Prince of Fatness
So my son in law has helped me home brew a couple of times and has taken an interest. He likes pumpkin beers and wants me to brew one. I really don't care for pumpkin beers but told him that if he buys the ingredients I'll help him brew a batch Then he'll have a couple of cases of his own pumpkin beer. I figure that I need to brew this early spring to have it ready for fall.
I'll look online, but has anyone here brewed a pumpkin beer and / or know of a good recipe?
Not at it at all.
Good Bad & The Monkey
I really don't care for pumpkin beers
+1
I guess blood (in law) is thicker than beer.
I got nothin' but google.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Yeah, I didn't think that you liked them either. He likes the Pumpkin Ale the Weyerbacher makes. It's spicy, which for me isn't bad because the pumpkin is not up front.
Most of the recipes I have seen call for canned pumpkin in the mash. I'll find something.
Canned pumpkin. Blech.
Nerd
MrPHinNJ, are you looking for an extract recipe or an all-grain recipe? I can help with an all-grain, but will have to send it when I get home later this evening.
As an aside, I only brewed a pumpkin ale once. It turned out really nice as I had grown some small pie pumpkins in my garden one year. I roasted the pumpking to soften it and take it off the rind......and just added it to my grain mash. The issue is that I normally don't like fru-fru beers, so MY pumpking ale was just that.......pumpkin ONLY in a pale ale recipe. I didn't do any of the pumpkin pie spices. My result with the pumpkin-only beer is that pumpking flavor was imperceptable in the finished product. SO.......if I were to brew another "pumpkin" ale, I would not use pumpkin at all and would simply spice it to get the pumpkin pie essence that I think people like.
Anyway, for what that is worth. If you do want my all-grain recipe, let me know and I will post it..........
Keep the running and fitness up and keep the weight from coming back.
Run more miles than last year.
I brew all grain so yeah, if you can post it that would be a good starting point. I did a little research today and did see where you can roast the pumpkin. Some throw the pie spices on the pumpkin before roasting. I'd rather use a real pumpkin vs canned so I will have to see if pumpkin is available any time of the year (I never look because I grow them in my garden for the fall and that's it). I'll want to brew March / April.
Thanks.
I never use canned pumpkin for anything. It is tasteless mush. Roasting pumpkins is far tastier in any recipe that calls for pumpkins, and brings a slight roasted flavor. You can use any kind of winter squash in a recipe that calls for pumpkin. Just cut the thing in half, scoop out the seeds and put on an old cookie sheet cut side up @ 500 degrees for an hour or so. Cool and scoop.
Thanks for the tip. This is how I will add the pumpkin. I'll probably roast with the pumpkin pie spices sprinkled on because that's the taste that the kid is looking for. I'll just scoop it all out and throw it in the mash.
You should know that when you roast a pumpkin it will put off a LOT of liquid. Most of that will be reabsorbed or evaporate as the pumpkin cools. You can try to collect it for the beer, but it will be very hot and sticky so be careful.
When cool, I actually find it almost easier to peel the skin (which is papery thin) than to scoop out the glop.
From Weyerbacher's site..
This 8.0% ABV pumpkin ale is the mother of all pumpkin ales. It is heartier, spicier, and more “caramelly” and “pumpkiny” than its faint brethren! We have added lots of pumpkin along with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a touch of cardamom and clove giving this beer a spicy, full-bodied flavor. This truly is an Imperial Pumpkin Ale.
I am thinking that instead of using pumpkin pie spice that I will add these spices in during the boil. I'll just have to look into how much of each because you can easily overdo it with some of them.
Substituting squash ....
Click
It appears as though butternut may be a viable option.....
pumpkin Notes: Use the small sugar pumpkin = pie pumpkin for pies; the larger jack o'lantern pumpkin is too watery. Canned pumpkin purée is convenient and a good substitute for fresh. Substitutes: autumn squash OR Hubbard squash (especially in pies) OR calabaza OR butternut squash (good in pies) OR buttercup squash OR acorn squash OR sweet potato (especially for pies)
butternut squash Notes: This variety is very popular because it's so easy to use. It's small enough to serve a normal family without leftovers, and the rind is thin enough to peel off with a vegetable peeler. As an added bonus, the flavor is sweet, moist, and pleasantly nutty. Substitutes: buttercup squash (not as sweet and moist; harder to peel when raw; consider baking with skin on) OR acorn squash (not as sweet; harder to peel when raw, consider baking with skin on) OR calabaza OR delicata squash OR kabocha squash OR Hubbard squash (harder to peel when raw, consider baking with skin on) OR green papaya
FWIW, I almost never use a pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin for recipes calling for pumpkin. Butternut gives a much nicer flavor, but so too do most of the winter squash varieties. Jarrahdale. Cinderella. Cushaw. Banana. Hubbard. Acorn. Long Island Cheese. Peanut. And on and on and on.
Yum.
Brewed October 27, 1996
MALT
10.00 lb. American 2-row Klages 2.25 lb. Cara-Pils Dextrine 1.00 lb. Crystal 60L 8.00 lb. Lager 6-Row
HOPS
1.00 oz. Cascade 4.5% 30 min1.00 oz. Cascade 4.5% 10 min1.00 oz. Tettnanger 4.5% 10 min2.00 oz. Willamette 4.8% 60 min1.00 oz. Willamette 4.8% 30 min1.00 oz. Cascade 4.5% 60 min
BREW NOTESMade Wyeast (#1098) British Ale yeast starter with 1/4 cup ex-light DME to about 10 oz. water. Let stand for 24 hours prior to pitching.
Used 2 lb. of home grown pumpkin that was baked at 350 F for 1 hour.
Used two step infusion mash: protein rest at 122 F for 30 min (4.25 gallons @ 135 F), sachrification rest at 155 F for 1.0 hours. Added pumpkin to mash for the last hour of mash.
No water treatment (filtration, salts, etc.).
Original Specific Gravity = 1.050
Final Specific Gravity = 1.008
Fermented in glass. Primary for 2 weeks. Secondary for 1 week.
Bottled 5 gallons on 11/17/96 with 1 cup plus 1 tbsp ex-light Munton's DME.
Bottled 5 gallons on 11/19/96 with 1 cup plus 1 tbsp ex-light Munton's DME.
Thanks for posting the recipe, Sean. I think that I have plenty of info to get something together.
Take pictures.