ton of threads on this site about pumpkin ales. Try doing a search. Also just plain 2-row will work just as well.

 

[JeffoC6]

Canned pumpkin works very well. Just look for something without preservatives. Spread it on a cookie sheet and roast until slightly browned. Then add to the mash. Add a lot of rice hulls or the mash with stick. There are a ton of threads on this site about pumpkin ales. Try doing a search. Also just plain 2-row will work just as well.

Thanks, I'll definitely looked into the canned pumpkin option.

I appreciate your suggestions, but I don't need rice hulls, as I'm doing BIAB. Also, I wanted to follow the recipe I linked in my original post, which calls for 6-row. Any suggestions on my questions/outlined process in regards to the link recipe?

 

[chuckstout]

+1 on canned pumpkin, you can add your pumpkin to the boil.
Yeast American ale yeast

As far as conditioning i would think you would want to keep them as cold as possible. The heat of summer well make those beers seem a lot older then they are, being almost five months out.

I managed to save one bottle from last year that ill be opening when we brew our next pumpkin in september with canned pumpkin then probably again in october with some suger pumpkin

 

[JeffoC6]

+1 on canned pumpkin, you can add your pumpkin to the boil.
Yeast American ale yeast

As far as conditioning i would think you would want to keep them as cold as possible. The heat of summer well make those beers seem a lot older then they are, being almost five months out.

I managed to save one bottle from last year that ill be opening when we brew our next pumpkin in september with canned pumpkin then probably again in october with some suger pumpkin

So I'm not mashing with the pumpkin as outlined in the linked recipe?

 

[chuckstout]

It looks like your mashing your pumpkin in at 122f

 

[JeffoC6]

I actually think I'm adding the pumpkin at 148*...No?

Use a protein-developing step mash. Add 3 gallons of 130-degree F water to the crushed malt. Stabilize at 122 degrees and hold for 30 minutes. Then add 1.5 gallons of boiling water and thoroughly mashed pumpkin pulp. Add heat if necessary and stabilize at 148° to 152 degrees F and hold for 60 minutes. Add more heat and mash out to 165 degrees F.

 

[ParadiseBeer]

i did a nice pumpkin recipe last year. i used two different yeasts and there was a major difference in the taste of the beer. you need to figure out what you are looking for before you finalize your recipe. Do you want a pumpkin spice like you just tossed in a piece of pumpkin pie in the glass or do you want to ask your drinkers if they noticed any pumpkin in it. for me i went with a more aggressive pumpkin pie smell and taste but very very drinkable.

here are some of my answers;
1) Where on earth can I get a pumpkin at this time of year?
- use pumpkin in a can, use organic if that matters to you
2) Am I correct in assuming that you simply take the roasted pumpkin and add it with the 6-row and Caramel Malt?
-- yes, but just pumpkin alone will not do alot other then color
3) Since I do BIAB, am I correct in assuming the following process (per the linked recipe):

- I can simply add all of my water at the beginning, achieve my strike temp, and mash in with the 6-row and Caramel Malt and achieve 122* for 30 min.

- Then, add my roasted pumpkin pulp and bring up to 148-152* for 60 min.

- Then, after 60 min., bring my mash to 170 and mash out for 10 min.

- After 10 min., remove my bag and start my boil, adding the hops and spices outlined in the recipe.

Does this look about right?
--- this looks right, you might want to save 1/3 of total pumpkin to toss into boil at some point.
4) The boil says 75 to 90 minutes? Can someone clarify? What should I plan for (so I can properly measure my water beforehand).
-- I dont see a real need for that long of boil, this might be for color and a more malty body..
5) What yeast would you recommend?
-- I used both wyeast 1028 and 1968, the 1968 was much better in spice and flavor.
6) What is the optimal way to condition this? Obviously I'll let it ferment out, then bottle, but how long would you leave it in bottles? And at what temp would you leave those bottles at?
-- I was drinking the beer from a keg within 2 weeks after primary w/ no secondary…

 

[chuckstout]

Yeah 148

Thats a good idea to add the pumpkin to the boiling water to stabilize the temp of the pumpkin.

You can also use squash, for an option to go fresh this time of year

 

[JeffoC6]

i did a nice pumpkin recipe last year. i used two different yeasts and there was a major difference in the taste of the beer. you need to figure out what you are looking for before you finalize your recipe. Do you want a pumpkin spice like you just tossed in a piece of pumpkin pie in the glass or do you want to ask your drinkers if they noticed any pumpkin in it. for me i went with a more aggressive pumpkin pie smell and taste but very very drinkable.

here are some of my answers;
1) Where on earth can I get a pumpkin at this time of year?
- use pumpkin in a can, use organic if that matters to you
2) Am I correct in assuming that you simply take the roasted pumpkin and add it with the 6-row and Caramel Malt?
-- yes, but just pumpkin alone will not do alot other then color
3) Since I do BIAB, am I correct in assuming the following process (per the linked recipe):

- I can simply add all of my water at the beginning, achieve my strike temp, and mash in with the 6-row and Caramel Malt and achieve 122* for 30 min.

- Then, add my roasted pumpkin pulp and bring up to 148-152* for 60 min.

- Then, after 60 min., bring my mash to 170 and mash out for 10 min.

- After 10 min., remove my bag and start my boil, adding the hops and spices outlined in the recipe.

Does this look about right?
--- this looks right, you might want to save 1/3 of total pumpkin to toss into boil at some point.
4) The boil says 75 to 90 minutes? Can someone clarify? What should I plan for (so I can properly measure my water beforehand).
-- I dont see a real need for that long of boil, this might be for color and a more malty body..
5) What yeast would you recommend?
-- I used both wyeast 1028 and 1968, the 1968 was much better in spice and flavor.
6) What is the optimal way to condition this? Obviously I'll let it ferment out, then bottle, but how long would you leave it in bottles? And at what temp would you leave those bottles at?
-- I was drinking the beer from a keg within 2 weeks after primary w/ no secondary…

I'm absolutely looking for that flavor and aroma of pumpkin pie. Almost like a really good piece of spiced pumpkin pie was melted down into an alcoholic treat...Mind posting the recipe you used?

 

[ParadiseBeer]

Paradise Pumpkin Ale

12 Gallon batch

Mash @ 152 for 60mins
20.5# 2-Row
2# 60L
1/2# Special - B
1# Dark Wheat
2/3# Rice hulls

2 X 15oz cans of organic pumpkin onto oven sheet, cooked at 350 for 1 hour
cooled and put into mash

1 15oz can of pumpkin pie into boil @ 30mins

2lbs of brown sugar slowly added over 60mins boil

Hops
2oz Northern Brewer @ FWH
1oz Fuggles @ 20mins
1oz Fuggles @ 10mins

1.5Tbs. Pumpkin pie spice @ 5 mins
1 Tbs. Pumpkin pie spice @ 1 min
some ground nutmeg @ 1 min

Yeast: 2 packs of Wyeast 1968

OG: 1.061
FG: 1.009 = 6.8% ABV

 

[JeffoC6]

Paradise Pumpkin Ale

12 Gallon batch

Mash @ 152 for 60mins
20.5# 2-Row
2# 60L
1/2# Special - B
1# Dark Wheat
2/3# Rice hulls

2 X 15oz cans of organic pumpkin onto oven sheet, cooked at 350 for 1 hour
cooled and put into mash

1 15oz can of pumpkin pie into boil @ 30mins

2lbs of brown sugar slowly added over 60mins boil

Hops
2oz Northern Brewer @ FWH
1oz Fuggles @ 20mins
1oz Fuggles @ 10mins

1.5Tbs. Pumpkin pie spice @ 5 mins
1 Tbs. Pumpkin pie spice @ 1 min
some ground nutmeg @ 1 min

Yeast: 2 packs of Wyeast 1968

OG: 1.061
FG: 1.009 = 6.8% ABV

Thank you for the recipe. I'm going to make this my first Pumpkin Ale!

Questions on this...

1-For BIAB, I wouldn't need rice hulls, right?

2-The roasted organic pumpkin (after cooled) goes into the mash, right? Is a 15 oz can of "pumpkin pie" the stuff that you get at the store that's basically "pre-spiced" pumpkin mix for pies?

3-When I enter this recipe into Brewer's Friend (the calculator that I use), my OG is lower than yours probably because I don't have any stats for the organic roasted pumpkin that I'd be adding to the mash. My OG without the roasted pumpkin in the mash is 1.051. I'm assuming that my OG will be higher than 1.051 based on the sugars I'm going to be extracting from the roasted pumpkin? Would you agree with this?

4-What is pumpkin pie spice? I googled and it looks like a mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Is this what you use?

5-Do you have any tasting notes on this? Any pictures?

6-After bottled and carbed, do you recommend leaving it in the fridge for a few months, or at room temp for a few months?

Thanks again, Paradise

 

[JeffoC6]

Bumping so that ParadiseBeer can answer my questions :fro:

 

[JeffoC6]

Bumping again. ParadiseBeer, you out there chap?

 

[ParadiseBeer]

Sorry i am here, 8 month old keeping me busy....

1-For BIAB, I wouldn't need rice hulls, right?
--- correct no need for rice hulls, this is only if you might get a stuck mash

2-The roasted organic pumpkin (after cooled) goes into the mash, right? Is a 15 oz can of "pumpkin pie" the stuff that you get at the store that's basically "pre-spiced" pumpkin mix for pies?
--- yep in the mash, i guess it doesn't have to cool that much. yes, i thought it was not enough with two cans of organic pumpkin so i used one more i had around which was pumpkin pie mix. You could either go 3 cans of pumpkin and hit a bit more spice or like i outlined.
3-When I enter this recipe into Brewer's Friend (the calculator that I use), my OG is lower than yours probably because I don't have any stats for the organic roasted pumpkin that I'd be adding to the mash. My OG without the roasted pumpkin in the mash is 1.051. I'm assuming that my OG will be higher than 1.051 based on the sugars I'm going to be extracting from the roasted pumpkin? Would you agree with this?
--- yeah, did you add the 2lbs of brown sugar also. i tossed it in all during the boil thinking that some at 60 mins would add a slight carmel note and at then end would be all fermentable. i might have boiled a bit longer then 60mins also...
4-What is pumpkin pie spice? I googled and it looks like a mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Is this what you use?
--- this is what i used. the yeast will nock it way down. i used two different yeast when i did it, 1028. the spice was almost completely gone, that is why i recommended the other yeast.
5-Do you have any tasting notes on this? Any pictures?
-- sorry cant find pics, should have written notes but i remember it had a pumpkin pie taste with little balanced bitterness.
6-After bottled and carbed, do you recommend leaving it in the fridge for a few months, or at room temp for a few months?
--- are you going to keg? i would only go 3-5 weeks before you start drinking. not sure how spices will handle/change the beer after that. i served it quick.

 

[JeffoC6]

Sorry i am here, 8 month old keeping me busy....

1-For BIAB, I wouldn't need rice hulls, right?
--- correct no need for rice hulls, this is only if you might get a stuck mash

2-The roasted organic pumpkin (after cooled) goes into the mash, right? Is a 15 oz can of "pumpkin pie" the stuff that you get at the store that's basically "pre-spiced" pumpkin mix for pies?
--- yep in the mash, i guess it doesn't have to cool that much. yes, i thought it was not enough with two cans of organic pumpkin so i used one more i had around which was pumpkin pie mix. You could either go 3 cans of pumpkin and hit a bit more spice or like i outlined.
3-When I enter this recipe into Brewer's Friend (the calculator that I use), my OG is lower than yours probably because I don't have any stats for the organic roasted pumpkin that I'd be adding to the mash. My OG without the roasted pumpkin in the mash is 1.051. I'm assuming that my OG will be higher than 1.051 based on the sugars I'm going to be extracting from the roasted pumpkin? Would you agree with this?
--- yeah, did you add the 2lbs of brown sugar also. i tossed it in all during the boil thinking that some at 60 mins would add a slight carmel note and at then end would be all fermentable. i might have boiled a bit longer then 60mins also...
4-What is pumpkin pie spice? I googled and it looks like a mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Is this what you use?
--- this is what i used. the yeast will nock it way down. i used two different yeast when i did it, 1028. the spice was almost completely gone, that is why i recommended the other yeast.
5-Do you have any tasting notes on this? Any pictures?
-- sorry cant find pics, should have written notes but i remember it had a pumpkin pie taste with little balanced bitterness.
6-After bottled and carbed, do you recommend leaving it in the fridge for a few months, or at room temp for a few months?
--- are you going to keg? i would only go 3-5 weeks before you start drinking. not sure how spices will handle/change the beer after that. i served it quick.

Thank you so much. This answers all of my questions, and I'm looking forward to brewing. I'll definitely use both yeasts you recommended so some of the spice sticks around. Thanks for all your help..