Beer Forum

Howdy friends,

I just got done brewing 35 gallons of beer with a couple friends, including 10 gallons of a pumpkin ale. We made a recipe last year that called for canned unspiced pumpkin and it turned out really well. I went to three grocery stores and even *shudder* Wal-Mart looking for the canned pumpkin. Nobody had it. I guess our beer this time will be a pumpkin spiced ale instead, as we were brewing multiple batches and didn't have the time/manpower to toast actual pumpkin. If you're planning on using canned pumpkin, check your grocer ahead of time or plan an alternative so you don't end up completely f'ed like I was today.

I went through the same same recently when I wanted to make a cranberry mead. No cranberries available for at least another month around here. Made a straight mead instead. I have another gallon of honey on the way (prize for a BOS mead at the state fair) so I will do the cranberry mead once they become available.

Wayne

Ahhhhhhh....the traditional art of brewing. Step 1 - gather ingredients.

I just used yams to make a pumpkin spiced beer. works pretty well to lend a slight squash meat type taste to the beer

I have used yams too and they are a great alternative. "The other orange starch"

I've read good things on using yams instead of pumpkins. I went to the farmers market and bought four pie pumpkins on Monday... I'll just can my own pumpkin to be sure I have some for recipes later this fall.

There is a pumpkin shortage this year. This year in downstate Illinois, it was wet and not as sunny as up here. So, 2010 is a repeat of the previous two years. You could use acorn squash or sweet potatoes (yams are not grown in the US) as a sub.

Or you could do what I do with my annual pumpkin ale - forget the pumpkins! I got the idea after the brewmaster at Lunar Brewing (Villa Park, IL) told me he got tired of the mess and hassle of using pumpkin in the mash. One year he decided to add just the spices. He theorized, "That's all you taste when you eat a pumpkin pie anyway. The pumpkin itself really hasn't got much flavor." It works great! Year before last I took 3+ gallons left in a keg to a Halloween party and the keg kicked in less that three hours.

Try using a Hubbard Squash (ugly blueish green squash). I personally have never used them in a beer but I will cut the mother in half and bake it for 40 mins on 350F. It tastes really good.


"Freaking Fruit Beers...Squash ales"