Adding Pumpkin to Pumpkin Ale Recipe

[johnq251]

I bought the morebeer all-grain thanksgiving ale kit, I would like to try to add some canned pumpkin to it, but have never done anything like this before. How much pumpkin to use? Do I put it in the mash or during boil?

[BrianIsBeering]

I tend to do the canned pumpkin thing. I just figure its a more consistent product. I usually use 2 (29 oz) cans of pumpkin puree. I spread it out in baking dish and bake for a half hour at 350, usually stirring everything about half way through. I dunno if the baking does much. I like to say its to caramalize sugers and gelatinize the starches and what not but honestly I've always done it so I'm not sure it makes any difference. I add it to the mash with plenty of rice hulls. Also I tend to go slightly OTT w/ the spices (at 2 min) because I like to brew it in mid-september and keep it through Thanksgiving and the spice seems to dissipate rather quickly. Some folks go the opposite way with the spices but thats my rational. Good luck!

[brewinhard]

I have had best results with fresh pie pumpkins (med sized ones). Cut them in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Place them in a roasting pan with some water in the bottom. Sprinkle the pumpkin flesh with brown sugar and bake for about 2.5 hrs at 350deg F.
Let it cool, then scoop out the flesh. Some people add it to the mash. I have had nothing but troubles doing that. I miss my OG's and get stuck sparges. So the last two years I have boiled the pumpkin flesh for 60 minutes with my wort in a large mesh bag. I use about 5# of flesh for a 5 gallon batch. People told me my beers would be very hazy from boiling the pumpkin and all the unconverted starches, but I observed no difference in clarity btwn. the mashed pumpkin beer and boiled. In fact I feel that the boiled one actually cleared a bit faster after packaging. Just my 2 cents. YMMV>

[booboo]

I made a pumpkin beer his year and got great pumpkin flavor. I got two small baking pumpkins from a local farmer. I quartered them and removed the seeds and pulp. I then baked the quarters at 350 for an hour. When cool I cut them into small pieces. I added this to the mash and mashed for 90 minutes. The pumpkin just floted in the mash the whole time so I had no problems with lautering. The beer isn't finshed yet but it actually has a nice pumpkin flavor not just a spice flavor. I was really surprised how well it is turning out. I am going to bottle the beer next week and let it age until Thanksgiving before opening. The pumpkin beers I have made in the past I fermented the pumpkin. I think letting it soak in the mash is the better way to go.

[slanted & enchanted]

I brewed a pumpkin beer pretty close to jamil's Brewing Classic Styles recipe about 2 weeks ago. gonna keg tomorrow, so I'll chime in then. I used 2 medium sized pie pumpkins, quartered, seeded and roasted in the oven for an hour at 400 F. I scooped out the flesh and mashed. No issues. wort was VERY red. I plan on adding the spice to the keg.

next time I'll probably use butternut squash. they taste the same but they're easier to skin, and they have more flesh and less seeds.