Pumpkin beers: Discussion, developing recipes, tips tricks, and a good practices

[beargrylls]

other than the time it would take to clear, would the flavor I'd get out of the added pumpkin in secondary be worth the mess? i've already put in 60 oz divided between the mash and boil

 

[ltwhiskers]

Beware of allspice additions. Too much (doesn't take much or any) and it can nuke the whole batch. Bad bad beer.

 

[DUCKSHOT]

Trying my hand again at Pumpkinator Clone and need some advise on extract usage. For those who don't know, this is an Imperial Stout.
I plan to use Silver Cloud Imitation Pumpkin Pie Extract for the pumpkin flavor I need and then Imitation Vanilla, Butter and Nut for the pie crust flavor.
I did use canned pumpkin in the mash and did not add anything else as of yet.

Just racked to the secondary and tastes pretty good.

Last year I used whole spices in the boil and in the secondary and used way to mush of it. It’s been about 9 months and still has to much spice. It's good, just not great.
Reason I didn't use any spices this time in the boil is because everything I read pointed away from it. (Spices flavor changes during fermentation.)

My guess is to use 1 tbs of Pumpkin and 1 tsp Vanilla Butter????

 

[barrooze]

Trying my hand again at Pumpkinator Clone and need some advise on extract usage. For those who don't know, this is an Imperial Stout.
I plan to use Silver Cloud Imitation Pumpkin Pie Extract for the pumpkin flavor I need and then Imitation Vanilla, Butter and Nut for the pie crust flavor.
I did use canned pumpkin in the mash and did not add anything else as of yet.

Just racked to the secondary and tastes pretty good.

Last year I used whole spices in the boil and in the secondary and used way to mush of it. It’s been about 9 months and still has to much spice. It's good, just not great.
Reason I didn't use any spices this time in the boil is because everything I read pointed away from it. (Spices flavor changes during fermentation.)

My guess is to use 1 tbs of Pumpkin and 1 tsp Vanilla Butter????

Email Brock. He's typically good at answering questions about his recipes (as long as you don't ask about the house yeast!). He probably can give great pointers to get close to the real thing.

 

[joyceman]

I did a pumpkin beer last weekend and tried a new method for the pumpkin. Instead of mashing I steeped the pumpkin. I cut and baked a large pumpkin for about 90 minutes and then steeped the pumpkin in my strike water for about 2 hours. I tasted my strike water before mash in and it was a nice orange color and had a definite pumpkin taste.

Between that and a can of libbys in my mash (and probably higher than usual efficiency) I added 13 points to my OG.

Im going to do a pumpkin stout this weekend and go all steep without any pumpkin in the mash. I want to see the difference in gravity points added.

 

[natefrog255]

If I use Pumpkin, I will use canned. What does it really add in addition to the pumpkin pie spices? My wife really wants me to make a pumpkin ale but the stories of long sparges, stuck sparges, etc is really having me the risk vs reward of using pumpkin.

Below is what I was thinking of doing...

7.5 2-Row
2.5 Munich
.5 Caramel Medium
.25 Caramel 90
1-16oz can of canned pumpkin
1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice
Hops - Cluster, will try to keep around 10-15 IBUs.

If I use canned pumpkin, do I absolutely need rice hulls? Is 1 can enough (per Lakefront in original post it seems to be)?

 

[m00ps]

1 can is not nearly enough IME. I used 4 cans in my first pumpkin beer and plan to use 5 in the next.

also, not sure if anyone mentioned this before, but adding some sweet potato or butternut squash does wonders for a pumpkin beer. The variety of flavors gives it a much more pronounced squash taste and it actually seems more pumpkiny. Id suggest like subbing 2 can of pumpkin for 1 of each of those

 

[natefrog255]

How often do you stir the mash when making a pumpkin beer? Generally I only do 1-2 times in 90 minutes for a like blonde ale. Does the pumpkin require more stirring?

 

[natefrog255]

I came up with a really good method using canned pumpkin to avoid any problems with runoff or a stuck sparge. http://hollisbrewco.blogspot.com/2011/09/pumpkin-ale-brew-day.html I just dissolved the canned pumpkin pie filling in my mash water while it was heating up. the rims system was recirculating the water at the time so that ensured it all got dissolved.

Hmmm, think I might try this. Seems like it would eliminate the stuck sparge issue if the pumpkin is already dissolved.

 

[2005STi]

If I use Pumpkin, I will use canned. What does it really add in addition to the pumpkin pie spices? My wife really wants me to make a pumpkin ale but the stories of long sparges, stuck sparges, etc is really having me the risk vs reward of using pumpkin.

Below is what I was thinking of doing...

7.5 2-Row
2.5 Munich
.5 Caramel Medium
.25 Caramel 90
1-16oz can of canned pumpkin
1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice
Hops - Cluster, will try to keep around 10-15 IBUs.

If I use canned pumpkin, do I absolutely need rice hulls? Is 1 can enough (per Lakefront in original post it seems to be)?

I would recommend against the ready-to-go pumpkin pie spice mix if that's what you meant. They tend to contain sulfides which will lend a sulfur flavor/aroma to your beer. Try using the raw McCormick spices individually.

 

[natefrog255]

I would recommend against the ready-to-go pumpkin pie spice mix if that's what you meant. They tend to contain sulfides which will lend a sulfur flavor/aroma to your beer. Try using the raw McCormick spices individually.

Thanks! Yeah that was what I meant. The raw spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little clove? That would work since I have all of those individually on hand.

 

[2005STi]

Thanks! Yeah that was what I meant. The raw spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little clove? That would work since I have all of those individually on hand.

I also really like allspice. It has a wonderful aroma/flavor that I personally most associate with that 'pumpkin pie' fall flavor. I'm with you too on a small amount of clove, maybe 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 nutmeg and/or allspice and 1/4 tsp clove (in the last 5 min of boil).

my 0.02

 

[alazar]

+1 to using butternut squash. Best pumpkin pie I've ever had was made from squash. It has better flavor and... might just be more pumpkiny

 

[natefrog255]

This is what I'm going with, let me know if any major concerns...

ALL-GRAIN METHOD:

Gonna go the pumpkin pre-mash route. Will dissolve 3 cans (3#) of pumpkin in the strike water and then mash...

7.5# 2-Row
2.5# Munich
0.3# Caramel 90
0.4# Crystal Medium
1# Rice Hulls

Adding 1 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, 0.5 tsp all-spice, 0.25 tsp clove at flame out ---- have it premixed.

0.5 oz. Mt Hood hops for 60 minutes. (shooting for 10-12 IBUs)
Safale US-05 yeast

 

[Burkery]

This is my first Pumpkin/Spiced Ale.
Bottled my pumpkin ale last night and I'm concerned with the flavor. It seems that all the spice and pumpkin flavor has disappeared and I'm left with a lightly bitter but strong amber ale.

Is it possible for all of this to settle out? Or will the flavors re-appear after it's carb'ed?

I used gelatin a day before bottling, but I've done that with other beers with no problem. It is very clear.

6# fresh baked pumpkin 60 Min. (boil)
2# fresh baked pumpkin 20 Min. (boil)
1oz Challenger Hops 60 Min. (boil)
1oz Challenger Hops 20 Min. (boil)
2.5 Tsp Cinnamon 10 Min.(boil)
0.25 Tsp Ginger 10 Min.(boil)
0.25 Tsp Nutmeg 10 Min.(boil)
50 ml of bourbon w/1.5 vanilla beans @ flame out

OG 1.053
FG 1.009 a little lower than estimated (1.012)
__________________

 

[m00ps]

I wouldnt boil any spices. I would try adding a bit at flameout and either use them like a dry hop or make a tincture to add to taste in the primary

never heard of anyone using pumpkin in the boil. Ive always used it in the mash. Sorry to hear the flavors gone though, its not going to get stronger

 

[filthyastronaut]

Brewed a pumpkin beer a few days ago and decided to experiment a bit.
5 lb. German Munich
5 lb. 2-row
1 lb. Crystal 60

1 lb. Pumpkin Puree - 120 min.
.5 oz. Magnum - 90 min.
1 oz. Raw Ginger - 15 min.
1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice - Bottling (Priming Sugar)

Baked the pumpkin and sprinkled cinnamon sugar and nutmeg on it to caramelize. Thought the raw ginger would give it a unique characteristic. Smells from the fermenter are amazing. Can actually smell the spice despite the long boil, ginger and malt flavors are quite evident. Really excited for this!

 

[Burkery]

A bit of wisdom from my brew club: If you can smell the spice during the boil, you're losing the flavor of the spice. Add spices at flameout to prevent loss.

Damn, wish I read this earlier.
I did smell awesome during boil and tasted like sweet pumpkin pie going into primary. Would this be true for the pumpkin as well?

 

[Burkery]

I wouldnt boil any spices. I would try adding a bit at flameout and either use them like a dry hop or make a tincture to add to taste in the primary

never heard of anyone using pumpkin in the boil. Ive always used it in the mash. Sorry to hear the flavors gone though, its not going to get stronger

Ya, I see AG recipes putting it in the mash, but extract putting it in the boil. Mine was an extract, so I figured why not add some at the beginning and some later on.
Now it sounds like add everything at 5 minutes or flame out for best flavors.

 

[filthyastronaut]

Ya, I see AG recipes putting it in the mash, but extract putting it in the boil. Mine was an extract, so I figured why not add some at the beginning and some later on.
Now it sounds like add everything at 5 minutes or flame out for best flavors.

My first pumpkin beer of the season (out of two) suffered really low efficiency when I put the pumpkin in the mash. Luckily it was a partial mash so no harm done. It likely had low efficiency because of other factors, but it made me decide to skip for my latest pumpkin beer. I imagine it'll do just fine with it in the boil. No one seems to agree on whether it matters if it's mashed or boiled.

 

[aproveau]

We did something special for our pumpkin beer this year! We turned a giant 853lb pumpkin into the mash tun and caramelized the inside with a roofing blow torch. Check out the video below.
https://youtu.be/lD3hf2jeKuo

 

[Poobah58]

Now that's kewl!

 

[natefrog255]

This is what I'm going with, let me know if any major concerns...

ALL-GRAIN METHOD:

Gonna go the pumpkin pre-mash route. Will dissolve 3 cans (3#) of pumpkin in the strike water and then mash...

7.5# 2-Row
2.5# Munich
0.3# Caramel 90
0.4# Crystal Medium
1# Rice Hulls

Adding 1 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, 0.5 tsp all-spice, 0.25 tsp clove at flame out ---- have it premixed.

0.5 oz. Mt Hood hops for 60 minutes. (shooting for 10-12 IBUs)
Safale US-05 yeast

Just tried a couple from the above recipe. I think it needs a little more time but thought it was pretty good. The pumpkin spices are definitely in the aroma and taste. I was hoping for a little more pumpkin flavor but its there faintly in the aftertaste. That is where I am hoping with more time to mature it come out more. My efficiency overall was around 75% but I don't know how that factors in the canned pumpkin. I think if I were to do it again I'd maybe use more pumpkin, but I'll try this in a couple weeks again and see if any differences.

 

[Rev2010]

Has anyone stopped baking the pumpkin and instead started just preheating it to the mash temp then adding it? For some reason I just can't imagine all major breweries baking the pumpkin, I mean that would require a lot of effort at the volumes they use no? My pumpkin ale comes out nice but it's always completely opaque, probably due to the starches in the pumpkin? I wonder if they'd convert better not having been baked.


Rev.

 

[applescrap]

I'm drinking pumpkin right now and glad I found this thread because I want new recipes. I think I will stick with pumpkin in the boil but like the idea of adding it to strike and dissolving it first. the pumpkin I made was

10 pounds two row
2 pounds Munich and
.5 crystal 40
4 cans pumpkin or 2 large cans added in boil and
half teaspoon each of cinnamon nutmeg and allspice with two minutes left cuz I couldn't remember how I did it last year.
1oz Willamette 60 minutes because that's what I buy in bulk
The original recipe was different hops



I think it's really good I taste too many pumpkins that are over spiced I have had a lot of pumpkin beers that were good but I wouldn't drink two of them. I wanted something I could drink all night. Also i think pumpkin is super delicate flavor so lightly spiced brings it out.

 

[applescrap]

Here it is love the color...here is original recipe can i do that? not sure where i got it here? anywho i changed it not csuse i know anything just what i had and what i wanted i like color

View attachment 1446608891109.jpg

View attachment 1446608964042.jpg