Fermenting in the pumpkin

[TeufelHundenM198]

I posted a couple pics in the photo thread, and after receiving a bunch of PMs about it, I thought it would be best to just have a thread dedicated to this.

I made it to be ready for thanksgiving 2014. I started this batch on Nov 7 2013. It's a modification of a cyser I made back in 2012, which turned out spectacular, and aged extremely well to the 18 month old point.

I decided to use large pumpkins that hadn't been roasted. Sort of a baseline test to build on for future batches, but also I wasn't sure how well the pumpkins would stand up to the yeast if their rigidity had been compromised or something. These aren't pie pumpkins either, but I think the greater amount of pumpkin vs. using a can in the fermenter might make the flavor a bit more dominant. If this turns out to not be the case, I'll try to make some in a bunch of little pie pumpkins.


Firstly, I started with the same recipe I used last time.

12 lbs local Wildflower honey
2 lbs brown sugar
Williams Sonoma 5 apple cider - enough to bring volume to 5 gallons
EC-1118 Rehydrated with Go-Ferm
Staggered Nutrient Addition per the sticky in this section

I added 1/2tsp per gallon of Pectic Enzyme.

That's just after I pitched the yeast.

It took two pumpkins to hold 5 gallons. I kept it in my fermentation area which is temperature controlled and holds 68ºF almost exactly.

Two days later:

In 6 days, the yeast had thoroughly destroyed the structure inside the pumpkin. From about the equator down, it was barely capable of holding liquid anymore, so I racked it to a carboy. Also of note, I put in exactly 5 gallons and gained about 3/4 of a gallon in volume. I wasn't expecting so much of a gain. The pumpkins themselves had a very sour smell to them at this point. I was kinda worried about the mead, but when I tasted it, everything seemed fine. The smell of sour pumpkin never returned after the racking.

This pic was taken today, 24 Dec. The color is MUCH more appealing. I'm going to let it clear a bit more before I rack it again on top of some cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans.

I'll update this thread as developments unfold up to the point of tasting next year on Thanksgiving day.

 

[biochemedic]

What a phenomenally cool idea! Keep the pics flowing!

 

[pghfett]

I seen this done, the only difference was the fellas who did it actually used melted wax to seal the cut after replacing the top.

 

[fatbloke]

I too, have read of this and seen pictures.

A novel approach, but don't think it could ever be more really. Pumpkin isn't likely to take over from glass, plastics or metal for the fermenter of choice........

You'd have to like pumpkin in the first place, and thus far, I've yet to taste pumpkin cooked in any way that tastes nice. A bland flavourless mush IMO......

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

I seen this done, the only difference was the fellas who did it actually used melted wax to seal the cut after replacing the top.

I'm not sure what the point of that would be. You remove access to the fermenting mead for nutrient addition and gravity reading purposes.

A novel approach, but don't think it could ever be more really. Pumpkin isn't likely to take over from glass, plastics or metal for the fermenter of choice........

Well the point here isn't to replace a glass fermenter. It's to make a pumpkin mead in a pumpkin. Being novel is part of the fun when it comes to these things.

You'd have to like pumpkin in the first place,

Which is sort of the idea behind making a pumpkin mead, I'd think.

and thus far, I've yet to taste pumpkin cooked in any way that tastes nice. A bland flavourless mush IMO......

Well that's unfortunate. Pumpkin in my family is the beloved flavor of the season. We grow our own, cook them, carve them, and make delicious beverages out of them. This year was my second attempt at a spiced pumpkin beer and it was out of this world.

The idea with fermenting in a pumpkin is to effectively give the yeast as much as they want to enjoy and devour. In a fermenter, you sacrifice so much volume to have the solids in there, last year I felt like a lot of the potential was wasted on trying to cram it all in there. Of course I could just buy bigger fermenter, but what fun would that be when I could just pour all the mead in a big ol' pumpkin?! If it ends up working out the way I hope it does, I've got some serious plans for this in the annual pumpkin meads of the future.

 

[fuelish]

Not a pumpkin fan here, but very interesting and cool idea - hope it works out for you, and keep us posted

 

[skadalajara]

You must serve this in gourds when it's ready. It's a moral imperative.

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[Newsman]

This is just so crazy, I've GOT to follow this thread!

 

[Trippel-A]

You'd have to like pumpkin in the first place...

Yes. Indeed. Otherwise, there isn't much point to following along or providing input, is there?

I'm very much looking forward to hearing how this turns out.

 

[fuelish]

Otherwise, there isn't much point to following along or providing input, is there?

Sure there is....it's an interesting project, whether one likes pumpkin or not...I don't like pumpkin, but find this interesting enough to follow...got a problem with that??? That'd be your problem, not mine...

 

[Trippel-A]

Sure there is....it's an interesting project, whether one likes pumpkin or not...I don't like pumpkin, but find this interesting enough to follow...got a problem with that??? That'd be your problem, not mine...

Your post was a lot different than fatbloke's, as you seemed genuinely interested. I was responding to his post, not yours.

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[chickabeelane]

Do you add any spices (cinnamon, clove or nutmeg seem obvious) or is it straight apple and pumpkin?

Super cool idea btw.

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

Do you add any spices (cinnamon, clove or nutmeg seem obvious) or is it straight apple and pumpkin?

Super cool idea btw.

This one gets 3-4 cinnamon sticks and 2 vanilla beans in the secondary for 2 months. I'm going to toss them in once it clears a bit more. While it's young, the cinnamon is fairly potent, but with age it diminishes to a very pleasant background and the honey comes to the front.

 

[chickabeelane]

Don't know how you toss in your spices, but if you put them in a tea bag with a couple of marbles, it will sink nicely into the carboy. If you them tie a string to the bag you can pull the bag out when you feel the mead has enough spice.

 

[fuelish]

Your post was a lot different than fatbloke's, as you seemed genuinely interested. I was responding to his post, not yours.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Home Brew mobile app

OK, well, then, my apologies...one of the hazards of internet discussion boards, I guess...it's all good

 

[On-target]

I did the same type of project for the first time this year. I got about 6 days out of my pumpkin before it started to melt. Now its ageing in 2 one gallon carboys. Beautiful golden color. Am planning to add nutmeg and cinnamon.

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

Racked it over to the secondary just now, on top of 3 broken up cinnamon sticks and 2 split vanilla beans. It wasn't as clear as I would have liked, but I was getting nervous about leaving it on that yeast any longer. It'll have plenty of time to clear now, as I'm leaving it in here with the cinnamon and vanilla for 6 months.

 

[bakk]

Amazing. I wish I could try some I thoroughly enjoy pumpkin! I wonder if attempting this on a smaller scale (1-3 gallons) would be a good use of my leftover pumpkins!

Cheers!


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[On-target]

Mine has cleared very nicely. Great golden orange color. I need to learn how to post pics.

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

Just a quick update. My phone only does a halfway decent job of capturing the clarity (which got to this stage roughly a month after the last pic I posted), but you can see the huge difference between this pic and the last one. In person you can read through it with ease.

The color is wonderful... every time I check on this stuff I want to drink it already.

 

[IJesusChrist]

Have you tasted recently?

 

[fearwig]

I seen this done, the only difference was the fellas who did it actually used melted wax to seal the cut after replacing the top.

That would have to be a secondary fermentation, or it would obviously blow...

 

[IJesusChrist]

That might produce very interesting results - with secondary fermentation in a pumpkin

 

[unionrdr]

When pop made pumpkin wine the way the old timers taught him,the'd coat the whole outside of the pumpkin with paraffin. It gives some structural support to the skin of the pumpkin as the meat ferments away. He'd set it in a pie pan on a shelf in the basement & let it work.

 

[IJesusChrist]

When pop made pumpkin wine the way the old timers taught him,the'd coat the whole outside of the pumpkin with paraffin. It gives some structural support to the skin of the pumpkin as the meat ferments away. He'd set it in a pie pan on a shelf in the basement & let it work.

...and the taste...?
I can do some pretty neat things, but if they come out tasting like a fart...

 

[fearwig]

That might produce very interesting results - with secondary fermentation in a pumpkin

All the sugar in a pumpkin and I think it would probably turn into a "primary" fermentation pretty quick, come to think. Except your yeast might start digesting things it shouldn't. I dunno, probably better off doing it unsealed in primary, then moving to a glass secondary to clean up.

 

[fearwig]

When pop made pumpkin wine the way the old timers taught him,the'd coat the whole outside of the pumpkin with paraffin. It gives some structural support to the skin of the pumpkin as the meat ferments away. He'd set it in a pie pan on a shelf in the basement & let it work.

I'd put it in a bucket, really.

 

[TrickyDick]

Yeah, how does it taste?

The had a zymurgy article a while back about pumpkin beer fermented in a pumpkin, and they thought it tasted disgusting as I recall.


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[TeufelHundenM198]

I'll give 'er a taste when I go to bottle it in a couple months.

 

[BGBC]

I'll give 'er a taste when I go to bottle it in a couple months.

Sub'd for tasting notes. Looking good so far tho.

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

It's one week shy of 6 months on the cinnamon and vanilla, but close enough.

The nose is of strong cinnamon and vanilla. Tasting, there is a distinct cinnamon pumpkin flavor and just the slightest hint of vanilla. Perfect amount of sweetness. In all, it's what I was going for -a spiced pumpkin mead - but at under a year old, I feel she's still a bit young. My previous pumpkin mead started getting REALLY good at 18 months.

Having now done this experiment, I think it would be better if I had roasted the pumpkin first. These being just raw non-pie pumpkins, it's good, and will certainly improve with age, but I like the roasty flavors much more which can't be achieved through this type of fermenting. This is more for people who love pumpkin in any capacity and less for the PIE lovers.