Pumpkin dry stout?

[zinn]

It's that time of the year to start thinking about brewing a pumpkin beer for the fall. Last year I brewed a pumpkin ale, but didn't love it. The year before I brewed a pumpkin porter and thought it was pretty good.

This year I'm thinking about a pumpkin dry stout. A dark, but light-bodied beer, with a bit of pumpkin-y creaminess. Basically, a pumpkin-flavored Guinness. Has anyone tried this? Any recipe suggests I can tweak a bit?

Thanks!

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I just threw up a little bit in the back of my throat, thinking about this.

Brew the stout, put the pumpkin on the mulch pile.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

a pumpkin-flavored Guinness

Are you thinking of using just pumpkin or are you including pumpkin spices?

FWIW, for me, the best 'pumpkin' beers have a delightful pumpkin spice flavor.

 

[zinn]

Are you thinking of using just pumpkin or are you including pumpkin spices?

I typically use spices plus pumpkin or just spices.

 

[zinn]

I just threw up a little bit in the back of my throat, thinking about this.

Brew the stout, put the pumpkin on the mulch pile.

Ha - Every year I get excited about brewing a pumpkin beer to enjoy and share with my family and friends, and every year I scroll through comments in my "pumpkin beer thread" about how disgusting pumpkin beer is.

 

[Kickass]

A dry stout with pumpkin might play nice. I think a sweet stout might balance the spices a little better, however.

 

[zinn]

A dry stout with pumpkin might play nice. I think a sweet stout might balance the spices a little better, however.

I went with a pumpkin milk stout one year and it was really good! Looking for something a little different this year.

 

[zinn]

For those interested (. . . crickets), I decided to go with this:

English 2-row pale malt - 5 pounds
Flaked barley – 2.8 pounds
Roasted barley – 1 pound
Carafoam – 0.5
Goldings hops – 2.5 ounces (60 minutes)

Penzey's Pumpkin Spice mix (china cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, mace and cloves) - I'll add this at bottling to taste.

Vanilla extract (maybe)
Oak chips (maybe)
88 percent lactic acid after ferment (maybe)


Opinions (especially about the "maybe" stuff) certainly welcome.

 

[Kickass]

Carafoam, not sure it’s necessary but if you love it, I wouldn’t talk you out of it.

Vanilla- yes, it adds depth to the spices. I would add just enough to make the average drinker say “is that vanilla? I’m not sure”

Oak- personal preference. If you do, go light, there’s kind of a lot already going on.

Lactic acid- I know you’re going dry stout so I’m guessing that’s why you brought this up but I think with the spices (and maybe the oak) there will be enough of a bitter/tannic/tart note that you don’t really need to touch that lever.

Just one average dudes observations. Keep us updated.

 

[hotbeer]

I'd really rather have a good piece of homemade pumpkin pie with a real flaky pie crust. Takes some getting use to, but I have drank a good beer while eating sweet pies. Do you have to brew with the pumpkin?

I'd try it if someone else pushed a pumpkin spice beer at me, but I ain't promising I'd like it. And I'd probably only drink the second one and the third one because that's usually the way it is after the alcohol starts working on me. Generally all beers taste good after the first one is quaffed.

 

[GoodTruble]

I second sweet stout over dry stout. My go-to pumpkin beer is a wee heavy with roasted (canned) pumpkin soaked in some type of booze.