Recipe Review? Pecan Pumpkin Ale - Extract

[Lan_85]

This is my first time creating a recipe and I'm looking for feedback. I started with a Pecan Amber Ale recipe that I found online and modified it to try to incorporate pumpkin/spices.

Steep Grains for 30 min @ 150F-155F
• 2lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
• 12 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt – 60L
• 4 oz Chocolate Malt
• 4 oz Roasted Barley

Increase to 2 gallons of water and add:
• 4 lbs Light Dry Extract
• 3 lbs Amber Dry Extract

Bring to Boil and add:
• 2 lbs Brown Sugar, Dark
• 1.5 oz Centennial @ 60 min
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice @ 5 min
• 0.5 tsp Nutmeg @ 5 min
• 1 stick Cinnamon @ 5 min

Increase to 5 gallons, cool, and add SafBrew Ale (S-33) Yeast

In Secondary
• 2 lb Roasted Pumpkin, cubed
• 1 lb Roasted Pecan

 

[DrBuzz]

Hey Lan,

Your recipe looks great for the most part. Note: This is a partial mash with the use of your "steeped grains" at a mash temperature for 30 minutes... which is good!

Centennial is a very citrusy hop, It may work out well but you may want to consider a cleaner alternative so that it doesn't take away from the other flavours. I may recommend Goldings, Hallertauer, or a hybrid mix of 75% Cascade and 25% Willamette....

Pumpkin Pie spice at 1 TSP should be plenty without the added cinnamon and nutmeg but it will probably work quite well anyways because those 2 spices don't overpower... Ginger and Cloves can though. I use my own pumpkin pie spice blend with good results at 1 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Ginger, 1/8 tsp Cloves... Just to give you a rough Idea.

I've never used pecans but a roased nut should add flavour. You may want to crush them to increase surface area as nuts are quite dense.

The pumpkin in the secondary worries me. I do a lot of fruit beers and lately Ive tried it in the secondary. It tends to make a mess of things. I have had great results with pumpkin in the mash/steeped grains (which makes the grains stick and clog easly) and also directly in the boil. I would even go as far as trying it in the primary. The problem with it in the secondary is that it will be really hard to filter out before it comes time to bottle. Pumpkin does not lend much flavour or sugar to the final batch, which is why it is usually ommitted in big breweries pumpkin spice beers. It will still work, it just may end up giving you a lot of grief.

Cheers,

Adam