Best time to brew a punpkin ale

[NewkyBrown]

I'm planning ahead, which isn't like me but I was wondering when is the best time to brew a pumpkin ale for Halloween/ thanksgiving? Should it be aged for a few months or can I wait a bit before brewing?
Also can anyone recommend any tried and tested all-grain recipes?
Thanks in advance.

 

[PGEduardo]

Good question, although I'd be interested in extract recipes (sorry to piggyback!)

 

[moscoeb]

Yuri' thunderstruck is excellent pumpkin ale.

Plan plenty in advance, it takes six weeks in bottle to age to best taste and 3-6 weeks in fermenters.
So 2-3 months out, now is the time to start planning and making your fall beer!

 

[DocScott]

I'm planning ahead, which isn't like me but I was wondering when is the best time to brew a pumpkin ale for Halloween/ thanksgiving? Should it be aged for a few months or can I wait a bit before brewing?
Also can anyone recommend any tried and tested all-grain recipes?
Thanks in advance.

It depends on what kind of pumpkin ale you want. If you're doing a high abv brew, I'd plan on 3-6 months after brewing until you drink it. If its a smaller ale/amber or something, the normal 6 weeks would be fine.

In terms of recipes, I did revvy's partigyle last year. The porter was terrific. The second runnings I used for a lighter ale and it was good. This year, in modifying the grain bill slightly and doing a full batch of the porter. You'll be able to find the original in the recipe section or search it with pumpkin partigyle.

 

[jbaysurfer]

I would treat it like any other ale and add 3-4 weeks for letting the spices mellow out if need be before drinking. I also recommend you go easy on the spices. If you keg, know this: Cinnamon leaches into your beer line, and even a PBW/Starsan treatment won't completely get it out. I dedicate that line to spiced/smoked beers now. If you bottle, you only really have one shot to get your spices right, and that's right after you gravity sample it at the end of primary. Don't overdue. I brewed two batches of pumpkin ale last fall, and the first was a touch underspiced, and it got a silver medal in a local contest and was a party favorite. The 2nd one was a bit higher gravity, and I used the entire spice dosage in it, and I couldn't give it away before new years. YMMV.

 

[moscoeb]

If you keg, know this: Cinnamon leaches into your beer line, and even a PBW/Starsan treatment won't completely get it out. I dedicate that line to spiced/smoked beers now.

That's very good to know! I was planning on kegging mine this fall, guess I won't till I can afford a dedicated line!

 

[jbaysurfer]

That's very good to know! I was planning on kegging mine this fall, guess I won't till I can afford a dedicated line!

You can also just buy a couple feet of beer line and replace your current line once the keg kicks. Clean out the other one really well and save it until next time you want to brew pumpkin ale.

In time I believe the cinnamon flavor subsides, but my first pour of whatever is on that line still gives me a hint of it.

 

[NewkyBrown]

Thanks for the replies.


I am new to this so want to check... Is the spice flavor enhanced with aging or does it fade? If it fades then I guess I need to brew closer to the time.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

It fades, you wont want it fresh because then it generally has too much of a kick...after a few weeks though the flavors really meld together better as the spices mellow out a bit.

 

[Beernik]

Last year I made a 8% pumpkin Saison. Brewed 8/12/12, bottled 9/16/12, started drinking 10/16/12.