Autumn Seasonal Beer Punkin' Ale

[CodeSection]

I used Rahr 2 and 6 row standard. Mashing the pumpkin does require a bit more DP. Cost is the same. I split it 50/50. I used US-05 with good results. I subbed Biscuit for Victory as that is what the distributor closest to me carries. Same for Rahr.

Thanks for the info. Just got off the phone with my LHBS. They have limited amounts of 6 Row and Victory. They are going to pull from other stores in the Phoenix area. I told them if they did not have enough Victory, to substitute Biscuit. I should have everything by Thursday afternoon.

 

[HiImBrian]

I promise you won’t be disappointed. Definitely let it age as others have said and it will be perfect.

Ugh, but I'm not very patient! The wort was SO tasty, and I'm really itching to try this one. I'm sure I'd end up saving just enough to regret not saving more ha!

 

[IslandLizard]

I've brewed a 1.075 Pumpkin Ale a few years ago, putting the canned, then baked puree (for 2 hours!) in the mash, as in the OP and Zymurgy article. I'm ready for a new batch.

It yielded a really nice deep orange color, good mouthfeel, but very little if any pumpkin flavor. I kept my spices very low, on purpose, well below anything in recipes. All I want is just a hint of that spice, no more. I actually had added too much already and it took almost a year in the keg (~65F) to "age out" and come into its own. It was very yummy at that point, wish I had made a double batch.

Now I had used 75 oz (5 small cans, or nearly 5 pounds) per 5 gallon, almost double that of the 3 pounds in the recipes, and it was still barely tangible. My notes actually say I may want to double that, so 8-10 cans/pounds per 5 gallons.

Aside from a huge trub load, what benefit would adding the puree to the boil offer? Added 10 minutes before flameout, or earlier? Should some pectin enzyme be used in that scenario and when? If so, before adding the puree to the boil I guess?

 

[user 263363]

I've brewed a 1.075 Pumpkin Ale a few years ago, putting the canned, then baked puree (for 2 hours!) in the mash, as in the OP and Zymurgy article. I'm ready for a new batch.

It yielded a really nice deep orange color, good mouthfeel, but very little if any pumpkin flavor. I kept my spices very low, on purpose, well below anything in recipes. All I want is just a hint of that spice, no more. I actually had added too much already and it took almost a year in the keg (~65F) to "age out" and come into its own. It was very yummy at that point, wish I had made a double batch.

Now I had used 75 oz (5 small cans, or nearly 5 pounds) per 5 gallon, almost double that of the 3 pounds in the recipes, and it was still barely tangible. My notes actually say I may want to double that, so 8-10 cans/pounds per 5 gallons.

Aside from a huge trub load, what benefit would adding the puree to the boil offer? Added 10 minutes before flameout, or earlier? Should some pectin enzyme be used in that scenario and when? If so, before adding the puree to the boil I guess?

I have only been brewing for a little over 6 months, so what I have to say doesn’t really apply to brewing. Having said that, I consider myself an above average home cook and I do know that Pumpkin is used in many dishes but it does not impart much flavor. Anything with pumpkin in it is usually accompanied by something else to provide flavor.

I believe in most brews, including this recipe, the pumpkin is used for color and you could even say authenticity in calling it a pumpkin beer. I can’t even believe that after roasting it that it provides much in the way of fermentable sugars.

That’s just my .02 and I have nothing but anecdotal experience to back it up.

 

[CodeSection]

@RPh_Guy and @Wayne1 just got into the office after an all nighter brewing the Pocahontas Pumpkin Ale. What a workout! After reading problems others were having with using Libby's Pure Pumpkin, I increased the rice hulls by 1.5 times and reduced the pumpkin to three cans (5lbs 7oz) rather than six pounds for my 10 gallon batch. I recirculated a trickle and even then that did not prevent getting a stuck sparge every 8-10 minutes.

This was not an enjoyable experience as my body is aching all over. I am so grateful I had a 36" SS paddle! It felt as if I was rowing a boat all night. Man that pumpkin is gooey! While this was the longest brew for me ever, I kept saying I had to experience it and that I would not brew this recipe again. That was until I tasted the wort.... Perhaps next time I will try even less pumpkin.

EDIT: @IslandLizard, thank you for pointing that out. I guess you can tell I haven't slept in 29 hours.....it should be 10 gallons, not 1 gallon.

 

[IslandLizard]

and reduced the pumpkin to three cans (5lbs 7oz) rather than six pounds for my 1 gallon batch.

5.5 pounds of pumpkin puree for 1 gallon of beer?

 

[RPh_Guy]

@RPh_Guy and @Wayne1 just got into the office after an all nighter brewing the Pocahontas Pumpkin Ale.

Well, that's not the recipe or process that I use...

I use Libby's in the boil (30 minutes), not in the mash.

8oz per gallon. Transfer all of it to the fermenter.

 

[CodeSection]

Well, that's not the recipe or process that I use...

Yes. I was following the Pocahontas Pumpkin Ale recipe. I need to try your process and lesser amount of pumpkin as well.

 

[Wayne1]

I feel your pain, CodeSection.

The first time I made the Pocahontas Pumpkin Ale Recipe, I also used canned pumpkin.
This was a 15 bbl batch so there was a bit more to add in.

It did take some time to add all that to the mash tun. Lauter also took a bit longer.

The next year I used https://milnefruit.com/pumpkin.html a pumpkin juice concentrate.

 

[CodeSection]

^^^^Wow!.....and here I thought I had it hard! Good tip on the concentrate.

My body is definitely still feeling the effects of the brew. Going up and down a long staircase several times to get coffee to stay awake didn't help much either.

Today should be less stressful as I'm going to put on labels on eight cases of bottles so that I can start handing them out to clients starting next week.

 

[GrainBiscuits]

Hi HBT, first post here. So I brewed this recipe today. Brewed it twice last fall and loved it so I figured Labor Day would be a perfect time to repeat. I only deviated from the recipe a little by cutting back to 8oz of brown sugar, added 4oz of flaked oats, 6oz of carapils and threw another ounce of hops in a whirlpool.

The pumpkin I added to an old brew bag and steeped in the brew kettle while getting the strike water up to temperature. Pulled the bag and drained for a few. I hit target of 156f but oddly enough was down to 149f after the hour mash. I typically only lose 3 - 4 degrees so not sure what that was about or how it may affect my FG.

Planning to leave it in primary for 3 weeks, cold crash for a few days and hopefully leave the keg alone until Halloween, not sure if that’s going to happen though. Thanks Reno for the recipe and all of the HBT crew for the very informative thread.

 

[half_whit]

Hi HBT, first post here. So I brewed this recipe today. Brewed it twice last fall and loved it so I figured Labor Day would be a perfect time to repeat. I only deviated from the recipe a little by cutting back to 8oz of brown sugar, added 4oz of flaked oats, 6oz of carapils and threw another ounce of hops in a whirlpool.

The pumpkin I added to an old brew bag and steeped in the brew kettle while getting the strike water up to temperature. Pulled the bag and drained for a few. I hit target of 156f but oddly enough was down to 149f after the hour mash. I typically only lose 3 - 4 degrees so not sure what that was about or how it may affect my FG.

Planning to leave it in primary for 3 weeks, cold crash for a few days and hopefully leave the keg alone until Halloween, not sure if that’s going to happen though. Thanks Reno for the recipe and all of the HBT crew for the very informative thread.

I'm actually brewing the original recipe today, but I'm intrigued by your processes. Let us know how it works out! Been making it for Thanksgiving e for years and this year the in laws requested it!

 

[Nokie]

I’m going to have to go back and read this whole thread. Just brewed mine on the 5 and kegged this morning. I’ll have to compare my recipe to ones posted here

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Think i'll brew this on Columbus day.
my oven is broke so i need to use the toaster oven to cook one can at a time. lol!

should be ready by November.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

this is cooling now.
my pumkin pie filling was allready spiced and it seemed somewhat strong so I only went with half a teaspoon of pie spice.
I tossed the roasted pumpkin in with the mash BIAB and mixed it in.
it smelled like a pumpkin pie in my back yard for the last hour.

though over shot the OG a tad.
came in at 1.079. hope the FG is on the high side.

 

[btn]

So brewed this a little over a month ago and it is now carbed up. I used 3 29oz cans of oven roasted Pumpkin Purée and Crystal 90 instead of 60

Using a first generation Grainfather, mashed real high at 157. The mash was a real mess, spent most of the time stirring to keep it from turning into a doughball

Added 1.5 ounces of EKG at 60 min
SafAle 04 at 63 F

There was almost a gallon of trub.

Added after fermentation complete
.5 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
.5 Teaspoon Kroger Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Vanilla Bean chopped up

Clocked in at 1.061
Final Gravity 1.011
So 6.5%

Very clear with subtle pumpkin, spice and vanilla on the nose and in the beer, I think the 90 Crystal gives the impression of pumpkin in the beer a lift. More body than you would expect from a beer that finished at 1.011, based on the comments I would attribute that to the pumpkin

Definitely a great autumn brew

Malt Bill
Malt Name	Weight	PPG	SRM	Type
Maris Otter– 4°L	11.00 lbs	1.038	4.00	Mashed Grain
Pumpkin Puree	5.50 lbs	1.004	5.00	Mashed Grain
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 90L	1.00 lbs	1.033	90.00	Mashed Grain
Biscuit Malt	1.00 lbs	1.036	23.00	Mashed Grain
Rice Hulls	1.00 lbs	1.000	0.00	Extract/Adjunct

 

[NitrogenWidget]

ok,
OG 1.079
FG 1.010

ABV% higher than expected.
I wonder if letting the mash sit for a few hrs while I left the house for an errand has something to do with the increased efficiency.

I have to say though, the hydro sample tasted amazing.
the pumpkin and spice is there but not overly.

I'll keg this and let it naturally carb for the next few weeks on my basement floor.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

so, just tapped this keg.
it's still a little flat but this is tasting like a very dangerous beer.
it's so easy drinking you would never guess it was 9%.

 

[Nokie]

Just kegged my last patch of punkin. I keep trying to get a great recipe and just tasting what was in the tube when I took the FG... I think I may have a winner!!
I burst carb’d it so I’ll know in an hour or so.
This is the first time I added vanilla and graham extract. So fingers crossed

 

[Nokie]

Going for a double post!!
I tried it about 2 hours after force carbing and it was a little under carbed.
but I tried it tonight and it is a WINNER!
I don’t know where I read or seen it but they said to add graham extract. And that’s what I’ve been missing.
any pumpkin I’ve tried to make the past 5 - 6 years have always been missing something. All I could really taste is cinnamon and pie spice.
Using the graham leaves a little sweet caramel aftertaste once the cinnamon fades.
I will be adding this to my rotation year round it’s that good.
it was just a basic recipe but I got distracted while mashing and missed my numbers and it only came out at about 4%. So instead of calling it a lawnmower beer I’m calling this one a leaf raking beer.

 

[greg.vinyard915]

I’m about 5 years late to the party, but I am prepping for ber season. Kept everything the same except for the yeast which I went with WLP002. Also for anyones amusement this thread was originally posted before I graduated high school. I’ll post an update once it’s done.