Autumn Seasonal Beer Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale (AG and Extract versions)

[Yuri_Rage]

I gave up and dumped it, I don't think that this would have even drained in 8 hours, it was just dribbling out...oh well...$40 down the drain.

Too bad! As long as it was dribbling, it wasn't stuck...I think you could've saved it. Mine was barely moving as well - from time to time I had to check to make sure anything was happening at all.

To those who brew this one in the future - be forewarned...if you mash this much pumpkin, your sparge will be SLOW! PLEASE DON'T DUMP IT if you're still getting runnings!

EDIT:
Forgot to mention - if you're really scared about a stuck sparge, throw in a few pounds of rice hulls (maybe 3 lbs for a 15 gallon batch).

 

[Evan!]

Yuri, do you still roast the pumpkin in the oven first, now that you're mashing it? I realize some of the reason for the cooking was to activate the enzymes and hopefully convert some of the starches, but there was also a considerable amount of caramelization that took place when I did mine last year.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I roast mine first. The idea is that the pumpkin flavor will be a sweeter and a little more intense without any raw flavors. Some caramelization is a good thing, IMHO. I have no idea what enzymes are in pumpkin, nor do I know how starchy it is. I just know that there is probably enough starch that it's worth attempting to convert it, and that the pumpkin trub mess is avoided if you throw it into the mash.

So, I guess the answer is "I don't know" to most of your question. However, the recipe works, so I have no plans to change it (at least with regard to the way I treat the pumpkin and mash).

 

[uuurang]

Wow is what I gotta say to this pumpkin beer! I've been drinking this since Thanksgiving and it is wonderful. Great balance of spices to pleasant undertone of pumpkin malty goodness that finishes cleanly. The spice mix really hit a home run. Makes me say, can I have another? Hell, ya! This will be a regular for the holiday season.

I did use 1# of rice hulls to speed up mash. It worked, the mash went slower than normal but was done in under 30-45 min, IIIRC.

 

[uuurang]

Only issue is when kegging with c02 there is ALOT of foaming compared to the remaining 3 taps with different beers. I've tried reducing the overall serving pressure to 4 psi, normally it's at 8-10 psi., but to no avail. Wondering if this is because of extra starches leftover from mashed pumpkin????

Maybe a longer dispensing hose(5 ft.) from keg outlet to tap would reduce foaming?

 

[cactusgarrett]

...how do you account for the pumpkin in the mash as far as mash water ratio? I usually mash at about 1.3 qt/lb, should I adjust this at all for the added pumpkin... or just not worry about it?
Thanks

Just to re-hash this thread, as fall is coming. Curious, myself, as to what the thickness should be, taking into account the canned pumpkin...

Anyone do something similar to this recipe that can comment?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I dough in with about 10 gallons and sparge with an additional 9-10 gallons (for a 15 gallon batch) The pumpkin doesn't thicken the mash significantly, it just makes it sticky.

 

[AlesNeverFail]

i've been wanting to make this for a while, and it's about that time. does anyone have any experience with mashing the pumpkin using an SS braid? is it a bad call, even with rice hulls?

 

[pickles]

how much ginger powder did you use for this recipe? I'm guessing not 0.75 oz.?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I wound up using a spice mix for my last batch. It worked out to about 1 Tbsp of Pampered Chef's Cinnamon Plus for a 15 gallon batch (IIRC, ground ginger is one of the ingredients in Cinnamon Plus).

 

[beerthirty]

Ive been looking for a holiday beer, Yuri what do you think of subing amarillo for the goldings? would the citrusy overcome the spices?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

With just a single bittering addition like I recommend, you won't get much hop flavor, even from Amarillo. Just cut the amount accordingly so you don't overbitter.

 

[beerthirty]

duh, forgot through my drunken haze that flavor and aroma are late additions. thanks Yuri

 

[ajwillys]

I wound up using a spice mix for my last batch. It worked out to about 1 Tbsp of Pampered Chef's Cinnamon Plus for a 15 gallon batch (IIRC, ground ginger is one of the ingredients in Cinnamon Plus).

Anything similar to this I can find at the grocery store? I did find this copycat recipe but it seems like a PITA to make it.....

http://www.recipezaar.com/45672

 

[Yuri_Rage]

To approximate the "Cinnamon Plus" that I used, add equal amounts of ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (a spice blend commonly sold at the grocery store). So, for a 15 gallon batch, add 1.5 tsp cinnamon and 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

The ingredients listed on the "Cinnamon Plus" canister are: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, orange peel, cloves, and ginger. All of the spices are ground together very finely, and the resulting product looks like ground cinnamon.

 

[ajwillys]

Ah, thank you. That sounds easy enough. I guess since I'm doing a 5 gallon, I'll just cut it by 1/3.

 

[Otis The Drunk]

To answer the Guy who is asking about the S/S braid in the mash tun:
Yes it will work as long as you include the Rice Hulls.
I made a pumpkin beer similar to this last year and it worked out just fine with a s/s braid in my mash tun.
Rice Hulls help beat the Gelatinous mess in the mash tun.

As Yuri says long slow sparge, if you try and sparge fast you will get a stuck sparge no matter how many rice hulls you use.

 

[pickles]

On friday, i made variation of this recipe and Lakefront Brewery's Pumpkin Lager. I made a 10 gal batch, split it in half; pitched 5 gal with 1056 ale yeast and 5 gal with 2206 Bavarian Lager yeast (both washed). I'm trying to distinguish differences between lagering conventionally typically feremnted ales, etc. I've read about how great Lakefront's Pumpkin Lager was and got inspired. I'll let you guys know if it works.

 

[wickedale]

For the 5 gal Extract version do you sub the Goldings listed in the All Grain for the Cascade and Fuggles? And if so do you boil for just the single 60 mins with the same amount or do I need to scale it back.

 

[LeftyMcGee]

Your extract recipe says 30oz canned pumpkin for 5 gallons and your AG says 60oz for 5 gallons. I am looking to do an extract variation and am wondering if I should stick with the 30oz.

Thanks!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Use 60 oz. I should do some editing to make it more clear. The AG recipe is the one to reference for now.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I just transfered this to the secondary after two weeks in the primary. I intend to let it sit there for a month (maybe more, we'll see when I need the carboy) before bottling. Upon transfering I took a sample and found it too be a bit bitter for my taste (next time I think I'll cut the IBU to 15-17), and a little too clovy (used fresh crushed).
Yuri, I would like to up the cinnamon flavor in this a touch. Do you think adding some to the secondary would do the trick? Would I need to dilute it in boiling water, or just pitch it in (this is a 5 gal batch btw)? Tastes pretty good, otherwise. Thanks!

 

[Beards Brews]

Ok, quick question. I went by the LHBS today and picked up an order of 2-Row and figured I would use some of that to brew this recipe. Here's where I ran into a slight hiccup. Yuri's recipe calls for Crystal 60, but the only thing my LHBS had was crystal 120. Since I'm only doing a 5 gal batch, I went ahead and picked up just a pound of that, figuring that I could make up the difference in OG with 2-row, which would also balance out the added color the 120 would give. Am I on the right track here?

 

[Arneba28]

Yeah half the amount will do with the crystal 120 vs the 60. Just wont add the body but that will be minimal

 

[Beards Brews]

Could I add a bit more biscuit to make up for the minimal lack of body?

 

[Arneba28]

Yeah I would that will bump the body but you will be better off with something that wont add much more flavor but will add body.

 

[mkultra69]

It seems that alot of people roast the pumpkin. How long and at what temp do you do it?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

350°F for about an hour.

 

[quixotic]

Just another word of warning for those using a SS braid.
I used rice hulls (I forgot how much), and it still took ~2 hours to drain. I did add 90 oz of pumpkin filling for a 5g batch though. Mine did drain eventually, so don't give up! You just can't be in a hurry for this one. I would recommend adding a large amount of rice hulls.
I used Nottingham and it's bubbling away in the primary. Thanks for sharing the recipe Yuri. I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[bergman1118]

could you do a partial mash by slightly modifying the extract version of the recipe? just add 2lbs of american 2-row malt to the grain bill, and hold all the grains @ 150-155 for ~45 mins and sparge w/ 170 water? would this work out? also, if doing the partial mash as i described, would you still use the same amount of malt extract? this is my first crack at a pumpkin ale, and would like to start partial mashing, so any help would be great!