Autumn Seasonal Beer Punkin' Ale

[ArcticBear]

the only thing i would back down from this recipe is the pumpkin spice a little bit, a tiny bit of cinnamon (which is in the pumpkin pie spice) goes a long way, and this is an awesome beer, just heavy heavy on the spices... i like my spices to be a little more subtle in a pumpkin beer...

i may up the roasted pumpkin next time and decrease the pie spice, but all in all an awesome brew!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

the only thing i would back down from this recipe is the pumpkin spice a little bit, a tiny bit of cinnamon (which is in the pumpkin pie spice) goes a long way, and this is an awesome beer, just heavy heavy on the spices... i like my spices to be a little more subtle in a pumpkin beer...

i may up the roasted pumpkin next time and decrease the pie spice, but all in all an awesome brew!

Huh that's interesting. I've never heard anybody say there's too much spice... everyone who wants to change the spice amount says there isn't enough. But that's the great thing about homebrewing, you can make it your own!

 

[nitrousjunkie]

I brewed 10 gallons of this last year. Loved it, but I lost half due to a leaky keg. I'll be brewing this again this year when I get back from Kyrgyzstan.

 

[ChrisL_]

Well, I managed to wait the 8 weeks after bottling and I can honestly say it was worth the wait. I had some slightly off flavor at bottling that I was never able to put my finger on. Being my first batch it may well have just been "green beer", but I am not sure. In any event after letting this beer age for 8 weeks it definitely tastes much better then even after 5 weeks.
I must agree 100% with Reno_Envy, if you can do it, let this beer age a couple of months, it only gets better!
Thanks again to Reno and others for helping through my first beer. It was nice to be able to crack one tonight while bottling my second batch (a nut brown ale)

 

[thiessenace]

Just got.my grains and hops. So ready for this! My first all grain on my own system.

 

[juggaleo]

I just bottled this last night, sample tasted good. I was going to make another batch for October but now I'm thinking just hold onto it till then. Anyone age this for 4+ months?

 

[ChrisL_]

I just bottled this last night, sample tasted good. I was going to make another batch for October but now I'm thinking just hold onto it till then. Anyone age this for 4+ months?

Well I waited patiently for 2 months from brew day to start drinking my first and only batch. Unfortunately I can't say any of it made it until the 4 month mark

Others may chime in, but in reading this entire thread a few months back before doing my batch I am sure I recall that some kept this lying around for months and it only got better with age.

 

[wvdad]

I just bottled this last night, sample tasted good. I was going to make another batch for October but now I'm thinking just hold onto it till then. Anyone age this for 4+ months?

I found a single bottle of this in my basement that was over 6 months old and it tasted phenomenal. I stuck to this recipe and while it was a good beer at 1-2 months it was a great beer at 6 months. I plan to make another batch soon to give out at Christmas this year.

 

[Richard-SSV]

I'm going to brew this in the next few weeks and let it age all summer until late October. Now I haven't read all 118 pages, but I'm wondering if anyone has added the pumpkin puree to the boil rather than the mash?

According to the Libby pumpkin label each 29oz. can has 28 grams of sugar. I'm wondering just how much sugar is being extracted from the pumpkin by adding it to the mash? Would you get more pumpkin flavor and more sugar by adding the pumpkin to the boil? Has anyone tried brewing it this way? Just curious........

 

[TX-straggler]

That's what I'm doing as well! Pretty pumped! I was actually pondering that same question.?.?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Well you can certainly do that but your primary will be a hot mess of pumpkin protein chunks. I've learned my lesson from previous experiences

 

[Richard-SSV]

Noted.

Thanks!

 

[Surgicalbrews]

Anyone used Marris Otter in place of 2 Row?

 

[cincybrewer]

I'm going to brew this in the next few weeks and let it age all summer until late October. Now I haven't read all 118 pages, but I'm wondering if anyone has added the pumpkin puree to the boil rather than the mash?

According to the Libby pumpkin label each 29oz. can has 28 grams of sugar. I'm wondering just how much sugar is being extracted from the pumpkin by adding it to the mash? Would you get more pumpkin flavor and more sugar by adding the pumpkin to the boil? Has anyone tried brewing it this way? Just curious........

I've done an extract version of a pumpkin ale and added the puree (after baking it with brown sugar) to the boil. It turned out great.

 

[ClemTiger0408]

Sorry to ask a dumb question but I'm still fairly new to brewing. This pertains to the extract version of this recipe.

When exactly in the process do I add the pumpkin? Do I add it to the grain bag with the specialty grains? I've never made a beer that had something other than specialty grains so I am confused here.

 

[D_Nyholm]

Sorry to ask a dumb question but I'm still fairly new to brewing. This pertains to the extract version of this recipe.

When exactly in the process do I add the pumpkin? Do I add it to the grain bag with the specialty grains? I've never made a beer that had something other than specialty grains so I am confused here.

Yup, when you steep your specialty grains, you steep the pumpkin.

 

[ClemTiger0408]

Yup, when you steep your specialty grains, you steep the pumpkin.

All in one grain bag or separate bags?

 

[D_Nyholm]

All in one grain bag or separate bags?

If you have enough space in the steeping bag, might as well toss it in there.

 

[funnycreature]

THIS will be the base for a pumpkin beer that SWMBO will get for the fall Thanks for sharing Reno!

I did a search and read over half of all the posts but couldn't find if anyone tried a decoction for this baby. Since decoction adds some biscuity/toasty aroma and color to the beer I was thinking to give it a try. Based on Braukaiser's tutorial it might also help with thinning out the mash a bit. Any input on this?

 

[Brewskii]

THIS will be the base for a pumpkin beer that SWMBO will get for the fall Thanks for sharing Reno!

I did a search and read over half of all the posts but couldn't find if anyone tried a decoction for this baby. Since decoction adds some biscuity/toasty aroma and color to the beer I was thinking to give it a try. Based on Braukaiser's tutorial it might also help with thinning out the mash a bit. Any input on this?

I wouldn't; and here's why:
This is a spiced beer with pumpkin "paste" added to the mash. Any subtlety added from boiling the decoctions will be hiding behind the spice. Also, and perhaps more important to me, decoctions are hard enough to run off by them selfs. Add the pumpkin to it and you could use the mash to repair leaks in your roof! In other words, your asking
For a stuck mash.

 

[funnycreature]

I wouldn't; and here's why:
This is a spiced beer with pumpkin "paste" added to the mash. Any subtlety added from boiling the decoctions will be hiding behind the spice. Also, and perhaps more important to me, decoctions are hard enough to run off by them selfs. Add the pumpkin to it and you could use the mash to repair leaks in your roof! In other words, your asking
For a stuck mash.

Very good points, thanks! When I did my first decoction I noticed the nice protein layer on top of the grain bed so I was hoping that the pumpkin "gunk" might get trapped up there as well... I'm happy to learn!

 

[bg1414]

Is that spice amount teaspoons or tablespoons? It shows tablespoons but is that too much?

 

[funnycreature]

Now this is an interesting turn:

I am not sure if anyone ever chimed in about the effect of the decoction on the sparge ease....

DO IT!@!#*^&%$^#^%(@!!!!! Holy cow does it make a huge difference in the ease of sparging through that goop.

Decoct for sure.

(original thread)

Might try this and dissolving the pumpkin in the strike water first. This is gonna be :rockin:!

 

[walcotteric]

Thinking of brewing this one soon so that it's ready when fall comes around. Any key suggestions?

 

[jpmg]

Making a batch of this right now. I forgot rice hulls so I put the pumpkin into strainer bags and made sure they kinda laid on top of the grains during the mash. I then took out the bags and steeped them in the heating sparge water. Currently draining the second runnings. It's slower than the first but there's much more pumpkin incorporated into the grains (the bag didn't keep it all contained). It's a consistent flow at least so I'm ok with that. Also raised the spices to 1.75 tbsp. turning out great so far. Thanks for the recipe!

 

[NewkyBrown]

I'm going to do this recipe next however I only have 5 gallon mash tun. Do you think if I scale to 4 gallons I could make it? I want to make as much as I can!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Is that spice amount teaspoons or tablespoons? It shows tablespoons but is that too much?

Tablespoons. A lot of the flavor and aroma gets scrubbed out during fermentation. I'm not a fan of heavily spiced beers so I made sure this one is just right.

Thinking of brewing this one soon so that it's ready when fall comes around. Any key suggestions?

Follow the directions, use rice hulls, and RDWHAHB

Making a batch of this right now. I forgot rice hulls so I put the pumpkin into strainer bags and made sure they kinda laid on top of the grains during the mash. I then took out the bags and steeped them in the heating sparge water. Currently draining the second runnings. It's slower than the first but there's much more pumpkin incorporated into the grains (the bag didn't keep it all contained). It's a consistent flow at least so I'm ok with that. Also raised the spices to 1.75 tbsp. turning out great so far. Thanks for the recipe!

Quite welcome. I hope it turns out well.

I'm going to do this recipe next however I only have 5 gallon mash tun. Do you think if I scale to 4 gallons I could make it? I want to make as much as I can!

I'm really not sure you could. The pumpkin takes up a lot of volume and I don't think Green Bay Rackers has a calculator that can take pumpkin puree into account.

 

[NewkyBrown]

Tablespoons. A lot of the flavor and aroma gets scrubbed out during fermentation. I'm not a fan of heavily spiced beers so I made sure this one is just right.

Follow the directions, use rice hulls, and RDWHAHB

Quite welcome. I hope it turns out well.

I'm really not sure you could. The pumpkin takes up a lot of volume and I don't think Green Bay Rackers has a calculator that can take pumpkin puree into account.

Ill try and do a 3 gallon batch and if its good ill invest in a bigger cooler! Thanks.

 

[ChrisL_]

Then keep your eyes open for coolers on sale, you will be buying one! This is a great beer. I did a 2.5 gallon batch as my first ever brew in January. I just ordered a couple of 5 gallon kegs and ingredients for a full 5 gallon batch to brew up soon to be ready for this fall.

The only bad thing about this beer is waiting for eight weeks for it to mature.

 

[Chavi]

I made this pumpkin beer last year for my wedding. It was a HUGE hit. I am making this again this weekend for the upcoming fall season. You are the man Reno!