Too Soon For Pumpkin Ales?

[emt_photog]

I'm new to home brewing. My 2nd brew is in primary. It's an IPA from an ingredient kit from my local brew shop. I'm still brewing from dry malt extract, but would like some suggestions as far as adding my own personal touch to a kit for a pumpkin ale. I plan to use real pumpkin. What are some ways I can change it up a bit? I'm still learning about various hops and flavors.. etc. I don't want it to be too bitter. Should I use real pumpkin and pumpkin spice? I'm going for a good pumpkin flavor.

 

[woo_pig]

I personallyh ate pumpkin spice .I'd use real pumpkin and a touch of cinnamon.

 

[mxstar21]

Do you want pumpkin flavor or pumpkin spice flavor? Pumpkin tastes horrible. You can make great pumpkin spiced beers without using any pumpkin. My wife says she loves pumpkin everything, but in reality she likes things with pumpkin spice.

 

[JonM]

The real question is whether you can get pumpkin (if you decide to use it.) They're not in season (in WI at least) and it can be tough to find canned in the stores this time of year.

 

[eadavis80]

Watch the video that's part of this NB kit. I have done it this way with the additional 6-row and canned pumpkin as part of the 60-minute mash and it's created an annual favorite for me: http://www.northernbrewer.com/smashing-pumpkin-ale-extract-kit

 

[astacey1403]

I tried a pumpkin ale a few years ago before I started brewing that my body had made and it's was amazing! I don't know the specifics other then it was an extract ale recipe and he used real pumpkin. I believe he grilled the thing for while and tossed it into primary. Never the less I to have been day dreaming of a pumpkin ale recipe for October.

 

[eadavis80]

Brew them in early August so they're good n' ready for the color change! I always do an Oktoberfest in late July and a pumpkin in August (along with a cider) and all 3 are fall favorites!

 

[mxstar21]

Schlafly in St. Louis makes an awesome pumpkin beer. You can buy canned pumpkin and add that, but usually you add the pumpkin to that mash. I am not sure about adding pumpkin for an extract recipe. Steep it maybe? I think no the key is the spice you use.

 

[Brew_G]

Now is a great time to brew a pumpkin ale! Use canned pumpkin and whatever pumpkin spice you want (I make my own). Brew it up, package it, and let it age until fall - the spice will mellow a bit and the flavors will really come together.

Reno Envy's thread has a lot of great info on brewing pumpkin beers in it. Check it out..,

 

[IslandLizard]

The best pumpkin ale I brewed was sitting in a keg for about 6-8 months (at cellar temps) before it finally kicked. The last few pours were simply amazing.

I toasted 5 cans of pumpkin puree, spread on cookie sheets, in a 350F (convection) oven, turning it every 15 minutes, until it just started to brown. Took about 90' since all the water needs to evaporate first. Then mashed it around 154-156. I kept it very light on spice (1 Tbs), added after flameout.

 

[CJ-3]

If I can throw another idea in the ring as well,

Another option is adding pumpkin pie filling at flameout. It already has spices in it so you don't have to worry about being heavy handed.

 

[stieg000]

If I were doing a pumpkin beer I'd skip the spice alltogether and pitch a yeast that gives you spice. I'd do wlp565.

 

[woo_pig]

I'd skip the spice. Or keep it to a minimum. I'd did love schfly it has cinnamon in it .

 

[ToledoBeer]

Use canned pumpkin. I usually use two cans and roast them in the oven until they are nice and caramelized. Add the them at the beginning of the boil. You can use different pumpkin pie spices at the end for flavor/aroma.

 

[estricklin]

Use canned pumpkin. I usually use two cans and roast them in the oven until they are nice and caramelized. Add the them at the beginning of the boil. You can use different pumpkin pie spices at the end for flavor/aroma.

My vote.

2 cans does the job for a 5 gallon batch, toast it in the oven good, 350-400F for at least an hour. Add a about 1 teaspoon total of the spice at flameout, add 1-2 more teaspoons at bottling time, being sure to mix well. I've brewed pumpkin beer many times, it's a fan favorite.

Have a good base recipe as well, use a maltier style, some good C-malts along with some chocolate and or roasted malts.

 

[Phisherman]

I add pumpkin to the mash and pumpkin pie spice at the end of the boil (I'd have to look at my notes for exact times). My friends that hate all things pumpkin absolutely love the beer. I'll be brewing it next week, just found the canned pumpkin today!

 

[emt_photog]

Thanks for all of your great ideas! I've got some shopping to do! Since I'm still brewing with extract, I'm planning to use real pumpkin if I can find it. If not, then I'll try some canned pumpkin as a backup plan. I think I might skip out on the spices for my first batch and use the wlp565 yeast. Start simple and adjust accordingly for the next batch.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Kent88]

I brewed the NB 1-gallon pumpkin ale a few times. I used real pumpkin in 1 batch, and canned in the others.

I think I have a few observations I can contribute here. Those kits were a great way to practice BIAB when I was starting out with them. Real pumpkin or canned "pumpkin" (probably squash) didn't make a difference to my pallet (or the people I shared with). Next time I make a pumpkin beer (probably years from now), I will tweak the spices, and chose a lighter base beer (I think I remembered maxing out their recommendation for pumpkin and 6-row, and it actually brought up the alcohol to >8%) aiming something that, with pumpkin, would finish slightly above 6%.

Hope that helped.

 

[mxstar21]

Thanks for all of your great ideas! I've got some shopping to do! Since I'm still brewing with extract, I'm planning to use real pumpkin if I can find it. If not, then I'll try some canned pumpkin as a backup plan. I think I might skip out on the spices for my first batch and use the wlp565 yeast. Start simple and adjust accordingly for the next batch.

Thanks again for your help!

It's your beer, so make it how you want, but I don't think that yeast will make it taste like a pumpkin beer. It will taste like a saison. I like the yeast, but if you are going for a pumpkin beer, I would use something with less spice and add the pumpkin spice.

 

[Brew_G]

Thanks for all of your great ideas! I've got some shopping to do! Since I'm still brewing with extract, I'm planning to use real pumpkin if I can find it. If not, then I'll try some canned pumpkin as a backup plan. I think I might skip out on the spices for my first batch and use the wlp565 yeast. Start simple and adjust accordingly for the next batch.

Thanks again for your help!

Just know that you'll be making a saison that has pumpkin in it, and it likely won't resemble any pumpkin beers you're used to.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that if that's what you're going for - it actually might turn out to be a really interesting beer - but I felt the need to put that out there!

Edit: Pretty much what mxstar21 said above

 

[emt_photog]

Thanks for your insight! After doing a little more research and talking to my LHBS... I decided to set my original plan aside(I'll come back to it for sure!). They got me headed in the right direction towards something I'd be more familiar with but yet a little more complex than what I have been doing. I decided to make this batch my first partial mash and I'll be using a different yeast than the wlp565. I'm going to brew later today (Wednesday). Wish me luck! I'll post my results once I get it into primary.