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Punkin Ale

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 2:25 pm
by jpsherman
1 Czech Pilsner HME
1 golden LME
T-58 yeast
15 oz Pumpkin puree
1t ground nutmeg
3/4t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground allspice
1/4t ground ginger

I have a 15 oz can of pumpkin. Mr.Beer calls for 7-10oz in it's pumpkin beers, but as I search online it seems the whole can might not be out of line, and I probably don't have much use for any leftover pumpkin.

Any thoughts?

Edit, I went with a whole can o punkin!

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 2:56 pm
by Bluejaye
I was wondering the same thing (about just using the entire can). Hoping someone "in the know" pipes up, since I plan on brewing this on Saturday.

I also wondered if it should be added immediately, or after primary fermentation is complete, like a fruit addition.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:52 pm
by jpsherman
Bluejaye wrote:I was wondering the same thing (about just using the entire can). Hoping someone "in the know" pipes up, since I plan on brewing this on Saturday.

I also wondered if it should be added immediately, or after primary fermentation is complete, like a fruit addition.
Thats funny, I want to make this either friday or saturday! :cheers:

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 3:53 pm
by jpsherman
I've decided to just use the whole can and see what happens!

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 9:31 pm
by Bluejaye
Cool. I went with making it as per the recipe, we shall see how it goes. Still seemed like a waste of half a can of pumpkin.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:47 am
by SelfFueled
Wait, you are using a whole 15 oz can and tablespoon of mulling spices?

Hmm, really want to know how this turns out.

Did you taste wort when checking OG?

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:55 pm
by jpsherman
I was extremely tired from a long work week (62 hours), and my only choice was to brew after work (working 10 straight days). And I had to bottle beer first to get the brew goiing.

So I was too tired and drunk to remember to take an OG, or taste the wort.

For the mulling spices I just used a mixture of dry spices, because I want a milder spice flavor.

I just updated the OP to reflect the final recipe.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:32 am
by SelfFueled
Interesting, I thought that I may just do the same.
Sorta to hand pick the spices to get the flavor

Cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, cloves etc.
Your ginger sounds like a good addition.

Have not tried yet, but I dont recall ever seeing mulling spices in any store.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:05 am
by Bluejaye
SelfFueled wrote:Have not tried yet, but I dont recall ever seeing mulling spices in any store.
Two weeks ago I went around to every grocery store in my area, couldn't find any (so I ordered some from Amazon for $2.50, since I was ordering something anyway and buying all of the spices to make it my self would have cost a lot more from the local store). One of the store managers told me they only carry it around the winter holiday season (i.e. Thanksgiving through Christmas), in the tea isle.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:50 pm
by jpsherman
yep, by the time a grocery store has it, its too late to make beer to drink in the fall.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:49 am
by pengins27
Any thoughts on boiling pumpkin meat for an hour, and adding pumpkin spices (with or without a sack) with a MrB canadian blonde with the booster? Should I make sure that after boiling i make a full 8 cups of boiling water at flameout. Also should i add the pumpkin meat to the LBK for fermenting? This is my first attempt at actually MAKING something out of my beer and not just per instructions on the MrB kit.

After reading a bunch of threads on using puree and it creating a bunch of trub and lackluster pumpkin flavor, i thought i'd try the boiling pumpkin meat. Just looking for guidance before i spend an hour or 2 and then find i did something disastrous!

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:12 am
by Bluejaye
I think using the Canadian Blonde will be fine if that's what you have.
I have no experience using booster, I always use LME, but if that's what you have, use it.
I've read people using pumpkin pie spice instead of mulling spices, and they liked it. So I wouldn't discourage it if that's what you have in the pantry.
I've read about roasting the pumpkin meat, I've never heard of boiling it. So I guess you'd have to find out how it works and report back.
I believe you'd want to add the pumpkin during primary fermentation, and not as a late addition.

Disasters can be fun!

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:18 pm
by ssorck
When I brewed my Mr. Beer punkin lagers I did 2 batches:

Both batches I used canned pumpkin, spread out on a baking sheet baked for 20 minutes.

Batch 1 with 1/2 a can of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg & cinnamon. Also added 3/4 tsp vanilla 2 weeks into 3 week fermenting.

Batch 2 with a full can of baked pumpkin, same spices, no vanilla.

At bottling both tasted pretty good. The double pumpkin had a bit more pumpkin flavor but I think the vanilla added to batch 1 is a winner.

Oct.12 will be 4 weeks in the bottle, gonna compare them then.

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:52 am
by pengins27
so just cut the meat into chunks about 2'' x 2" and bake them? i'm guessing until tender like you would a sweet potato?

Re: Punkin Ale

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:28 pm
by Bluejaye
pengins27 wrote:so just cut the meat into chunks about 2'' x 2" and bake them? i'm guessing until tender like you would a sweet potato?
Yep, something like that. I've never done it myself, so I won't pretend to know exactly what temperature or for how long.