Pumpkin ale

[Ibasterd]

Hey guys. I know there are some threads on this already but I had some questions that I didn't see covered.

This is my favorite time of the year for beer! Oktoberfests and Pumpkin beer, especially Pumpkin beer! I am making my way through all the pumpkin beer I can fine at the local store.

I have a MB Bewitched Amber Ale Deluxe kit that I was thinking about making into a pumpkin ale. I've see the tips about spreading the pumkin puree out and roasting it. But what do you do about the mulling spices? I was thinking of adding whole spices (clove, alspice, nutmeg, cinnamon) to a hop bag. My question is about when and how long to add and leave the spice bag. Do you just leave it in when heating the wort, or do you leave it in the whole time during fermentation? Also, doesn't all that pumpkin puree make an awful lot of trub in the bottom of the LBK? That seems like it would make bottling difficult. Does it block the spigot? Thanks for the help

Cheers

[philm00x]

One thing a lot of folks do to alleviate the whole blocking the spigot issue is when you fill the LBK, set it on an incline so that it all falls away from the spigot. This way, when you're ready to bottle, there's no blockage.

As for the spices, barring the recipe coming with instructions, if you're not doing a hop boil and just using HME, then you leave them in the LBK for the duration of fermentation.

[ssorck]

I did just what you said - mulling spices in the hop bag. I boiled the bag for 5 minutes or so, like a tea and used that as the water to build the wort. I then added the baked pumpkin into the wort , mixed it in as well as I could and dumped in the LBK following the usual instructions.

While there was a lot of trub the spigot wasn't clogged. I did fill less bottles than normal though.

Good Luck!!!

[Ibasterd]

ssorck so how did it turn out?

[ssorck]

Ooooh...actually I'm a bit confused on that, I've been cranking out batches and got them mixed up.

I used the mulling spices in the bag for a Spiced Xmas Ale, not Punkin Ale.

For the Pumpkin Ale I did the Mr. Beer Punkin Lager recipe, slightly modified.

I just bottled them on 9/14 so they REALLY need to sit another 2 weeks or so, but in the interest of research I just cracked one for you! And I can say it is very good!

So I did 2 batches, one with a full can of pumpkin, one with the half can as the recipe called for but added vanilla extract. That is the one I just opened.


I used the Oktoberfest refill plus a Brewmax Golden LME packet but I'm sure Bewitched will make a fine Punkin Ale too. I used all ground spices.

1) I spread a full can of Libbys on a baking sheet, sprinkled 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Baked at 375 for 20 minutes. One thing I would change here that I did is I spread it too thin - I lost some because where it was thin it baked (burnt) to the cookie sheet. I would keep it at least 1/4 inch thick, maybe a bit more.

2) Boiled water, took off flame and added extract as normal. I then added 1/2 the baked pumpkin to the brewpot and stirred in as well as I could. There were still clumps of pumpkin but thats ok. The directions said to add the pumpkin to the LBK but I figured it would be easier this way. I don't think you would go wrong using the whole can's worth either but I haven't tried that batch since bottling day so can't really comment...

3) Added water & wort to LBK as normal, then added more spice to LBK - 1 & 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

4) Fermented for 3 weeks total - after 2 weeks I added 3/4 tsp vanilla extract to the LBK.


Right now you can definitely smell the pumpkin and the spices, All the spices and a bit of pumpkin come through on the tasting. The bit of vanilla really complements the beer too, I was worried about that but I like it alot - it seems to add the slightest sweet finish which was something I wanted but wasn't sure I'd get. It has a tiny bit bitter finish as well but I suspect that will condition out over the next 2 or 3 weeks. I'm a HUGE fan of pumpkin beers and I'll gladly drink this over all the pumpkin ales I've tried. It is quite delicious, even at this early stage!

Hope that helps!!

[Ibasterd]

Thanks philm00x and ssorck for the advice. I decided to give it a try today. This is what I did:
Based it off the MB Bewitched amber ale with LME smooth softpack. I started by using one small pie pumpkin. I diced it and layed the pieced out on a cooking sheet. Sprinkled the pieces with a little brown sugar and ground nutmeg, and roasted them in oven at 375 for 20 min. while this was happening I got the wort going using some whole spices. 1 stick of cinnamon, a bit of whole cloves and allspice. I put these in a cheese-cloth sack and steeped into the boiling water. Took out the mulling sack and put into LBK with cool water, then added the hot wort made with the infused water and HME and LME. I then added the pumpkin pieces also wrapped in some cheese-cloth and topped off with cool water. Got the wort the correct temp and pitched the yeast. This time I put the LBK in a swamp cooler to control the temp.

So there you go. I hope it works out. I decided to go with the whole chunk pumpkin to reduce the amount of trub. Plan on just removing the cheese-cloth with pumpkin and spices come bottling day. It may have a more subtle pumpkin flavor than using puree, but that's ok with me. I'll let you know how it's progressing.

Cheers

[FrozenInTime]

Just in time! I have been wondering what to do with the can of bewitched I have. I don't have any LME, but I do have a ton of DME. Which DME do you suggest I use to replace the robust LME?

I have a garden full of pie pumpkins, (it's all that is left in me garden now). I just might do this up. I have a bottle of pumpkin pie spices, maybe I could use that instead of your listed spices? What amounts ya thunk I should use, or did u just eye-ball it?

If u weighed or measured yours, what did u use?.

Thanks for the idea!

[Ibasterd]

FrozenInTime

I am just starting out! This is the first batch I've made that is not a straight up MB kit so I would not know what DME to use, but I'm sure someone else with more experience would. As for the spices, I did indeed just wing it. I'm thinking I was on the light side as I didn't want to overpower anything. I'm sure pumpkin pie spice would be fine as I'm guessing it is basically the same spices I used anyway. It's cool that you have homegrown pumpkins. I'm sure it will turn out great.

I got this started late but that's ok. By the time this is ready to drink, all the commercial pumpkin beers will be gone. I always get depressed when the pumpkins are gone.

Good luck

[philm00x]

smooth is akin to amber DME/LME if I'm not mistaken, FIT, so that's what I'd use.

[Brewbirds]

Just in time! I have been wondering what to do with the can of bewitched I have. I don't have any LME, but I do have a ton of DME. Which DME do you suggest I use to replace the robust LME?

I have a garden full of pie pumpkins, (it's all that is left in me garden now). I just might do this up. I have a bottle of pumpkin pie spices, maybe I could use that instead of your listed spices? What amounts ya thunk I should use, or did u just eye-ball it?

If u weighed or measured yours, what did u use?.

Thanks for the idea!

@FIT I have a Partial Mash version using pie pumpkins and the roasted seeds, I'll put it in the BIAB section for you.

[Ibasterd]

I had a terrible thought about this last batch. I did not sterilize the cheese-cloth that I used to hold the spices and pumpkin in the LBK. I hope that I have not infected the batch...

[jpsherman]

Next time dunk the spices in boiling water for a bit.

But this could still come out okay, so long as the yeast gets the ABV high enough fast enough.

[Ibasterd]

That sucks! I guess I will know when I taste test from LBK in three weeks. I hate learning experiences!

[teutonic terror]

Just did a BIAB 4 gal batch last weekend. Used my mash tun to mash. Still clogged the manifold so I pulled that off and just let it drain. The recipe I picked up off line, called for steeping the spices and adding them to the secondary a little at a time until you have the desired flavor. I pulled a taste of it on Saturday and it is kinda sweet and malty but not cloying. I think it's gonna be good!

[Ibasterd]

Well, It's day day 3 in the LBK an there is a nice frothy Kraussen going on. Nice and white with no obvious signs of infection. so far so good.