When to add the pumpkin in a pumkin ale?

[timrox1212]

So when do I add the pumpkin mix to my beer? Plan on using like 60oz of Libby's pumpkin mix but I can't find a straight answer on when to add it. P.S. I brew extract. Thanks guys.

 

[runningweird]

add it to the boil, then try to rack it off of the goop that will result. doing extract I would try to put it into a mesh bag of some kind.

you do extract so I wouldn't know where else to put the pumpkin.

 

[timrox1212]

I just didn't know if I Gould put it in the fermenter or in the secondary.

 

[brewguyver]

If you're talking about the spice, then boil or secondary (steep in boiling water or vodka for flavor). If you're talking the pumpkin itself, either mash it (add LOTS of rice hulls) or in the boil. Secondary in a carboy would be a nightmare to clean up.

 

[jonmohno]

Worked good for me in a boil or/and mash. Ive never tried secondary but pretty shure you would want to rack again. Its kinda messy anyway you do it. Expect some volume loss also. Also I think you dont want the mix if it has other junk in it like preservatives, just use the pumpkin only kind and add the spices to your likeing.

 

[Teromous]

I add the pumpkin to the mash tun and the spice to the brew kettle. The grain bed helps keep the pumpkin from going into your BK which is an added bonus. The pumpkin itself doesn't have a ton of flavor but you can tell it contributes to mouthfeel. I don't know that adding it to the secondary would have any more benefit than using it in the MT, because I get good clarity, color, and texture when using it just in the MT. Also if you want to save some money, using a whole pumpkin is cheaper (at least where I live) and the process of cutting, cleaning, cooking, skinning, and mashing up the pumpkin is surprisingly easy.

 

[timrox1212]

Sorry it took so long to respond but I got another question. When to add my spices. I plan on doing the vodka steep thing with 3 cinnamon sticks and then 1/2-1 tablespoon of nutmeg and allspice. Any thoughts?

 

[Dawgs47]

I add the pumpkin in the mash. If I was doing extract I would leave out the pumpkin and just add the spices. I know it feels fake, but it is really about the spices. If you are soaking the spices in vodka then you can add them after the boil. Either primary or secondary if you use one.

 

[beerclone]

I'm interested in this too as I am planning a pumpkin beer this weekend. What about adding the spices into the primary after 2-3 days of fermentation? I don't see where this would be an issue and hoping to keep the spice flavor a bit stronger by doing so. Any thoughts?

 

[ponchofrailey]

i am doing the brewers best pumpkin spice porter right now. going to add, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg to the last five minutes of the boil along with there spice pack.

 

[brewguyver]

Sorry it took so long to respond but I got another question. When to add my spices. I plan on doing the vodka steep thing with 3 cinnamon sticks and then 1/2-1 tablespoon of nutmeg and allspice. Any thoughts?

Based on feedback from a few brewing buddies, add your vodka extract to the bucket at bottling (or to the keg). One trick is to put a little bit in your hydrometer sample and see how much it takes to get the flavor you want. Scale that up to your bottling/kegging volume and that is the right amount to add.

Also watch out for cloves - that flavor will survive long after everything else dies off.

 

[Mythos]

I got an amazing pumpkin flavor doing the following:

60 oz of canned pumpkin unbaked (its already cooked so no point) with 2# of 6 raw in mesh bag mashed to help contain pumpkin.

Another 60 oz of canned pumpkin in a mesh bag with your hops. Or for a more intense pumpkin flavor, use pumpkin pie filling (its per spiced). I notice I actually lose pumpkin flavor the longer it cooks. It seems best to add at end of the boil. I also add my spices at the end of boil.

With the mesh bag I had very little pumpkin mess. I made a 6 gallon batch thinking I would lose a gallon due to other peoples comments but I did not.

I hope this ends up helping someone.

 

[Gregthespy]

I brewed the NB Smashing Pumpkin Ale extract kit this weekend for the first time and added 4 cans of Libby's canned pumpkin to it. I caramelized all 60oz of it on a baking sheet with 1/2 cup of brown sugar sprinkled on it. (45 min at 350* spread out on a baking sheet) I used 45oz of the pumpkin in the mash with 3lbs of the recommended 6 row as well as the supplied steeping grains all in a 5 gallon paint strainer. I then added the remaining 15oz in a strainer bag during the last 10 min of the boil. I added the supplied spices at flame out but am planning on adding more when I transfer to secondary. I will be watching out for the cloves though, thanks for the warning! I racked out of the kettle after whirlpooling to help leave behind any slurry.
I think that next time I may use baked pumpkin as I felt the canned stuff was extremely pureed and may have gotten through the strainer bag easier than mashed pumpkin.
I hope it turns out great!

 

[ColeR]

I just did my Pumpkin Pie Ale, I add 32oz in to the mash, but first I dehydrate it in the oven till its like fruit rollups, then I add it to the mash and stir it in so it get suspended in the grains , then I add another 32oz can to the boil, along with extra pumpkin pie spices.

Batch Size: 5.50 gal Style: Fruit Beer (20A)
Boil Size: 8.24 gal Style Guide: BJCP 2008
Color: 14.9 SRM Equipment: All Grain
Bitterness: 26.5 IBUs Boil Time: 60 min
Est OG: 1.067 (16.3° P) Mash Profile: Single Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out
Est FG: 1.015 SG (3.8° P) Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage
ABV: 6.9%


8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
5 lbs 12.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM)
32.00 oz Pumpkin Pie mix (libbys) (Mash 60 min)
1 lbs Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM)
0.5 oz Magnum [14.0%] - Boil 60 min
32.00 oz Pumpkin Pie mix (libbys) (Boil 60 min)
1.0 oz Liberty or Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 15 min
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10 min)
2.50 tsp Ginger Root - ground (Boil 5 min)
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 5 min)
4.00 tsp Cinnamon (Boil 5 min)
4.50 tsp Vanilla Extract (Boil 5 min)
1.50 tsp Allspice (Boil 5 min)
1.50 tsp Nutmeg (Boil 5 min)
2 pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04)

enjoy

 

[rdbrett]

There is a pumpkin ale recipe thread on here. It would answer a lot of your questions. I think its in the recipe database.