BeerBorg

I've never thought I would like a pumpkin beer so I never thought much about brewing one even though I've read here and the MB forum of others that brew them. My youngest daughter has been asking me to brew one for a few years and I have been putting it off. Last year I tried a SA pumpkin and thought to myself it was pretty good and I would try it. So here's what I got http://www.midwestsupplies.com/catalog/ ... tegory/69/
I'm going to brew this Sunday Morn. I'm using 05 yeast but also have some notty on hand. I will be fermenting this in my 6.5 big mouth and secondary it. Any advice for a pumpkin virgin would be appreciated.

My only advice would be to roast the pumpkin.

"One thing that most brewers agree on is that the flavors come out the best if the pumpkin is cooked and caramelized. Whether you're chopping and mashing the pumpkin yourself, or you get it out of the can, it should be spread in a thin pan and baked for at least 60 minutes at 350°F. This will allow the sugars to start to cook, and give the beer the pumpkiny character that we're aiming for."

From: http://community.mrbeer.com/community/d ... E654CF0703

Bluejaye wrote:My only advice would be to roast the pumpkin.

"One thing that most brewers agree on is that the flavors come out the best if the pumpkin is cooked and caramelized. Whether you're chopping and mashing the pumpkin yourself, or you get it out of the can, it should be spread in a thin pan and baked for at least 60 minutes at 350°F. This will allow the sugars to start to cook, and give the beer the pumpkiny character that we're aiming for."

From: http://community.mrbeer.com/community/d ... E654CF0703

100% agree with this comment. When I make my pumpkin beer the pumpkin gets baked for a minimum of 60 minutes a 350. I usually let it go 90 minutes because I want to see it start to brown which means the sugars have carmelized. The other thing I learned while making this beer is that Biscuit Malt is FANTASTIC. It instills a little bit of a bready taste to it so you get the full flavors of the spiced filling with the crust

If your ever in the mood for an AG version for a 2.5 gallon batch let me know. Have no issues sharing my recipe...... that i placed 2nd with at a competition

D_Rabbit wrote:If your ever in the mood for an AG version for a 2.5 gallon batch let me know. Have no issues sharing my recipe...... that i placed 2nd with at a competition

I wouldn't mind seeing it. I might still have time to brew some and have it ready for Halloween!

100% agree with the roasting. I also coat it with some brown sugar before I pop it into the oven. I have only used canned pumpkin once and to me it made an ungodly mess so now use about 5-7# of fresh, cubed p'kin.

Here is the file for my pumpkin.

A few notes on this that are not listed in the note section. I think I was on vacation toward the tale end of that fermentation which is why it sat in primary so long.

This is a stove top mash, BIAB recipe, approx 2.5gallons

I used McCormicks Pumpkin Spice for the spice tea.

My FG was 1.006 and at that point I transferred the beer to secondary for a week and added the tea spice. I used 1/2 teaspoon and steeped it in 1 cup of boiled water to sanitize it. Basically I just boiled water in the tea kettle and added it to a coffee mug and let it sit for 15 minutes before cool and added to secondary.

There is HUGE amount of sediment with this beer so you need to use a secondary.

When I bottled this beer I used wheat DME to prime. I used 86 grams. I always use Wheat DME now if i bottle based on a conversation the local brew store owner at the time. There is something in the wheat that really helps with head and head retention and i have seen great success with it since using it. I was having issues with it prior.


Pumpkin Ale V3.0
Special/Best/Premium Bitter (8 B)
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 2.50 gal
Boil Size: 3.50 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 3.25 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 2.50 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Date: 21 Jul 2011
Brewer: Daniel Roy
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: 4 Gallon Pot Stove Top Mash
Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Taste Rating: 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU
40.00 oz Pumpkin (Mash 1.0 hours) Flavor 1 -
3 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 72.7 %
8.3 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 3 11.6 %
6.4 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4 8.9 %
2.4 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.4 %
2.4 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 6 3.4 %
0.58 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 29.7 IBUs
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 8 -
1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) [35.49 ml] Yeast 9 -
Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.0 %
Bitterness: 29.7 IBUs
Est Color: 10.6 SRM
Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Mash Profile
Mash Name: BIAB, Medium Body
Sparge Water: 0.00 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE
Total Grain Weight: 4 lbs 7.5 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 10.31 qt of water at 161.3 F 154.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Add 5.00 qt of water at 199.5 F 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Mash Notes: Brew in a bag method where the full boil volume is mashed within the boil vessel and then the grains are withdrawn at the end of the mash. No sparging. This is a medium body beer profile.
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Bottle
Pressure/Weight: 1.99 oz
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Volumes of CO2: 1.8
Carbonation Used: Bottle with 1.99 oz Dry Malt Extract
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Notes

Batch 2
Brewed 11/15/12
- OG 1.048

Transferred 12/31/12 to secondary
- FG 5.6 Brix, 1.006

Added 1/2 tsp of McCormmick pumpkin pie spice to secondary with 1 cup boiled water.

I have a pumpkin lager in The LBK now, didn't roast the pumpkin and do see a lot of trub in the bottom but hoping cold crash will help on bottling day.

Well I brewed it this morning. Baked 58 ozs. of canned pure pumpkin at 350 deg. with Brown sugar on top as recommended above. Commando'd the hops, put the pumpkin in a muslin bag on my hop spider and cranked up the boil a little for the last 10. tied the bag off and dropped in the fermenter. I doubled the spices as per what I read on the reviews on the Mid west site and there were a lot of reviews on this beer and they all said it was good but needed more. I pitched us-05 at 67 deg. and now we wait to see if I have a good beer. Thanks for the advice above.

IF you taste test it and aren't really happy with the spice out put I would highly recommend doing a spice tea and dropping it in secondary at some point. Glad the day went well. Extra variables, like pumpkin, and can sometimes throw a wrench in an otherwise good brew day.

Good to hear it went well for you. I'm not a pumpkin brew fan, have not had a commercial one I could stand. I have had only one Pumpkin Ale in my life that I liked, I thought it was fantastic. It was one Dan sent me a couple years back. DAYUM good! I have not had one since his, sure was good. I might copy his recipe (if ya don't mind Dan) and try it some day, but for now I don't have the time, or brew supply store available to me. I have gotten too cantankerous to order online anymore, I like to see what I buy, before I buy.

I am mighty flattered by that! Appreciate the feedback too! See if maybe I can get another few out to you when I make it up

D_Rabbit wrote:I am mighty flattered by that! Appreciate the feedback too! See if maybe I can get another few out to you when I make it up

That would be awesome! BUT, at the moment, *I* owe you some beer. I really need to do some brewing and send some out, I need to send some to Rebel too! He gave me some when we met in Seattle, but *this(me)* bonehead did not take any to give. That's how bad my brewing has suffered of late, I don't have much. I got to get busy... this winter, I swear. I am very slowly catching up on the honey-do list. Slowly being the ultimate word... I am getting to be a slow and old phart.... might be catching up to the green goober..... hehehehe

The 05 is going nuts, I think it really likes pumpkin

That looks sexy!

I have been away for so long I forgot how much fun beer pron is, thanks for the pics Bman.