Extract Pumpkin Ale
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:49 am
by IndyBeerFan
I'm looking for a good extract recipe for a pumpkin ale that I can brew tomorrow. I have a great base beer that I was thinking about using, but was not sure how to go about adding the pumpkin. I appreciate the help!
-CP
Re: Extract Pumpkin Ale
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:40 am
by Bugeater
The problem with using pumpkin in an extract beer is the starch in the pumpkin. This will lead to a haze and a short shelf life. It would be best to do a partial mash with a couple pounds of crushed 6 row barley mixed with the pumpkin. This will convert the starches to sugar. You can then just add the wort from this to your boil kettle with the extract.
Before you start, however, give some thought as to what flavor you are looking for. Pumpkin itself lends a very subtle flavor to a beer and is easily covered up by other flavors. If you are looking for the "pumpkin pie" flavor, you can leave out the pumpkin altogether and concentrate of the pie spices. No one will notice the lack of pumpkin.
If you want the pumpkin flavor to come through, you would be best served to use fresh pie pumpkins (not canned and not those "Halloween" pumpkins). Cut the pumpkins into pieces and roast in the oven to gelatinize the starches and to slightly caramelize the naturally occurring sugars. Do a partial mash with this pumpkin and then be very subtle with the spices. The best way to do the spices would be to steep the spices in a little bourbon or light rum for the duration of fermentation and then add to the bottling bucket or keg to taste. This will help avoid overdoing the spices and covering up the pumpkin taste.
Wayne
Re: Extract Pumpkin Ale
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:53 am
by Henway
And you're going to get a LOT of trub.
I did the recipe in the most recent BYO with canned pumpkin last Sat. I used 5lbs of pure canned pumpkin and oven roasted for 2 hours. I have a Jamil vortex chiller (and pump) and was able to keep a lot of the break in the keggle.
That being said, I've been dumping about a cup a day of spent yeast from the conical. Last night after a week of this I figured I'd try to get a bit more. After about 8 cups worth of baby apple sauce consistency yeast I finally started to see liquidy beer.
If I had a normal carboy, I would assume there would have been at least 2 inches of trub/yeast in the bottom...