Shred O’ Lantern Pumpkin Ale (extract)


Description:

With Fall in mind, I decided to try my hand a brewing a Pumpkin Ale.  Pumpkin Ales generally start with a Brown Ale backbone and pumpkin (in chunk or canned form) is added to the brew.  Pumpkin pie spices and simple sugars are commonly added as well.  Mine was no exception.

Before adding the pumpkin (canned in my case) I spread it on a cookie sheet and baked it at 300F for about 30-45 minutes, misting with water every 10 minutes or so.  This process helps to maintain the sweet pumpkin flavor by caramelizing some of the sugars, rendering them non-fermentable.

Because of the large amount of trub created by the pumpkin, this was a rare case where I racked my beer to secondary after primary fermentation was complete.

 

Batch Size:  5.00 Gallons
Measured Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
ABV:  6.6%

 

Recipe:

4 lbs Canned Pumpkin (Baked as described above and added to last 5 minutes of boil)

1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt – 60L – Steeped at 155F for 45 minutes
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt – Steeped at 155F for 45 minutes
8.0 oz Wheat – White Malt – Steeped at 155F for 45 minutes

2 lbs Light Dry Extract – Boil 60 min
0.50 oz Willamette [5.50 %] – Boil 60.0 min
12.0 oz Brown Sugar, Dark Boil – 45 min
0.50 oz Willamette [5.50 %] – Boil 30.0 min
3 lbs Light Dry Extract Boil – 20 min
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] – Boil 15.0 min
(Add pumpkin in last 5 minutes)

2.0 pkgs American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124.21 ml] Yeast 11 –

1.00 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Secondary 1.0 days)

 

Tasting Notes:

Not bad.  A pretty run-of-the-mill Pumpkin Ale.  Not an overwhelming spice profile (which is a good thing, in my opinion).  The flavors were about as you’d expect – pumpkin, subtle spices with hints of caramel and coffee.  Medium-light body.  I say go for it and brew this one.  If you change the ingredients or process, please let me know how and what the results are!

 

 

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