Pumpkin Ale

[ChargersSB]

Just had a pumpkin saison at my local brewpub and made me want to attempt a pumpkin ale. This will only be my second all grain batch, and also my first time kegging instead of bottling. I know there are tons of posts out there on this subject, but wanted to get peoples thoughts, tips etc. in one spot where I would remember to check.

After some of the research I have done, I think I am going to use real pumpkins, bake them and then throw them in the mash (cooler mash tun with a braided SS hose). However, I have no idea where to start for the grains and how much spice to use. The pumpkin saison I had was not overly spiced, which I liked and I am pretty sure they used a belgian yeast. What are some of your favorite (5 gallon) recipes that may be fairly easy for only a second all grain batch. Do I have to transfer to secondary or can I just do a primary and then keg it. What sort of CO2 levels are suggested for this style. I am looking for a fairly quick turnaround time, if that is even possible with this type of recipe.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

I can give you my recipe that I have used the past two years. It always goes over well:

8# 2-Row
3# Munich (10L)
1# Red Wheat
4 oz Crystal 90L
.5 oz British Chocolate
5# Baked Pie Pumpkins (in mash)

.5 oz Magnum for around 28-30 IBU's

1/2 t Cinnamon
1/4 t Ginger
1/8 t Nutmeg
1/8 t Allspice
all spices go into the boil during the last 5 min

I definitely use rice hulls with this one and I aim for a high mash @ 156° and then boil 90 min. I like to pitch Wyeast 1332 with this one. I know it's a double wammy with the high mash temp, so you could lower that to 152° if you wanted.

I usually end up dry-spicing with the same amounts of spice, but obviously leave it out for less spiciness if you wanted.

Hope it helps.

 

[HollisBrewCo]

I used canned pumpkin pie filling and dissolved it in my mash water. You could do the same with whole pumpkin, just put it in the food processor first. See a write up here http://hollisbrewco.blogspot.com/2011/09/pumpkin-ale-brew-day.html

 

[ChargersSB]

I can give you my recipe that I have used the past two years. It always goes over well:

8# 2-Row
3# Munich (10L)
1# Red Wheat
4 oz Crystal 90L
.5 oz British Chocolate
5# Baked Pie Pumpkins (in mash)

.5 oz Magnum for around 28-30 IBU's

1/2 t Cinnamon
1/4 t Ginger
1/8 t Nutmeg
1/8 t Allspice
all spices go into the boil during the last 5 min

I definitely use rice hulls with this one and I aim for a high mash @ 156° and then boil 90 min. I like to pitch Wyeast 1332 with this one. I know it's a double wammy with the high mash temp, so you could lower that to 152° if you wanted.

I usually end up dry-spicing with the same amounts of spice, but obviously leave it out for less spiciness if you wanted.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for the recipe, looks good. So with a higher mash temp that leaves more unfermentable sugars? How much in rice hulls do you use. Do you typically only do a primary then keg and what temp have you fermented at in the past?

 

[ChargersSB]

I used canned pumpkin pie filling and dissolved it in my mash water. You could do the same with whole pumpkin, just put it in the food processor first. See a write up here http://hollisbrewco.blogspot.com/2011/09/pumpkin-ale-brew-day.html

Interesting idea dissolving it in the mash water. I just use my old pot I did extract batches in to heat my mash water, so it has no spigot, filter etc. Might make it difficult to filter out the pumpkin from it. I am thinking I will cut up the pumpkin into quarters, bake and then just put the quarters in the mash.

 

[ChargersSB]

Here is what I put together for my recipe. I think I will use canned pumpkin and add it to the boil so I don't have to worry about a stuck sparge. Any suggestions on how many cans? What do you all think of the recipe? I am still very new to creating recipes so I am learning. I also haven't decided how much in terms of pumpkin pie spice I am going to use.

5 Gallons
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
3 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
3 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (15.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Rye Malt (4.7 SRM)
0.25 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 30.0
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Aroma Steep 5.0 min
1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)

Estimated OG: 1.052
Estimated Color: 12.2 SRM
IBU: 24

 

[Poobah58]

I just did a Pumpkin Saison 3 weeks ago. Give me a sout if you want the recipe...

 

[ChargersSB]

I just did a Pumpkin Saison 3 weeks ago. Give me a sout if you want the recipe...

How did it turn out with the Saison yeast? I opted to just use an English Ale yest as I have heard a saison needs more time.

 

[Poobah58]

How did it turn out with the Saison yeast? I opted to just use an English Ale yest as I have heard a saison needs more time.

Just kegged it yesterday. Three of us sampled it and we all said wow! Needs to condition for a bit. I figure a month or even two. It fermented from 1.076 to 1.008 so it's a bit hot right now. Flavor is amazing. Breween the spices and ramping the Saison yeast from 70F to 80F there is a lot going on. Will post when I tap it...

 

[ChargersSB]

I kegged my pumpkin ale on 11/16 using the following recipe.
3 lbs Two row
3 lbs Maris Otter
1 lbs Victory
8 oz Cystal 60L
8 oz Rye Malt
3.5 lbs canned pure pumpkin puree (in the mash)
Handful of rice hulls
.25 oz Magnum 60 min
.25 oz Fuggles 30 Min
.25 oz EKG 30 min
1 t. cinnamon (5 min)
1/2 t. allspice (5 min)
1/2 t. ground ginger (5 min)
1/4 t. nutmeg (5 min)
1/4 t. clove (5 min)
WLP002 (1L Starter)

Single infusion mash at 151 (Post-Boil OG: 1.046). I fermented for 3 weeks at 68 F (FG: 1.011), crash cooled to 40 F for two nights and kegged it.

I tasted it today (after 2 days of carbonating) and it is still a bit under carbonated as I would expect. However, I am noticing so far it tastes watery. Why would this be?

 

[tyrtruion]

I made one this year... I posted my recipe... Im pretty psycho tho and it's very umm... There's no word. I called it
jack-ale-antern.
I would like to try this one tho. It sounds semi mellow