Autumn Seasonal Beer Samhain Pumpkin Ale

[sethwar]

Just bottled mine yesterday. Took a little taste and it was delicious. Gonna be a long three weeks or so waiting for this one

 

[Rolly]

I finally have this carbed in the keg and the taste reminds me of magnificent. When I first tasted it in the primary I thought it was a little bland (brewed exactly as written). It was still a great beer, but it needed some more flavor. Then I did the following additions to the recipe:

I brought about 2 cups of water to a boil, then threw in two cut madagascar vanilla beans, the original amount of spices (in addition to what was added to the boil kettle), a little extra cinnamon on top of that, and 8 oz maltodextrin. I let that mixture boil for 1 minute, cooled then dumped into the fermenter.

Then I let it sit for two more weeks, and crash cooled with gelatin. I don't normally do the gelatin thing, but the wy1450 just refused to flocculate and had a yeast bite that wouldn't go away.

I also racked a gallon of this into a jug and added some Jolly Pumpkin dregs. I will be drinking the funky batch at the same time I'm drinking the re-brew of this recipe next year...stay tuned for that episode! Thanks KingBrian!

 

[wcrooker]

Just got done moving this into the fetmenter. It tastes and smells great. I hit all my numbers and this was a very easy/fun brew day. Thanks Brain.

 

[wedge421]

NVM answered my own question

 

[FuelshopMcgee]

So I've let this go for about 3 weeks now. Just checked my FG and it was at 1.006 definitely drier than I wanted. I made this last year and really loved the malty-ness of it and I'm afraid this is a little too dry now. I may try to back sweeten w/ some hazelnut syrup/vanilla extract as I've seen some people in the post mention their success. Anyone else have the denny's 50 finish that low this year? My SG was 1.052 and FG was 1.006 leaving me w/ 6% abv and attenuation of 88%. I used mr malty and pitched the correct amount of yeast. No signs of an infection (bad odors/tastes etc..) I'll roll w/ it

 

[spyder2723]

I finished right about 1.008 with Denny's 50, but I ended up mashing low because of my first time using rice hulls and not pre-heating enough.

 

[Chipman]

Just brewed a slightly modified batch of this with a friend. Smelled amazing during the boil! Tastes great going into the fermentor. We're pretty excited to try this in a few weeks. Just in time for thanksgiving

 

[Chipman]

Just started drinking a batch of this one, exactly like the description. Subtle but tasty spices and you can taste the pumpkin along with some maltiness. Not very sweet either. I think it's pretty amazing stuff! My co-brewer wants to add more spices and make it taste like pumpkin pie, I think it's a bad idea but oh well.

 

[Aschecte]

Wow I just tasted this for the first time and I'll say it again WOW !!!! easily the best pumpkin ale I have ever had the spices are spot on not overly up front and blended perfectly with the malt. I was suprised that it was as dry as it was though not that it was dry dry but I finished at 1.012 and that was with starting higher than anticipated at 1.062. I used the denny's fav 50 and according to wyeast it has a max atten. of 76% if my calcs are correct I atten. at 80% so start to end a great brew with alot of suprises !!! thanks for a great recipe.

 

[wcrooker]

Mine turned out really cloudy. What could have caused this?




I followed the recipe exactly but fermented a little on the warm side. I didn't crash cool like I originally plan so I just racked to the keg. It tastes amazing but is very cloudy.

 

[bottlebomber]

Huh... not really any head either. I used sparkelloid to fine, and cold crashed for 2 weeks and mine came out crystal clear. But one of the remarkable things about mine was it had crazy head retention. I once poured one and then drove to the grocery store, came back a half hour later and the head had only come down a little.

 

[wcrooker]

Hmmmm, I thought I had hit all my temps, I might have mashed a little cooler then I should have.... but I let that glass sit for awhile and there is a good amount of yeast in the glass... so I think it might be that it didn't flocculate.

 

[midfielder5]

Hmmmm, I thought I had hit all my temps, I might have mashed a little cooler then I should have.... but I let that glass sit for awhile and there is a good amount of yeast in the glass... so I think it might be that it didn't flocculate.

If it were me, I would cold condition it like you had planned. If that didn't work, then I would add a bit of gelatin as a last resort.
edit: I used S-04 dry yeast & didn't have flocc issues.

 

[FuelshopMcgee]

Right here with you man..I think lagering this at the end of fermentation should be a mandatory step. There is no reason to use gelatin as a last resort. It's a perfectly viable clearing method that has virtually no negative side other than it doesn't clear out chill haze. However I used gelatin finings to clear it up a bit and it still nearly took half the damn keg to start to clear.

Don't get me wrong the beer tastes absolutely great but denny's 50 are just some persistent little bastards.

 

[elproducto]

Need more info, what yeast did you use, when did you rack, did you use Whirlfloc/Irish Moss?

It will likely clear with some time in the keg.. if not you can hit it with gelatin.

 

[wcrooker]

Need more info, what yeast did you use, when did you rack, did you use Whirlfloc/Irish Moss?

It will likely clear with some time in the keg.. if not you can hit it with gelatin.

I used Denny's, I didn't use whirlfloc/Irish moss, and it when straight to the keg after 4 weeks in the primary. I'm probably just gonna throw in some gelatin and hope for the best before Thanksgiving lol.

 

[OCBrewin]

I tried to read most of this thread, but didn't see anyone who has tried using maple syrup as well...

I just got my hands on some very good, fresh stuff and was thinking that a cup or two in the recipe might lend itself very nicely to the flavors that everyone is experimenting with.

Any thoughts?

 

[dmckean44]

I brewed this but subbed a half a pound of victory for the pound of toasted malt in the recipe. I also upped the cinnamon a half teaspoon and racked on top of two tablespoons of homemade vanilla extract when I bottled. It was a hit at my homebrew party Sunday night.

Mine turned out a little cloudy too and this was my first experience with WY1450. It's a strange yeast compared to the what I'm used to but it sure did bring out the pumpkin flavor. I might try using WLP028 the next time I make it. I'd love to brew this again as a saison and pitch some brett and drink it next October.

 

[wcrooker]

I used some gelatin and that really helped. My brewing buddy took some to his parents house for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. Thanks Brian!

 

[Firebat138]

we used maple syrup as we did not have any of the other. What does the gelatin do...?

 

[wcrooker]

we used maple syrup as we did not have any of the other. What does the gelatin do...?

I used it because the yeast didn't come out of suspension as it should have. You may or may not have this problem if you used the Denny's favorite 50 yeast that the recipe calls for.

 

[CraigT]

i just finished off my keg of this that i brewed two months ago. i messed up the toasted grains so i didnt use them and i forgot to get molasses so didnt use it either. so instead i just used the caramel syrup recipe you used for your amber and this beer turned out really awesome. i will definitely make this again next year. i wish i still had more right now actually. but thank you for another great recipe brian

 

[KingBrianI]

i just finished off my keg of this that i brewed two months ago. i messed up the toasted grains so i didnt use them and i forgot to get molasses so didnt use it either. so instead i just used the caramel syrup recipe you used for your amber and this beer turned out really awesome. i will definitely make this again next year. i wish i still had more right now actually. but thank you for another great recipe bryan

 

[kman6234]

I had a couple of bottles of this in the frig left over from the fall and had them this afternoon. This is really a great beer... can't wait to brew another batch in the fall for the kegerator!

 

[Daryl]

King Bri-

I forgot the whirlfloc tablet the last 15 of the boil. Do you have any recommendations to help clarity in secondary?

 

[Aschecte]

King Bri-

I forgot the whirlfloc tablet the last 15 of the boil. Do you have any recommendations to help clarity in secondary?

Just my .02 and you asked king Brian not me ... But..... I would reccomend gelatin.

 

[KingBrianI]

Just my .02 and you asked king Brian not me ... But..... I would reccomend gelatin.

yep, if you crash cool and add gelatin you can get a really clear beer, even after forgetting whirlfloc.

 

[natureboy68]

Any suggestions on timing of this brew? To have it ready for October, when should one brew it? July?

 

[KingBrianI]

Any suggestions on timing of this brew? To have it ready for October, when should one brew it? July?

I'd brew it about 2 months before you want to be drinking it, so July or August sounds good.

 

[jasert39]

I'd brew it about 2 months before you want to be drinking it, so July or August sounds good.

I am hoping to brew this in about two weeks when space in my fermentation fridge opens up...can't wait.