Southern Tier Pumking Clone??

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And it wasn't a clone. You can add nutrients, but it's pointless. All grain has all the nutrients the yeast need. If you're doing an all extract brew, then yes add it.

This thread has been going for several years and it hasn't been cloned. People claim they have it and it's debunked by others, so I don't think you're going to get a Pumking this first attempt.

I know im not gonna get one first try but i would like to be close. I just figured with the years this thread has someone can give me a decent recipe to follow that will get me close to Pumking. I have made pumpkin ales in the past with good success. I just like Pumking and would like to just get close without any nasty off flavors such as those associated with graham cracker extract. (which I already bought) but I wont use.
 
Maybe someone can answer this. I've made three separate pumpkin beers over the years and as I keep checking recipes I've noticed many call for the adding of pumpkin to mash or full 60 minute boil. I made two batches in that method and they tasted awful (like when I made a cherry wheat and boiled the cherries for way too long!). I'm planning on making a butternut squash beer and the recipe calls for adding it while wort is starting to boil and then removing it for the rest of the boil. I'm worried that boiling the fruit (pumpkin) for the full 60 will lead to another disaster like I had before with the cherry. My pumpkins that came out good all were boiled at the end for like 8-10 minutes. Any one else concerned about the 60 min boil for pumpkin?
 
Maybe someone can answer this. I've made three separate pumpkin beers over the years and as I keep checking recipes I've noticed many call for the adding of pumpkin to mash or full 60 minute boil. I made two batches in that method and they tasted awful (like when I made a cherry wheat and boiled the cherries for way too long!). I'm planning on making a butternut squash beer and the recipe calls for adding it while wort is starting to boil and then removing it for the rest of the boil. I'm worried that boiling the fruit (pumpkin) for the full 60 will lead to another disaster like I had before with the cherry. My pumpkins that came out good all were boiled at the end for like 8-10 minutes. Any one else concerned about the 60 min boil for pumpkin?

I've mashed with pumpkin with great results. I can say that cigar city, who makes a phenomenal pumpkin beer called Good Gourd, puts their pumpkin into the fermenter 4 days after they pitch.

I haven't done that method because of the amount of trub it leaves. It's also why I don't like doing it in the boil.

Another method I haven't tried is adding it to a bag and putting it into the kettle while you're bringing your water to temp for the mash. Basically you're mashing with pumpkin water.

Not to sound like a jerk, but you're sure it's the pumpkin that made it not taste good? I'm just meaning there wasn't anything else that could've been the reason?
 
Thanks for the help I was thinking maybe that was the case but it did it two straight times and it happened both times and then I made it in the boil at the end (same way other than that) and it came out ok. I'll give that way a try (putting it in mash water) and hope for the best.
 
This is my first post and first all grain attempt! I had my first imperial pumpking ale a couple of weeks ago and had to give this a go. After having sacrificed one of my sail boat's party coolers to make a mash tun that is. I used a recipe from eubrew on page three of this thread and made a couple of modifications. Slightly increased the 2-row, used goldings for bittering hops (2oz) per the suggestion of one of the local breweries brewmaster, 2oz of Saaz earlier in the boil to maintain similar ibu but hope to reduce the hop flavor. Roasted a pound of Maris otter with 2 29oz cans of pumpkin @ 350 for 1 hour hoping to get some graham cracker flavor and included this in a mesh bag in the mash to reduce the amount of trub. The following are my notes from brew day:

Imperial pumpkin ale: 10/14
First all grain attempt.
Recipe: cook 4 lbs canned pumpkin and 1 lb Maris otter @ 350F for 1 hour
Mash: 11.2 lbs 2-Row, 5lbs Maris Otter, 1Lb victory, 1Lb 4oz crystal 60L 168F water at dough in 30.31L of water. Target temp 152F for 1 hour. 2Gal sparge at 168F
Boil: 2oz Goldings @ 60min
2oz Saaz at 24min
1 whirlfloc at 10min
.25 tsp clove, .5 tsp nutmeg, 1tsp cinnamon at 5 min
Cooled with stainless wort chiller
Pitched a large helping of WLP002 at 76F, crashed the temp via swamp cooler to 64F, fermentation is vigorous at 12 hours after pitching yeast OG at 1.087

Any suggestions on modifications? I'll be sure to follow up with how it tastes when it is all said and done. I plan to add a spice tea similar to eubrew at bottling but less vanilla beans (3 at most) to secondary. I'll soak in Vodka for a week prior to pitching into the secondary.

Cheers!
 
You can add nutrients, but it's pointless. All grain has all the nutrients the yeast need. If you're doing an all extract brew, then yes add it.

Nutrients are not pointless. Though grains should have all the necessary nutrients for yeast, I find my yeast to be happier with nutrient/energizer. If you brew with extracts, then you are still brewing with grains. Why would it be any different than all grain? You're basically being with someone else's condensed all grain batch.
 
brewski09 said:
Nutrients are not pointless. Though grains should have all the necessary nutrients for yeast, I find my yeast to be happier with nutrient/energizer. If you brew with extracts, then you are still brewing with grains. Why would it be any different than all grain? You're basically being with someone else's condensed all grain batch.

I agree! Also anyone who has used butter flavor extract how much do I use put in secondary?? Pls help brewing tomorrow
 
brewski09 said:
Nutrients are not pointless. Though grains should have all the necessary nutrients for yeast, I find my yeast to be happier with nutrient/energizer. If you brew with extracts, then you are still brewing with grains. Why would it be any different than all grain? You're basically being with someone else's condensed all grain batch.

I agree! Anyone who has used butter flavor extract how much do I need in secondary?
 
I agree about the nutrients!

Anyone that has used butter flavor HOW MUCH DO I ADD TO SECONDARY? brewing tomorrow
 
Nutrients are not pointless. Though grains should have all the necessary nutrients for yeast, I find my yeast to be happier with nutrient/energizer. If you brew with extracts, then you are still brewing with grains. Why would it be any different than all grain? You're basically being with someone else's condensed all grain batch.

I should've said mainly extract kits...

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-9-1.html

Yeast cannot live on sugar alone. Yeast also need nitrogen, and amino and fatty acids to enable them to live and grow. The primary source for these building blocks is the free amino nitrogen (FAN) and lipids from the malted barley. Refined sugars like table sugar, corn sugar or candy sugar do not contain any of these nutrients. And, it is common for extracts (especially kit extracts targeted toward a particular style) to be thinned with refined sugars to lighten the color or reduce the cost of production. An all-malt beer has all the nutrition that the yeast will need for a good fermentation, but all-extract beers may not have sufficient FAN to promote adequate growth. Since malt extract is commonly used for yeast starters, it is always a good idea to add some yeast nutrients to ensure good yeast growth.
 
I should've said mainly extract kits...

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-9-1.html

Yeast cannot live on sugar alone. Yeast also need nitrogen, and amino and fatty acids to enable them to live and grow. The primary source for these building blocks is the free amino nitrogen (FAN) and lipids from the malted barley. Refined sugars like table sugar, corn sugar or candy sugar do not contain any of these nutrients. And, it is common for extracts (especially kit extracts targeted toward a particular style) to be thinned with refined sugars to lighten the color or reduce the cost of production. An all-malt beer has all the nutrition that the yeast will need for a good fermentation, but all-extract beers may not have sufficient FAN to promote adequate growth. Since malt extract is commonly used for yeast starters, it is always a good idea to add some yeast nutrients to ensure good yeast growth.

I've seen extract kits with boosters in them off corn sugar and whatnot, bit that is such a small amount that it's not going to prohibit the year from growing. If your kit includes a reputable Edgard such as the Briess extracts in the brewers best kits, then you have sufficient FAN. Briess lists their FAN for the CBW Pisen Light at 3000, more that enough for yeast.
 
What happened to this thread. It's about ST PUMKING CLONE? I need help it's that time of year for pumpkin ales where is all the advice?
 
Ok here is my attempt at ST Pumking.


Just brewed today so dont have a FG or Abv. Smells and tastes amazing. I had a stuck sparge but I already collected 5.5 gallons and I had sparge water just in case. so i added an additional 2.25 gallons and ended up with 7.25 Pre-boil. My grains were about 60 degrees from sitting in my garage so I started with 180 degree water then added my baked pumpkin then let the water drop to 161. I added my grain and water temp dropped to 152. 2 degrees lower then I wanted so I drained about 1 gallon then heated it up to 180 and added it back in and raised temp to 154.


“ST Pumking”
OG: 1.072
FG: Unknown
ABV: UK

Mash:
Mashed 8.75 gallons of water 180 degrees added baked pumpkin then let cool to 161 then added grain. 154 for 90 min
sparged with 2.25 gallons

14lbs 2-Row
1lb Victory
3/4lb Crystal 60L
1 Box of Graham Crackers crushed
45oz. (3 small cans) pureed pumpkin coated in honey and baked 45 min @350, then added to 180 degree water.
1lb Rice Hulls

Boil:
3/4oz. Magnum hops @60 min
1/4oz. Sterling @ 15 min

3/4lb Sugar in Raw (added after hot break)
1/4lb light brown sugar (added after hot break)

8oz. Lactose @ 15 min
1/2tsp. Yeast nutrient @ 10 min
1tsp Irish moss@ 10 min
2Tbsp fine chopped candied ginger@ 5 min
3 cinnamon sticks@ 5 min
1/2tsp whole cloves@ 5 min
1/2tsp nutmeg @ 5 min
1/2tsp Allspice@ 5 min

Yeast:
2 packs Safeale US-05

Ferment:
73 degrees for 2 weeks in primary and 3 weeks in secondary

Secondary:
2 Madagascar Vanilla Beans (split and scrapped and soaked in 4oz of vodka for 2 weeks)
1tsp pumpkin pie spice (spice tea)



Notes:
8.75 G. mash water
2.25 G. sparge @ 170 (only because I didn’t have enough room in my mash tun to use all the water)
11 G. Total water
3.75 G. absorbed
7.25 G. Pre boil

*Stuck sparge (next time increase rice hulls to 1.5lb?)
 
What happened to this thread. It's about ST PUMKING CLONE? I need help it's that time of year for pumpkin ales where is all the advice?

There is no advice. It's Pumking, and it's very much a mystery what Southern Tier does to achieve that flavor.

I did however get the silver estates pumpkin pie extract recently and brewed up a nice pumpkin beer last weekend that consisted of Maris Otter, Biscuit, Crystal 60, Munich 10, molasses, and some Flaked Oats. Fermented with 1056. Added roasted sugar pumpkin to mash. Wasn't trying to achieve Pumking with the grainbill, just a nice bready, full bodied, and sweet base for a pumpkin beer. Didn't add any spices at all to the boil and will not secondary with any spices either.

15 IBU
Mashed at 158
OG: 1.079
Est FG: 1.023

After 3 weeks in primary I'm going to rack to keg and carbonate before I add any extract, vanilla, or spices. I then plan on pulling samples and adding the above mentioned until I get it right (Pumking or not), then scaling up and adding it to the entire keg. So far, I don't have any faith in the estates extract as I've added small amounts to pints pulled from my already kegged Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale from here on HBT that I brewed back in August and it doesn't remind me of Pumking at all. But maybe the already present spices drown it out or alter it. I will post back with my results if anybody's interested.
 
There is no advice. It's Pumking, and it's very much a mystery what Southern Tier does to achieve that flavor.

I did however get the silver estates pumpkin pie extract recently and brewed up a nice pumpkin beer last weekend that consisted of Maris Otter, Biscuit, Crystal 60, Munich 10, molasses, and some Flaked Oats. Fermented with 1056. Added roasted sugar pumpkin to mash. Wasn't trying to achieve Pumking with the grainbill, just a nice bready, full bodied, and sweet base for a pumpkin beer. Didn't add any spices at all to the boil and will not secondary with any spices either.

15 IBU
Mashed at 158
OG: 1.079
Est FG: 1.023

After 3 weeks in primary I'm going to rack to keg and carbonate before I add any extract, vanilla, or spices. I then plan on pulling samples and adding the above mentioned until I get it right (Pumking or not), then scaling up and adding it to the entire keg. So far, I don't have any faith in the estates extract as I've added small amounts in pints pulled from my already kegged Imperial Pumpkin Pie Ale from here on HBT that I brewed back in August and it doesn't remind me of Pumking at all. But maybe the already present spices drown it out or alter it. I will post back with my results if anybody's interested.

I'm sure your first hunch is correct... But hell it'll probably be better than pumking anyway
 
I had a couple bottles of this last weekend and enjoyed it. I would say the dominant spice is nutmeg, whereas most pumpkin ales have cinnamon as the dominant spice flavour. I did not get much of a buttery taste, but I did get a slight silkyness in the mouthfeel.

If I were to brew this, I'd keep the grain bill simple (2 row, C60), and try the Ringwood yeast. I'd use a commercial pumpkin pie spice mixture, and add extra nutmeg (about 1/4 the amount of the pumpkin pie spice). Mash at 156.

I may give this a try, but I already have 5 gallons of pumpkin ale (based on reno_envy's Punkin' Ale clone), so I'm in no rush for more pumpkin ale.
 
Anyone bottle this? If so anyone use brow sugar? I want to bottle about 2 gal. I only have regular table sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, and sugar in the raw. Any recommendations on the type of sugar
 
Ok gang, I've been holding off on posting this until I transferred into secondary to see how it tasted. Thursday night, I put a sample of Pumking side by side with my beer for a taste test. My three taste testers couldn't tell the difference.

OG: 1.080
FG (when added to secondary): 1.018
Approx: 8.3 % abv

I have to credit "Cannondale" for the original recipe that I copied. Here are the ingredients:

Fermentables:
14 lbs 2-Row American Pale Malt
1 lb Victory
12 oz Crystal 80L
2 lbs pumpkin (small Cinderella pumpkin, skinned, cubed and baked for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, mashed (little water added) and coated with honey, then cooked another 45 minutes at 350 - then cooled to 154 degrees to be added to mash)

3/4 lb Demerara Sugar (added to boil after hot break)
1/4 lb Light Brown Sugar (added to boil after hot break)

Hops:
3/4 oz Magnum Hops @ 60 min
1/4 oz Sterling @ 15 min

Additives:
8 oz Lactose @ 15 min
1/2 tsp Yeast Nutrient @ 10 min
1 Whirlfloc Tab @ 10 min
2 tbsp fine chopped candied ginger @ 5 min
3 Ceylon cinnamon sticks (real cinnamon sticks ordered online)
1/2 tsp whole cloves @ 5 min
1/2 tsp nutmeg @ 5 min
1/2 tsp Allspice @ 5 min

Added to Secondary:
2 Madagascar Vanilla Beans (2 fresh beans split down middle, scraped and soaked in 4 oz vodka for 2 weeks - Vodka added to secondary)
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Capella water soluble Graham Cracker Extract (purchased online and added to secondary)

Yeast:
2 packs Safeale US-05

Mashed at 154 degrees for 90 minutes (no sparge using 10 gallon Home Depot water cooler)

Boiled for 60 minutes.

Fermented at 66 degrees for 2 weeks in primary and 3 weeks in secondary.

Granted, the beer is still in secondary, and may taste a little different when it comes out, is conditioned and bottled, but if everything stays remotely the same . . . I'd call it an exact clone.

I've read the posts about replicating the "graham cracker" taste of Pumking. In my opinion, the secret is the Capella Graham Cracker Extract. Before it was added, the beer was very good, but missing something. After the addition, it was SPOT ON!!!

In fact, to make sure I have an adequate supply, I am planning on brewing a second batch to last through the holidays.

Thanks to Cannondale and all the other members of Homebrewtalk.com. This was my first attempt at home brewing and it turned out exceptional!! Couldn’t have done it without the advice of everyone on this forum.

Cheers!!!!!!

Ok so I brewed this recipe. I may be a little late to the game as pumpkin season is nearly over, but I can confirm that this recipe results in a very close Pumpking clone and is a stellar pumpkin beer regardless. The only changes I made: used bourbon insted of vodka for the tincture; fermented for 6 days and secondary for 10. Stayed true to the quoted recipe otherwise. Everyone who has pulled a glass from the keg has been blown away. The recipe is a bit involved, but well worth it.
 
Pumking is sold out in my location! Anyone willing to and me a few? I can pay via pay pal or even trade some of my pumking clone when ready. Pls help!
 
homebrewed505 said:
How close is the warlock taste to the pumking? Or are they completely different?
They taste very similar. I know they say its an imperial stout but to me it doesnt resemble a stout. I have had both and I said it was Pumking brewed with debittered black malts.
 
So I never got below 1.032 for my final gravity with the Ringwood yeast. I tried "rousing" the yeast by moving to a secondary, I added another starter...I tried everything I could think of. We finially bottled it after 28 days (14 days at exact same attenuation).

I can smell the grahm crackers (we used a box of them in the mash), and the overall beer seems to have a good quaility to it. (Used vanilla beans soaked in whipped cream vodka). Here's to hoping it carbs up and taste good :)
 
I just racked to secondary today. I added my spice tea and vanilla tincture. OG 1.072 FG 1.08
ABV 8.2%. Everything smells and tastes great so far. December it should be ready to drink can't wait
 
Bottled my pumpkin ale with the pumpkin pie extract and while it tastes ok it is not pumking. How do they achieve such a light colored beer using pumpkin in the mash? I used only 2 row and light crystal malt but the beer is very orange from the pumpkin in the mash. An orange colored pumpkin ale is not a bad thing unless of course you are trying to formulate a clone recipe for pumking which is the point of this thread.
 
This whole question of whether they use extracts versus spices is really tiresome. Who f****ing cares?! We'll never know exactly what they use, so whatever it takes to get a reasonable approximation is a success.

I agree. With a beer this difficult to get straight, IMHO first try to get it to taste like it, BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE, and then see what kind of substitutions and options work without altering it - not everyone has access to the same ingredients and like others, I'm probably not going to spend an extra $10 on an ingredient when I already have something in the house I feel will work.
 
I love pumpking beer and I love these posts. Thanks to everyone for your contributions. I recorded the original recipe way back from page 20 and made alterations as I read through the rest of the posts. All in all, pretty minor though.

Given my love of blind taste testing, in preparation for brewing this after Thanksgiving, I decided to run to the grocery store and pull together 2 tinctures to compare before adding them to the secondary. Per some of the previous comments, I do feel like leaving them out of the boil will strengthen the flavor and allow a little bit more control. So after fermentation, but in the secondary so it has time to mellow out so I can taste it on bottling day and make some adjustments if I do feel it needs some tweaking. Granted, I won't be able to control how this final add changes over time, but all in all, seems like this process will give me the best control and the best preview of what the final product will taste like before bottling.

So I essentially am putting all the spices and flavoring into the secondary. Below is a description of the #1 option in the picture. I had some mason jars so seemed like a good use. Both are added to 4 oz of rum - thinking about the taste and what I usually associate with the different liquors, I decided to go with rum rather than vodka - I know others have used vodka but a couple of people have also mentioned rum, so figured I'd just go with my gut on this one. My Publix had the butter and nut extract and when I opened it, I must admit it smells very much like what I remember of ST's (been a few months since I had one).

I wanted a comparison of some form and found a bottle of vanilla rum in the basement, also an impetus for using rum instead of vodka. I opened it up and dang, smells even a little buttery on top of the vanilla. So my #2 is using the vanilla rum and dialing back the cinnamon (2 sticks)and upping the butter vanilla extract as well to 1/2 tsp. Also cut back the allspice to 1/4. Reason for this combination is to create a contrast for #1 and also, when I take a deep whiff of #1, before its had a chance to age, but still, it seems like its too spicy. I remember ST being more sweet and buttery with just a lite spice to it.

Not sure what I am going to do to test these, probably like others have suggested and use an eyedropper into probably a low spice pumpkin ale of some sort with a bottle of ST next to it as the standard and see which tincture option and how much best matches. Then off to the races into the secondary. Will do it again during bottling.

BTW, am planning on adding the graham crackers and libby's pumpkin (after cooking) to the strike water. Per some previous comments, want it to mix pretty well before pouring onto the grains (including the rice hulls).

Will update as I make progress. I love this experiment stuff!

Tincture #1
Added to Secondary:
• 3 tsp Natural vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 tbsp Ground ginger
• 3 Cinnamon sticks (broken up)
• 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. McCormick Vanilla Butter & Nut Extract

Pumpking Tincture Test.jpg
 
I finally got to brewing my clone recipe last night. If it werent for the stuck sparge, would have gone fine. Third time and I have had it - top priority on my fix list.

Similar to what others have done, I baked the pumpkin in a casserole dish on 350 for 45 minutes. Added the honey on top and then added a box (15oz) of crushed graham crackers 15min in. Smelled good! I was concerned about a stuck sparge (and rightfully so as it turns out) so I thought to add the whole mess into my strike water to sufficiently hydrate it before adding to the mash. Seemed to work well. Still very watery and then just ladelled onto the grain bed with a sauce pan as usual. Even added 1/2lb of rice hulls to help filter out the stickier pieces.

Despite the stuck sparge, had good efficiency and hit my target gravity of 1.082. Used a yeast starter of WLP005 (ringwood strain) as others have suggested to get that buttery flavor.

#1 and #2 tinctures are still sitting there, waiting for transfer into the secondary. Bubbling like mad all day. Will updated next week.
 
Has anyone else noticed that this discussion amounts to around a hundred "Here's my Recipe" posts, and almost zero "Here's how it turned out" posts. Boo.
 
Has anyone else noticed that this discussion amounts to around a hundred "Here's my Recipe" posts, and almost zero "Here's how it turned out" posts. Boo.

True... But at least this thread did not turn into a how much should I tip at dinner thread... or whatever they did in that thread that derailed it for 20 some pages haha :off:
 
However, next weekend when I get home, I will post my recipe, tasting notes, pictures, and anything else I can think of. It has been sitting since 7 May. I used the Mccormick's butter and nut extract.


Side note... FINALLY I will be able to change my location to somewhere nice...
 
They taste very similar. I know they say its an imperial stout but to me it doesnt resemble a stout. I have had both and I said it was Pumking brewed with debittered black malts.

I'll second that. I'm in the midst of waiting for my clone attempt to do its thing and picked up some Warlock and Pumking. Tasted them side by side and they have to be using the same spicing because they both have the same buttery taste. Also agree that the Warlock doesnt really taste like a stout, more like a porter with that buttery flavor. Had a few others try them both and the same reaction. Some liked the Warlock better and others the Punking.
 
Back to my clone attempt. I just transferred to secondary tonight and went to add my spice tincture. I filled a few little tasting glasses with my beer and put some Punking next to them. Then proceeded to do some smell and taste tests with different amount of tincture. I had some of the mccormicks vanilla butter and nut extract also on hand and it is very very close to the main buttery smell I get from Punking.

I found that it didnt take very much of my tincture #2 to get up to the cinamonny and other spice level of Punking. And also found that I had to add some additional extract straight to my beer to start getting the right amount of buttery notes. Was difficult to get an exact ratio given the small amounts I was using and lack of an eye dropper, but it was pretty close to 1/4 tsp of extract and 1/4 tsp of tincture for 3 ounces of beer. Which equates to about 8 ounces each for 5 gallons which seems like an insane amount. There is no way I am adding that much. So I decided to start off very slow. Added in 2 ounces of each into the secondary and we'll see what that does. In a week, will take a sample and see where we are.
 
So I said when I get back I would post my recipe and a pic and results... So first of all, I didn't use enough spices. I also brewed this before I saw that we are now using the spices in alcohol either in secondary/at bottling. I used the spices in the boil. I used Mccormicks butter nut extract, but it conditioned out or I didnt use enough to begin with. I brewed this at the beginning of may, and yesterday was 11 December. It finished way high but I didn't get any life out of it till I let it warm up in the glass for about 10 minutes. So...
Apeparance: Cloudy golden orange, two fingers of creamy head, dwindled down to a thick ring that stayed until the glass was empty
Aroma: Not so spicy pumpkin, bready, zero buttery crust aroma
Taste: For me it was too bitter and thin on the front (too cold I let it sit to warm up), zero spice, zero buttery crust flavor. Malty, but not sweet.
Finish: for me too bitter and bready...
Lessons Learned: Taste beer at bottling and adjust tincture and butter nut extract amount to be slightly overpowering so it conditions down after 6 months. I just blindly added spices and extract without really objectively tasting on bottling day and making adjustments. After I make the next batch, I think I am gonna take this way off course in a different direction and add lactose and serve some on nitro. I think I want creamy and sweet. Oh, and add more water to account for the absorption of the pumpkin while its steeping. Thats why my volumes didnt match up.


Batch Size: 3.5gl
Actual Batch Size: 2.9gl
Est Original Gravity: 1.077 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.8 %
Bitterness: 27.1 IBUs
Est Color: 12.5 SRM
Measured Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.025 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.3 %

7.00 lb Pumpkin (Steeped in strike and sparge water 30 min) Flavor 2 -
7 lbs 4.3 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 70.5 %
15.1 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 9.1 %
15.1 oz Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM) Grain 5 9.1 %
10.1 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6 6.1 %
5.0 oz Toasted Malt 60min @ 280 (25.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.0 %
2.1 oz Molasses (80.0 SRM) Sugar 8 1.3 %
1.3 oz Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 9 0.8 %
12.95 g Magnum [13.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 10 27.1 IBUs
1.00 Items Chiller (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 11 -
0.17 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 12 -
0.32 tsp Ground Ginger (Boil 5.0 mins) Herb 13 -
0.50 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 5.0 mins) Other 14 -
0.66 tsp Ground Cinnamon (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 15 -
0.32 tsp Allspice (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 16 -
0.16 tsp Ground Clove (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 17 -
0.16 tsp Nutmeg (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 18 -
1.0 pkg Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028) [35.49 ml] Yeast 19 -
2.00 Items (a few drops) Butter Hazelnut extract (Bottling 0.0 mins)

2013 Pumpkin Ale.jpg
 
So I said when I get back I would post my recipe and a pic and results... So first of all, I didn't use enough spices. I also brewed this before I saw that we are now using the spices in alcohol either in secondary/at bottling. I used the spices in the boil. I used Mccormicks butter nut extract, but it conditioned out or I didnt use enough to begin with. I brewed this at the beginning of may, and yesterday was 11 December. It finished way high but I didn't get any life out of it till I let it warm up in the glass for about 10 minutes. So...
Apeparance: Cloudy golden orange, two fingers of creamy head, dwindled down to a thick ring that stayed until the glass was empty
Aroma: Not so spicy pumpkin, bready, zero buttery crust aroma
Taste: For me it was too bitter and thin on the front (too cold I let it sit to warm up), zero spice, zero buttery crust flavor. Malty, but not sweet.
Finish: for me too bitter and bready...
Lessons Learned: Taste beer at bottling and adjust tincture and butter nut extract amount to be slightly overpowering so it conditions down after 6 months. I just blindly added spices and extract without really objectively tasting on bottling day and making adjustments. After I make the next batch, I think I am gonna take this way off course in a different direction and add lactose and serve some on nitro. I think I want creamy and sweet. Oh, and add more water to account for the absorption of the pumpkin while its steeping. Thats why my volumes didnt match up.


Batch Size: 3.5gl
Actual Batch Size: 2.9gl
Est Original Gravity: 1.077 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.8 %
Bitterness: 27.1 IBUs
Est Color: 12.5 SRM
Measured Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.025 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.3 %

7.00 lb Pumpkin (Steeped in strike and sparge water 30 min) Flavor 2 -
7 lbs 4.3 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 70.5 %
15.1 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 9.1 %
15.1 oz Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM) Grain 5 9.1 %
10.1 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6 6.1 %
5.0 oz Toasted Malt 60min @ 280 (25.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.0 %
2.1 oz Molasses (80.0 SRM) Sugar 8 1.3 %
1.3 oz Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 9 0.8 %
12.95 g Magnum [13.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 10 27.1 IBUs
1.00 Items Chiller (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 11 -
0.17 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 12 -
0.32 tsp Ground Ginger (Boil 5.0 mins) Herb 13 -
0.50 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 5.0 mins) Other 14 -
0.66 tsp Ground Cinnamon (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 15 -
0.32 tsp Allspice (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 16 -
0.16 tsp Ground Clove (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 17 -
0.16 tsp Nutmeg (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 18 -
1.0 pkg Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028) [35.49 ml] Yeast 19 -
2.00 Items (a few drops) Butter Hazelnut extract (Bottling 0.0 mins)

The bottle says two malts and two hopps.
 
Brewed this one recently. Used marris otter instead of 2 row. Had a thermometer issue and ended up at 130 for an hour. The thing was over 20 degrees off. Had to boil the sparge water just to reach the target temp and my efficiency suffered. Clocked it at 1.073 so mad at myself now.
 
Brewed this one recently. Used marris otter instead of 2 row. Had a thermometer issue and ended up at 130 for an hour. The thing was over 20 degrees off. Had to boil the sparge water just to reach the target temp and my efficiency suffered. Clocked it at 1.073 so mad at myself now.

Wow. Happy thoughts your way, dude. I know now may not be a time to give advice on the heels of your disappointment, but checking your thermometer against another before brew day starts might be something to consider. Your pain and suffering is not going to be fruitless as you have helped the rest of us, who read this, do the above thermometer check and thus save us the headache that would otherwise possibly result by trusting a lowly, outa-whack thermometer with our most wonderful of heaven's gifts: Our Beer.

Be glad in your contribution to many! :mug:
 
Wow. Happy thoughts your way, dude. I know now may not be a time to give advice on the heels of your disappointment, but checking your thermometer against another before brew day starts might be something to consider. Your pain and suffering is not going to be fruitless as you have helped the rest of us, who read this, do the above thermometer check and thus save us the headache that would otherwise possibly result by trusting a lowly, outa-whack thermometer with our most wonderful of heaven's gifts: Our Beer.

Be glad in your contribution to many! :mug:

It had worked a couple hours prior on another project,
Then after placing it in the mash it went on the fritz. I went and got my spare once I realized. The wort tasted pretty awesome once the issues were corrected.
 
You may be alright. I recently brewed an IPA with a flawed thermometer, also correcting during the mash. Temps were all over, but I hit my original and final gravities. Good luck with yours.
 
What brand of pumpkin pie spice are you using for the secondary? I usually get a gritty taste after this beer ages for a couple of months i think its from low quality pumpkin pie spice


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