Autumn Seasonal Beer Richard's Pumpkin Ale

[bdbriggs]

Where did your IBU's com in with that hop schedule - it looks pretty high. and I'm assuming 90 min boil, correct?

 

[bdbriggs]

Also, one more thing - when did you add the pumpkin? I'm planning on adding it at the boil in a nylon bag, as you did.

 

[trebor]

Didn't place a lot of emphasis on IBU numbers....it works out great. Add the punkin at the boil. Add the hops/spices as indicated.

 

[trebor]

Where did your IBU's com in with that hop schedule - it looks pretty high. and I'm assuming 90 min boil, correct?

90 minute boil....you'll be amazed at the dextrinous wort. Don't worry ,take your time.
Sparging......I don't fly sparge....it makes more sense to me to batch sparge, for the same results....if not better. I add the sparge water, stir it a tad, wait 15 minutes stir again, at the 1/2 hour point I'm done. It accomplishes the same thing, getting the sugars flowing. I've read most of the professional home brewers and they have strayed to batch sparging.

 

[trebor]

By the way, I brew in the backyard with an eight gallon stainless "pot" on a propane fire for a lot of reasons.......your backyard will smell like a pumpkin pie.

 

[bdbriggs]

I too batch sparge so we are good there, and I also brew in my driveway beside my house with a 15 gallon kettle - will be brewing Monday and I'm looking foward to this brew.

Thanks again for the help.

btw - I'm planning on kegging, but I doubth that will make a difference.

 

[trebor]

.......and the result?

 

[bdbriggs]

Finishing up first week in the primary. The brew went great and smelled awesome. Bubbled away like crazy for several days. Now waiting to move to secondary. Did miss my OG by a few points but that was due to my mash dropping a little low near the end. Will report back once it's in the keg.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[bdbriggs]

I did forget to mention that putting the pumpkin in the nylon bag was the key. Granted it was still messy just doing that.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[trebor]

yes....I usually moosh it around a bit to get the pulp juice to enter the boil. Don't know if I really have to, but, it makes me feel like I accomplished something.

 

[valacech]

I just brewed this last week. It is presently sitting in the primary and has been for about a week. Bubbling was aggressive for the first 3-4 days and has gradually slowed. I am curious as to the length of additional fermentation. Did you leave it in the primary fermenter and just move it to a chilled environment so it could clear up and settle before bottling (or in your case kegging)?

I transferred this to a secondary fermenter to allow it to continue fermenting without all the additional yeast. I'll probably move it to the fridge soon to stop the fermentation process and allow it to condition and clear up. When I siphoned it off, I ended up with about 3 gallons in the secondary and a whole bunch of sludge left over (about 2 gallons). Anyone else experience this same thing?

 

[trebor]

Me?...Don't be in too much of a rush. I let my pumkin ale sit in the primary for at least a week. The lack of fermentation isn't a serious thing at this (a week) point. I then get it into a secondary fermenter for at least two weeks, not chilled, but at a resonable temp, typically at the temp the primary experienced. (all of this can get "touchy" depending on the focus you and the yeast manufacture recommend). You don't need to move it to a chilled enviroment to settle and clear. It'll be fine at room temp. My last batch settled in the secondary for four or so weeks. A lot of trub is realistic when brewing a pumpkin ale. You need to manage the issue. The use of a nylon bag, during the boil is a huge benefit. Going into the primary with six or more gallons, is a good practice. I condition my ale in the bottle, at a "room" temp 69-71 degrees for 4-5 weeks..I then cool it for another 2-3 weeks. don't rush.

 

[nwbrewdude]

I am planning on brewing this weekend, I had planned on using the original recipe but after reading the entire post I think I am going to bump up the grain bill instead of adding molasses. Any suggestions on grain addition?

My current grain bill:
10 lbs Organic 2 Row
2 lbs German Munich
.5 lbs Crystal 60

Thanks to all for the input on the recipe, cant wait to brew it

 

[trebor]

Go back to page 9 for a full grain bill. Molasses....no.

 

[nwbrewdude]

I typed molasses, but I meant maple syrup ... my bad

 

[valacech]

Update:

I moved the entire carboy into the fridge to stop fermentation and it cleared up nicely after about 10 days in there. I pulled it out on Saturday, primed with 1.5oz of brown sugar boiled in 2 cups of water and bottled it. It's conditioning now in the bottles. Ended up with 32 12oz bottles (about 3 gallons) :/ I have to say, I tried some of this and it was tasty! Can't wait to pop one of these puppies.

For the record, I more than doubled the spice amounts in this batch and added ground ginger and used whole cinnamon sticks instead of ground. I left the cinnamon sticks in the primary the whole time. It's a pretty tasty brew.

I also did the math and figured that a 32oz bottle of pure, grade A maple syrup was perfect. I found some on sale for $9 at Shop Rite. I bought 2. : )

 

[lewybrewing]

I brewed this a couple of weeks ago and it was a huge hit.

A couple things that I noticed and or changed:

I used the Ralphs store pumpkin pie filling. 2 cans.
I went a little heavy on the spices...but my wife loves getting cheap spices from BigLots so I am sure they were old and cheap.
I brewed this as my 3rd beer for the day. I really don't remember much about the process other than a beer in my hand and a great time.

Now I ended up with 5.5 gallons of wort. With Trub loss I netted about 4 gallons of beer. I did notice that this beer fermented quickly but had way to many spices to it. So I let it sit in the fermenter for a couple of weeks. Not long just about 3 total after primary fermentation. This left me with a very dry clean pumpkin ale. Most of my homebrewing friends and craftbeer loving friends loved it.

I will brew this again.

 

[Beerzilla]

Excellent recipe.

I followed exactly except for the pumpkin amounts. I used 1 can American pumpkin puree in the mash and 1kg cubed and baked Japanese kabocha squash.

All my friends loved this one. Thank you for the great recipe!!

 

[VandalEngr]

Great recipe. I brewed this a few months back and followed the original recipe, but I substituted honey in place of the maple syrup. Everyone loved it for Halloween.

 

[todd1234]

I'm brewing this recipe over the next week so it will
be ready by Halloween. Has anyone thought infusing lactose in this recipe? I'm leaning towards using it....I'm thinking that .5 lbs might add some creamy sweetness thatll make this beer taste like a pumpkin pie. Thoughts?

 

[todd1234]

Sorry my iPhone autocorrect may have screwed up a few of the words. I meant to say "thought about using" not infusing. I'd probably add it to the boil. Never used lactose before though.

 

[Beerzilla]

Are you going to use the maple syrup? I substituted it with 2lbs Light DME and found it to be sweet enough. Any sweeter and it would have been cloying.

 

[todd1234]

I was going to skip the maple syrup and change the malt bill to
10 lbs 2 row
1 lb Vienna
3 lbs Munich 10L
.5 lb Caramel 20L
.5 lb White Wheat

I may or may not add .5-1 lb invert sugar depending on how my efficiency turns out. I'll be growing a starter from a Kolsch yeast slant so I expect it to be a little drier than the Safale yeast this recipe calls for. After what you just said I
might just skip the lactose after all.

 

[docon86]

10 lbs 2 row
1/2 lb carapils
1 lb munich malt
1 lb vienna malt
1/2 lb crystal malt 60L
1 1/2 oz chinook at the boil
1 oz willamette and 1/2 oz cascade at 20 minute mark
1/2 oz cascade at the 2 minute mark
1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp nutmeg at 90 minute
1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp nutmeg at 20 minute
1 tbsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp nutmeg and 1 tbsp crushed whole corriander at the 2 minute
1 tbsp irish moss if desired, I don't use it
Use fresh spices. I often throw out kit spices as the are of inferior quality and age. Get whole corrinader, use a morter and pestle.
I use either 3 lbs of canned organic pumpkin or an eight pound pumpkin seeded with the exterior removed, cut into 1 inch cubes, then baked until soft at 350 degrees. some folks let it turn dark brown. for a more intense flavor, the choice is yours. I use a nylon bag in the boil to avoid the HUGE trub...some folks don't. ferment for at least 7 days. secondary for another two weeks. the secondary will allow you to siphon the beer off the trub. let bottle condition for 3-4 weeks. refrigerate condition for 2-3 weeks. this beer will hold up for a good year + bottled. it is an awesome product, you can add variations. don't use ginger, ugh....of course unless you're a ginger fan...then I'm sure it's good. give it time.....you won't be disappointed.

sorry for my stupid question but this is going to be my first AG. the only thing i dont understand is the time frames for the hops and spices can you please break it down i am a total noob sorry

 

[BolderBrew22]

So I made a truncated version of the recipe for my first all grain batch.

I decided to do a 3 gallon batch so I wouldn't have 5 or 6 gallons of bad beer if I did it wrong.

I used a Brew in a bag method since I have a small apartment and little equipment.

90min boil

5 Lbs American 2-row
1 Lb Dark Munich
0.25 Lb Dark Crystal (60L)
0.25 Lb Carapils

Extras:

1Lb Organic canned pumpkin
1/2 tbsp cinnamon @60min
1/2 tsp nutmeg @ 60min

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon @20min
1/2 tsp nutmeg @20min
1/2 tsp corriander @20min

Hops:
0.5oz Northern Brewer @ 60min
0.5oz goldings @ 15min

Yeast:
Wyeast American Ale II

Mash - I added grains to 2 gallons of water at 168F in muslin bag which brought it down to around 152F for 30min. (grains absorbed about a gallon)

Sparge - 2 Gallons heated to 165 -> 20min

Drained grains (leaving about 3.5 gallons)

Combined sparge with mash. Added pumpkin in nylon bag. Boil for 30 min, followed by rest of timed additions of hops and spices.

I got impatient for my wort to cool (I don't have a wort chiller because $$) and pitched at too high of a temperature so it is currently bubbling away like mad. I'm sure it will turn out okay though. I don't have any temp control so it is sitting at 75F in my apartment. (who can afford to turn down their A/C to keep their beer cool?)

Next year I'll give up and just make saison all summer and turn off the A/C

 

[pikeman94]

I am going to brew this once pumpkins go on sale the day after Halloween. I am thinking about putting the roasted pumpkin in the mash instead of the boil. Has anyone tried this?

-Pikeman

 

[Sammymatik]

Idont think you wanna use carving pumpkins. Cooking pumpkins afre the way to go. Sugarpies are what usually use for pie. I guess the japanese kins' aren't bad either, have a slightly different taste. I also often use yams for pies and they taste much like pumpkin. I might throw some in there along with the kins'. If the fresh kins' aren't available, ill use canned.

This beer sounds great for thanksgiving and if I can get this in the fermenter this weekend I should have just enough time to get it on the table for turkey day.


I do have a question... Would adding wheat to the grain bill throw things way off? Also would wheat require a heffe yeast? The clove notes would be nice if they came from them. Also still not sure about adding veg to the boil or the mash....

Sounds fun and yum!

 

[porky_pine]

I just brewed this BIAB with the same grain bill and spices but with halletauer and fuggle hops because that's what I had on hand. I'm new to Beersmith and my IBU's changed after I changed my equipment on Beersmith and it says it has 46.7 IBU's!!! The hops are three years old but were vacuum sealed in my freezer. I hope this beer is not too bitter for the style.

 

[xkrieg]

Hello, I realize that this is an older post, but Thanksgiving 2013 is coming up soon, and I was hoping to make a recipe very similar to the original one posted here. Unfortunately, I do not have any temperature control, and my house is about 80degF. Do you think this recipe would still work with WLP566 Saison II yeast? I am really just after the pumpkin/spice taste. Thanks for your input!

 

[RichBrewer]

Hello, I realize that this is an older post, but Thanksgiving 2013 is coming up soon, and I was hoping to make a recipe very similar to the original one posted here. Unfortunately, I do not have any temperature control, and my house is about 80degF. Do you think this recipe would still work with WLP566 Saison II yeast? I am really just after the pumpkin/spice taste. Thanks for your input!

I honestly don't know anything about Saison yeast but I do think 80 degrees is too warm for most ales. Do you have a way to keep the wert cool during fermentation? Maybe a water bath can help keep the temperature down in the 70s.