Some kind of pumpkin ale

[SS_Brewing_Co]

I have been reading a lot of pumpkin recipes and a lot of them add the pumpkin in the mash. I have never brewed one before but to me it would seem that a lot of the flavor you're looking for would boil off or wouldn't even make it to the kettle. I just would have thought that the last 15-20 min.Of the boil would be the best time to add it. Thoughts and ad vice would me much appreciated.

 

[brew2enjoy]

Pumpkin adds little if any flavor. It mainly adds body and color. Using it in the mash works well because it gets filtered out before the boil. If you add it to the boil you will lose a ton of beer and 1/4 of your fermenter will be pumpkin sludge.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I used about 6 lbs of fresh, roasted pumpkin in my mash and you can definitely taste it in the finished product. Not overpowering and I wish I had used more spice, but it works very well.

 

[purplehaze]

I have made a few pumpkin batches and there is just a hint of pumpkin but you will taste mostly spices. The pumpkin adds more color and body than taste. There are some good pumpkin recipes listed in the vegetable/spices recipe section.

 

[SS_Brewing_Co]

So how much would I use for a 20 gallon batch?

 

[purplehaze]

I used two 30oz cans of pumpkin (NOT PIE FILLING) in the mash for a five gallon batch. I also cooked the pumpkin for 30 minutes at 350 before adding it to to mash for a bit of caramelization.

 

[kanzimonson]

I use 4# of canned pumpkin in the mash for a 12gal batch. I put pumpkin in just so I can say "yes, there is pumpkin in this sir." But I don't think it adds much flavor.

 

[SS_Brewing_Co]

Ground up? Chopped up? Or cut in strips/big pieces?

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Mash like a potato, and make sure to add rice hulls. Even with .5lbs rice hulls in my 5gal batch I had a slow sparge.

 

[JordanThomas]

Pumpkin adds little if any flavor. It mainly adds body and color. Using it in the mash works well because it gets filtered out before the boil. If you add it to the boil you will lose a ton of beer and 1/4 of your fermenter will be pumpkin sludge.

This. The "pumpkin" flavor that you get in pumpkin ales comes from the spices that you add (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc) - the spices that we associate with pumpkin pie.

In a 20 gallon batch, I would use 240 ounces. That is 8 large cans. Oh, and bake it at about 300F for an hour and let it cool before you use it.

 

[tre9er]

The pumpkin gives a squashy, silky taste to the beer. You could probably use sweet potatoes, squash, etc. and still get the same effect in the final product. The pie spices are what makes you think "Pumpkin Pie".

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I have done 3 different versions of pumpkin spice beer with little to no pumpkin pie flavor. The first 2 I used just the spices. The last one I used canned pumpkin puree in the mash. I have learned through experimenting with the spices in my coffee press that in addition to the spices, you need residual sweetness to bring the pumpkin pie flavor forward. The spices by themselves are quite bitter, like cocoa powder. (if you doubt that, try a fingerfull) Therefore, my next recipie is going to use pumpkin pie filling, lactose and the spices. If that doesn't work I'm going to give up and admit that pumpkins don't like me.

 

[tre9er]

I have done 3 different versions of pumpkin spice beer with little to no pumpkin pie flavor. The first 2 I used just the spices. The last one I used canned pumpkin puree in the mash. I have learned through experimenting with the spices in my coffee press that in addition to the spices, you need residual sweetness to bring the pumpkin pie flavor forward. The spices by themselves are quite bitter, like cocoa powder. (if you doubt that, try a fingerfull) Therefore, my next recipie is going to use pumpkin pie filling, lactose and the spices. If that doesn't work I'm going to give up and admit that pumpkins don't like me.

I use generous crystal malt (15%). Adds nice sweetness. Also mashing higher helps with feel and some sweetness. My GB was as follows:

American Vienna 41%
American Crystal 40 15.4%
American Pale Ale 41%
Rice (hulls) 2.6%

 

[kanzimonson]

I haven't had to use rice hulls when making pumpkin beer but that might be because of my specific mashing techniques. I have a keggle mash tun and I fly sparge. With all my beers I continually recirculate as I dough in. I pour the grain slowly enough that I don't really have to stir my mash. For pumpkin beers, I mix the canned pumpkin in with the strike water.

I don't have any kind of HERMS/RIMS, but a few times during mashing I run the pump for a couple minutes just to clarify the runnings. I've never had clearer wort going into the boil kettle since I started doing this. And I haven't had a stuck mash either, and my pumpkin beer (12gal) has 4# of canned pumpkin, over two pounds of flaked grains, and plenty of crystal. If this beer doesn't give me a stuck mash, nothin' will! (preparing to eat my words one day)

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I use generous crystal malt (15%). Adds nice sweetness. Also mashing higher helps with feel and some sweetness. My GB was as follows:

American Vienna 41%
American Crystal 40 15.4%
American Pale Ale 41%
Rice (hulls) 2.6%

What was your spice load and time?

 

[remuS]

I used 60oz of Libby's canned pumpkin (not spiced) in the mash. Cooked in the oven at 350 for approx. 45 minutes until it started to caramelize on top. It turned out nice, though that was the slowest I've ever had the mashtun drain. I used a bunch of rice hulls but still had problems.

I can't really say how much flavor it added, if any. It did lend a nice sweetness that I've never had in any of my other beers, which I will attribute to the pumpkin. Added 1 Tbsp of pumpkin spice to the boil @ 15. Gives it a nice spicy aftertaste, but by no means overpowering.

 

[tre9er]

What was your spice load and time?

I believe 2TBSP pumpkin pie spice at 10m for a 9g batch. I believe the recipe called for 1.5TBSP for a 5g batch.

 

[adamc]

I made a pretty good pumpkin ale a couple months ago. Just finished bottle conditioning. Tried it Tuesday. Came out pretty well. Couple minor tweaks and i think it'll be great.

Bake the pumpkin in the oven until it is carmelized (30-60 mins). Put in a large nylon bag before you boil it for less than 30 mins. This prevents the large amount of pumpkin sludge. Still leaves a tiny amount. Crash cool for a few days and it will rid of the rest . Mine is crystal clear (i don't pout the last ounce out of the bottle).

If you want the recipe and changes i'd make, let me know.

 

[caioz1jp]

For my 5 gallom batch i do every year i use one 30oz can of pumpkin pure and 1 30oz can of the prespice pie filling mix. This gives a great body and pumpkin flavor with out the spices being over powered. Just a word of advice, this type of brew is amazing after about 4 months. I brew this every year at the end of may and dont touch it until october 1st.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I made a pretty good pumpkin ale a couple months ago. Just finished bottle conditioning. Tried it Tuesday. Came out pretty well. Couple minor tweaks and i think it'll be great.

Bake the pumpkin in the oven until it is carmelized (30-60 mins). Put in a large nylon bag before you boil it for less than 30 mins. This prevents the large amount of pumpkin sludge. Still leaves a tiny amount. Crash cool for a few days and it will rid of the rest . Mine is crystal clear (i don't pout the last ounce out of the bottle).

If you want the recipe and changes i'd make, let me know.

Yes, please.

I also did my last batch using 30 OZ libby pumpkin puree caramalized 60 minutes in the oven at 350F. Just a few toasted spots around the edges. Put it in the mash along with the grains. I am using McCormick's Pumpkin Pie spice mix, which contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, amd allspice. I strain my wort through a SS striner from the kettle to the fermenter, so I added the spices to the fermenter. I looked at the pie filling VS puree labels in the store and online yesterday. The difference is the pie filling has spice and sugar added. Also, the pie filling has a bunch of chemical preservatives, whereas the puree has one ingredient... pumpkin puree. As I posted above, I think the item I am missing is something to provide resitual sweetness. Was considering a pound of lactose, but I'm flexible. Mine present batch has been in the bottle for about 6 weeks. Perhaps I need to squirrel away a couple 6ers and see where they go in January?

 

[tre9er]

How much crystal malt are you using and what's your mash temp?

 

[SS_Brewing_Co]

For my 5 gallom batch i do every year i use one 30oz can of pumpkin pure and 1 30oz can of the prespice pie filling mix. This gives a great body and pumpkin flavor with out the spices being over powered. Just a word of advice, this type of brew is amazing after about 4 months. I brew this every year at the end of may and dont touch it until october 1st.

So you think if I just multiplied that by 4 it would scale ok?

 

[chikincoop]

I just brewed a pumpkin last month. Used 90oz of Libby's pour canned pumpkin. Divided it into two portions in two brew socks. Boiled them for the last 20 minutes. Threw one sock out, put the other in the primary with dry hop bag. Removed sock and moved to secondary with 6oz of vanilla and spices. Not a ton of flavor, but enough to get that fall feeling. 5 gal batch.