About to start my first 5-gal batch: Pumpkin Ale

[brandon03]

So I have ordered all of my equipment to start doing 5-gal batches and will be starting my first brew next week or next weekend depending on when all of my equipment arrives. I will be doing the Pumpkin Ale from MWS.

I plan to do a full batch boil using my 32 qt Tall Boy kettle. Taking advice from the reviews, I am going to double the pumpkin, spices and brown sugar and perform the primary fermentation for 7-10 days on top of the pumpkin followed by 2 weeks secondary fermentation in a glass carboy and then I will either bottle or keg and let it condition until thanksgiving (this should give it about 3.5 weeks conditioning) and serve it to the family at Thanksgiving!

I will probably start an IPA or a Christmas Spiced brew after racking the Pumpkin Ale from primary to secondary. If anyone has any good Christmas beer suggestions, I am open to the options!

Here is to hoping my first brew turns out well!

 

[metanoia]

I did a Gingerbread Brown a couple years ago for Christmas that I'm planning on reviving on the all-grain level this year. Back then I got pretty good results using a standard brown ale recipe, plus adding allspice and nutmeg at flameout, plus a tincture of vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and fresh chopped ginger at bottling. I only had time to age the tincture four days last time and I feel like I'll get stronger ginger/vanilla notes if I let it go two weeks this time around.