I just received Midwest's Pumpkin Ale kit. I have bought 4 extract kits on sale in the last month, paying less than $100 shipped. That rivals the price of grain, and quicker batche swill allow me to work on other projects. I made Thunderstruck Pumpkin from HBT a couple of years ago. It was great, but took months to condition. The Midwest kit is 6# light LME, 8oz Carapils, 8oz C10, 8oz brown sugar, 1 tsp@ cinnamon and nutmeg, Mt Hood & Cascade hops, either 15 or 30oz pumpkin.
Thunderstruck Pumpkin is:
6.25 lbs light DME
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt
4.0 oz Wheat, Flaked
60.00 oz Pumpkin, Canned (Boil 60.0 min)
.75 oz Goldings (5.0% AA 60.0 min) 13 IBU
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) or one Whirlfloc tablet
Yeast - English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) or Fermentis S-04
Spread the pumpkin on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees F before adding to the brew.
Steep the grains for 20-30 minutes at about 155°F.
During clearing stage, add a spice tea of 1 tsp "Pumpkin Pie Spice" or Pampered Chef "Cinnamon Plus." Steep spices in 1 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes, cool then add. Consider adding the spice tea a little at a time to achieve the desired flavor profile.
I also looked at the BCS recipe. Does anyone here have a favorite? Or recommendations from your experience? I might sort of blend the recipes. I'm brewing this soon (maybe today) So that it will be ready by Halloween.
Pumpkin Ale Recipe
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Pumpkin Ale Recipe
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
Never mind, there it is.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
I've only done AG versions of pumpkin spice beers, and never actually used pumpkin.
I have used sweet potatoes (sold as yams in some grocery stores), which work GREAT and once I used butternut squash, which was ok--not as good as the yam beers, though.
However, in all of them I put the squash/yams in the mash.
I also found that I like to spice the hell out of my version, then let it condition until it drops clear (which takes a WHILE), but it was before I experiemented with gelatin, so that might be a solution. I usually put spices in the boil late (cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg and freshly ground/chopped ginger) and then boost them up at kegging with pumpkin pie spice.
I also usually brew it in July/August so it can get the appropriate conditioning time. This year, maybe I'll try brewing it later and gelatin fining it.
I have used sweet potatoes (sold as yams in some grocery stores), which work GREAT and once I used butternut squash, which was ok--not as good as the yam beers, though.
However, in all of them I put the squash/yams in the mash.
I also found that I like to spice the hell out of my version, then let it condition until it drops clear (which takes a WHILE), but it was before I experiemented with gelatin, so that might be a solution. I usually put spices in the boil late (cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg and freshly ground/chopped ginger) and then boost them up at kegging with pumpkin pie spice.
I also usually brew it in July/August so it can get the appropriate conditioning time. This year, maybe I'll try brewing it later and gelatin fining it.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
Thanks. I decided to modify the kit by upping the extract (+1# DME) adding 5oz Quaker oats, 28oz canned pumpkin (roasted first) @5 and changing the spice to Cinnamon Plus. I'm staying with 1 tsp spice @0. I can always add more in the keg, but I like subtle spice. I'm charcoal roasting the pumpkin for a bit of flavor. I'll know how it tastes in October! 
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
Never mind, there it is.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
And I realize I made an error.
The kit included a pound of brown sugar. That's how it's listed in the instructions, but you only use half. So I dug out an open box of dark brown sugar and used that. When I put away the bag from the kit, I realized that it is Belgian Soft Brown Candi Sugar, not the same. I could either add the sugar now, upping the alcohol slightly, or use it to naturally carb the keg (less than 8oz, of course) or maybe a bit of each. Or I could relax and forget the whole thing.
The kit included a pound of brown sugar. That's how it's listed in the instructions, but you only use half. So I dug out an open box of dark brown sugar and used that. When I put away the bag from the kit, I realized that it is Belgian Soft Brown Candi Sugar, not the same. I could either add the sugar now, upping the alcohol slightly, or use it to naturally carb the keg (less than 8oz, of course) or maybe a bit of each. Or I could relax and forget the whole thing.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
Never mind, there it is.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
So, I went to the Midwest site to check put the kit you are making. Then I saw the $4 shipping special that ends today. Then the Simply beer kits for $20. Then ordered the stout and the brown, because they stacked with the shipping. $22 each to my door.
Nothing wrong with that.
Im thinking of turning the brown into a pumpkin, in your honor.
Nothing wrong with that.
Im thinking of turning the brown into a pumpkin, in your honor.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
Thanks. Glad you got in on the sale. I'm breaking some of these kits up for their ingredients, and modifying others. But it's hard to beat $20-25 for 6# of extract, 1# grains, 2oz hops and a pack of yeast.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
Never mind, there it is.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
Not long ago, they had a sale with 99c shipping, so I got 4 of the simply beer kits. But they went straight to the freezer, because I don't know when I'll have time to brew them.MrBandGuy wrote:So, I went to the Midwest site to check put the kit you are making. Then I saw the $4 shipping special that ends today. Then the Simply beer kits for $20. Then ordered the stout and the brown, because they stacked with the shipping. $22 each to my door.
Nothing wrong with that.
Im thinking of turning the brown into a pumpkin, in your honor.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
It's great to have on hand. With extract and a 30 minute boil, you can make a pretty quick batch.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
Never mind, there it is.
Re: Pumpkin Ale Recipe
Hard to beat that price for a backup. I'm going to experiment a bit with additions. They seem great for that.bpgreen wrote:
Not long ago, they had a sale with 99c shipping, so I got 4 of the simply beer kits. But they went straight to the freezer, because I don't know when I'll have time to brew them.