Autumn Seasonal Beer Punkin' Ale

[Matteo57]

Ok!

I picked up a lb, I'll try and do some research but 1/2# was what I was thinking.

Also, I've never used it before, I am going to be getting only sweetness or body & sweetness

A little of both. Just be careful, some people dont like lactose, so wohld suggest 1/4 lb to 1/2 lb at most then add if you want more.
Let me know what you think!

 

[rtyler8140]

Brewed up a 2.5gal BIAB batch of this 3 weeks ago. Bottled it yesterday and it smelled/tasted great. Can't wait to try it in three weeks. Hopefully the weather will be more fall like. Thanks for sharing your recipe Reno_eNVy.

 

[atimmerman88]

A little of both. Just be careful, some people dont like lactose, so wohld suggest 1/4 lb to 1/2 lb at most then add if you want more.
Let me know what you think!

Sounds like a plan, going to bottle today I'll report back

 

[MikeCass]

I was reading that good ferm temp for this beer is around 60? I chose to go with Wyeast 1056 - Cali Ale Yeast so I could prepare a starter. Will fermenting at 60 still be adequate for this yeast even though Wyeast recommends that this yeast only be used anywhere from 65 to 72? If 60 isn't the best ferm temp, what is?

Thanks!

 

[Medevac_Chief]

Just finished racking this one to the carboy and boy does it taste delicious. SG is 1.040, a little low but compared to the last 2years where I didn't know what I was at, I'll take it. I also added an extra pound of crystal 60... Probably an oversight when ordering the ingredients.. Anyways I also used half a real pumpkin in addition to the canned pumpkin. Baked both at 350 for about 45 mins.. And put the canned pumpkin in the water while heating for the mash, and the real chunks of pumpkin I put in before the boil and left them in for entire time. Sample tasted amazing so it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out this year. Thanks again Reno for the original recipe!!

 

[LouBrew13]

Followed the recipe to the t. Sparge was slow even with rice hulls but no issues. It looked perfect and smelled amazing. Thanks for the recipe.

 

[D_Nyholm]

Just finished racking this one to the carboy and boy does it taste delicious. SG is 1.040, a little low but compared to the last 2years where I didn't know what I was at, I'll take it. I also added an extra pound of crystal 60... Probably an oversight when ordering the ingredients.. Anyways I also used half a real pumpkin in addition to the canned pumpkin. Baked both at 350 for about 45 mins.. And put the canned pumpkin in the water while heating for the mash, and the real chunks of pumpkin I put in before the boil and left them in for entire time. Sample tasted amazing so it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out this year. Thanks again Reno for the original recipe!!

That extra pound of 60 may be a bit much. Let us know how it comes out.

 

[elatowski]

Did anyone brew this on or around August 1st? I'm wondering how everyone's bottle carbonation is coming along.

 

[jaydog2314]

Did anyone brew this on or around August 1st? I'm wondering how everyone's bottle carbonation is coming along.

brewed Aug 2nd, bottled Aug 27th...i refuse to touch it until at least October, Im hoping I can stay strong and not touch any of it until mid-Oct. I can't imagine it's anything close to ready for me at 2 weeks in the bottle!

 

[ChrisL_]

brewed Aug 2nd, bottled Aug 27th...i refuse to touch it until at least October, Im hoping I can stay strong and not touch any of it until mid-Oct. I can't imagine it's anything close to ready for me at 2 weeks in the bottle!

I brewed my first batch of this last year. I posted on bottling day that I could hardly wait for the the three weeks for this to car b up when Reno_eNVy (the OP) replied. That this being a big beer needs more like 4 weeks to carb, but further to that this beer does not really taste it's best until about 8 weeks and boy was he right. I waited until week five and then had one bottle a week and it just kept getting better until week 8.
Patience is the toughest thing about this hobby, but letting this beer mature where the flavours really meld together is well worth it.
I brewed on Aug 9 this year and kegged last week. I have no intention of drinking it until mid October.

 

[bigmike99]

Kegged yesterday. I was more impressed with the sample early on but hoping everything will be fine. That being said I'm on the side of a pumpkin beer tasting like a slice of pie rather than a light pumpkin flavor. Can't wait to get it carbed.

 

[n240sxguy]

I brewed this on 8-19. I've been taking gravity readings every so often to see how it's doing. Last week it was 1.018, so I though it was almost done. Three days ago it was 1.012, so I thought surely it was done. This morning it was 1.008. I don't know if this thing is ever gonna stop! If I remember correctly this one mashed a little on the low side; around 148. I guess that's why it's still going, right?

 

[Medevac_Chief]

Already looking a lot better than it did last year. And this is just day 3!!!

And I agree this beer takes at least 4 weeks in the car boy, and then only gets better with time.

 

[elatowski]

I brewed my first batch of this last year. I posted on bottling day that I could hardly wait for the the three weeks for this to car b up when Reno_eNVy (the OP) replied. That this being a big beer needs more like 4 weeks to carb, but further to that this beer does not really taste it's best until about 8 weeks and boy was he right. I waited until week five and then had one bottle a week and it just kept getting better until week 8.
Patience is the toughest thing about this hobby, but letting this beer mature where the flavours really meld together is well worth it.
I brewed on Aug 9 this year and kegged last week. I have no intention of drinking it until mid October.

I know I know, I just needed to hear it from someone to help keep me in check. I'm all out of homebrew and this is the only thing I have close. I need to brew something with a quick turnaround and soon!

 

[ChrisL_]

I know I know, I just needed to hear it from someone to help keep me in check. I'm all out of homebrew and this is the only thing I have close. I need to brew something with a quick turnaround and soon!

I hear ya. My pipeline is empty as well other then 5G of this baby. But it tastes so much better when matured I am forcing myself to wait. Now I need a couple of consecutive brew days to fill the pipeline.

 

[n240sxguy]

What's the lowest FG anyone has ended up with this?

 

[atimmerman88]

Bottled yesterday @ 1.010, added 1/4# of lactose to make up a bit of the difference.

 

[sfgoat]

I also bottled this today at 1.010

 

[elatowski]

Mine was 1.014

 

[jaydog2314]

Bottled about 2 weeks ago at 1.012

 

[daveooph131]

Just brewed this tonight and plan on tapping it on Halloween. Slight change by using wlp005 as the yeast and kent Golding hops.

The pumpkin and rice hulls sucked up a lot of water I only ended up with about 4.5g into he fermenter.

 

[mcbrews]

I brewed this on 9-2 and ended up with a SG of 1.060. I read over two years of posts and used the recommended one pound of rice hulls. The mash went well but sparging slowed quite a bit towards the end. I baked the pumpkin for an hour and it did not look done enough so I baked it another hour. After two weeks in the primary I racked it to a secondary today. FG after primary is 1.008. The color looks good very pumpkin looking. I plan on leaving it in the secondary for two weeks and then kegging it. Then hoping after a week in the keg it will be ready for a party we are having on October 5.

 

[Nicegirl]

Hi Reno_eNVy,

Brewed your pumpkin ale recipe this past weekend with a few minor changes, i.e.; used 9 lbs. of 2-row instead of 10 lbs. (was coming up pretty heavy on BeerSmith at 10 lb's.) and used the Wyeast 1056 with a starter instead of the dry yeast. The brew still came in pretty big (O.G. of 1.067) and had a wonderful aroma. Pitched a good size starter and had the start of fermentation in less than 12 hours!
If it tastes as good as it smelled, this is sure to be a winner! We'll find out in a couple of weeks.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I had been looking for a good pumpkin ale recipe for a while to brew this autumn season and this may be the one.
BTW...for those out there that have kegged and force carbonated, what is a good CO2 by volume level to use when carbonating this beer? Just planning ahead.

 

[judsonp]

Made a version of this a handful of weeks ago. For the first week or so in the keg, it was rather aggressively spice-forward, but now it's calmed down and turned into a very tasty beer.

 

[Richard-SSV]

I made this recipe about 6 weeks ago and just sampled my first bottle tonight. I made one slight change in that I split the base malt into half 2-Row and half Maris Otter. I can honestly say that this is not only the tastiest beer I have ever made, but perhaps the best I have ever tasted!

This is a fantastic recipe and I wonder if I made it without the pumpkin spice if it could be just a great malty house beer year round instead of a seasonal?

 

[ChrisL_]

I made this recipe about 6 weeks ago and just sampled my first bottle tonight. I made one slight change in that I split the base malt into half 2-Row and half Maris Otter. I can honestly say that this is not only the tastiest beer I have ever made, but perhaps the best I have ever tasted!

This is a fantastic recipe and I wonder if I made it without the pumpkin spice if it could be just a great malty house beer year round instead of a seasonal?

I am glad to hear that. I did the same 50/50 split and have this carbing up on the CO2 now. I want to let this age until October, but will likely sneak a sample this coming weekend.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Thank you all for your input. I love this time of year since I get awesome input and get to read about other brewers experiences with brewing one of my favorite styles.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Mine got an infection. Sad. Tastes ok under the pellicle, but I am going to let it sit til next year and try it as a sour punkin ale. First batch that infected on me ever. Wonder how it will turn out.

 

[SevenFields]

When doing the extract version, is it necessary to pitch 2 pks of Safale S-04, or would I be ok with one.
Also, my LHB only has DME so would I subsitute the 8.25# of Pale LME with 6.8# of Briess Golden Light DME?

 

[DrunkleJon]

the pitchrate of the yeast is consistent for the gravity of the wort. AG/PM/AE shouldnt effect it. Doing a half batch though you could half the yeast.