punkin beer

[Huck-E-bear]

i am makin a punkin ale tonight and i was curious if anyone knows of any advantage or reason not to put some unkin in with the steeping grains for 45 minutes?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Go for it! Adding pumpkin to the beer adds a flavor that can't be achieved through spicing.

 

[TopherM]

My 2010 pumpkin ale was Austin Home Brew's pumpkin extract kit. I added two 26 oz cans of Libby's Spiced Pumpkin to the steeping grains plus added the AHS spice pack that came with the kit to the last 10 minutes of the boil. The AHS instructions stated NOT to use spiced pumpkin mix, because it is overkill on the spice for some people, but mine turned out perfect to my tastes. Pretty much like a liquid pumpkin pie!

Anyway, this year I'm up to AG BIAB, and did a pumpkin stout. You'll find that the pumpkin meat doesn't really add that much flavor to the beer, but it does add proteins that add a certain characteristic to the body of the beer that helps balance the spices. Hard to explain without you tasting it for yourself, but definitely use the pumpkin with your steeping grains then additionally add pumpkin pie spice to the last 10-15 minutes of your boil. If you buy the pumpkin pie spice in the spice section of your grocery, add about 3-6 tablespoons depending on how much of that pumpkin pie flavor you want to appear in the final product.

Good luck!

 

[Huck-E-bear]

anyone see any reason to not throw some more in the secondary?

 

[TopherM]

anyone see any reason to not throw some more in the secondary?

You don't really gain much by putting pumpkin in the secondary, IMO. As stated above, you don't really get any flavor from the pumpkin meat, so it is kinda pointless to use it as a secondary flavor addition.

 

[jborho]

Just kegged my pumpkin beer, AG with pumpkin used in the mash. Pumpkin spices added at the last 10-15 minutes of boil. You can always add more spice when it is done fermenting also. As for the pumpkin in a secondary would be pointless as mentioned above. You can make a great pumpkin beer with out even adding real pumpkin.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

You don't really gain much by putting pumpkin in the secondary, IMO. As stated above, you don't really get any flavor from the pumpkin meat, so it is kinda pointless to use it as a secondary flavor addition.

I believe exactly the opposite about pumpkin. Not as far as secondary goes, but as far as flavor goes. I've brewed my pumpkin ale with and without pumpkin and the pumpkin it BY FAR better. Not only the mouthfeel, but I think the spices are actually enhanced through the use of the pumpkin.

I could be completely wrong there, but I definitely notice a different taste in my ale that uses pumpkin.

 

[TopherM]

You'll find that the pumpkin meat doesn't really add that much flavor to the beer, but it does add proteins that add a certain characteristic to the body of the beer that helps balance the spices. Hard to explain without you tasting it for yourself, but definitely use the pumpkin with your steeping grains then additionally add pumpkin pie spice to the last 10-15 minutes of your boil

I have made them with and without the actual pumpkin meat, and I stick to my earlier statement, quoted, from my experience.

 

[daksin]

Looks like beer to me.

 

[Huck-E-bear]

Thanks for the help guys. She is going into the secondary this morning.