Beer Forum

I was considering a pumpkin lager and now Ive come up with a rough draft recipe for a Pumpkin Doppelbock. Ive never heard of one, but I think I can make this into a highly interesting brew. The SWMBO wanted a pumpkin beer and I have been hankering to brew a lager so here it is. Please lagerheads, steer me in the right direction!

Draconian Libations’: Pumpkinator Doppelbock
OG 1.075
FG: 1.018
IBU 26
SRM 13.6
ABV 7.5%

6.00 Gallons
75 Minute Mash at 154 Degrees
90 Minute Boil

8 Lbs 11 Oz Weyermann Vienna 50%
4 Lbs Weyermann Pilsner 23%
4 Lbs Weyermann Munich Type II 23%
8 Oz Weyermann CaraMunich 3%
3 Oz Weyermann Carafa I 1%
75 Oz Libby’s 100% Pumpkin

½ Tsp Cinnamon (Boil 1 Min)
¼ Tsp Ginger (Boil 1 Min)
1/8 Tsp Nutmeg (Boil 1 Min)
1/8 Tsp Allspice (Boil 1 Min)

.50 Tsp Yeast Nutrient (15 Min)
1 tab Whirlfloc (15 Min)

.45 Oz Magnum (60 Mins)
1.0 Oz Hallertau (30 Mins)

Wyeast # 2308 Munich Lager Yeast

The recipe looks good to me. Use a pound or two of rice hulls if you are putting the pumpkin in the mash. Baking the pumpkin on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan until it browns a little might help bring out some of the pumpkin flavor and aroma. Nice Label

You will hear all sorts of things about how boiling the pumpking will lead to starch haze that will not clear, but I can tell you that is how I have done it and had great results. I did use fresh pumpkin though, that was roasted at 350 deg F for about 1.5 hrs. to hopefully make some of the starches readily available to be converted to sugars first. Then I placed the pulp in a large mesh bag and boiled it for about 70 minutes in my boil kettle with the wort collected from the mash tun. I did not lose too much wort as I had thought I would either. Towards the end of the boil, I removed the bag and let the pumpkin slowly drain back into the kettle. My beer did have an initial haze as when I mashed the pumpkin in prior batches, but it soon cleared and had a wonderful impact on the flavor and aroma, more so than when I had mashed the pumpkin before.

Since you are doing a lager then your beer will def. be clear given a couple mos of lagering time. One extra tip is to add some spices back at kegging time especially with a long lagering period that could reduce the spice effect over time.

I am afraid that I don't quite understand the doppelbock choice. I feel that the complex flavors of the doppelbock would be too complex to allow the spices to come through. Maybe make vodka solutions out of the spices and dial in the flavor?

Blitzkolsch wrote:I am afraid that I don't quite understand the doppelbock choice. I feel that the complex flavors of the doppelbock would be too complex to allow the spices to come through. Maybe make vodka solutions out of the spices and dial in the flavor?

Blitzkolsch, I chose this style sue to the challenge not only of brewing the style but also making it into another style all its own. However, I could be swayed. The Bock styles are what jumped out at me because I think a malty beer done well with these spices could be an excellent venture. I first though a Traditional Bock was the way to go, then I switched to Helles Bock, and finally decided that I thought a Doppelbock was the way to go. The beer will be brewed mid August and therefore I fear I cannot have a proper agering done in time to drink in October. Do you think I could make a Bock of any kind and have it lagered to drink by the end of October?

Blitzkolsch wrote:I am afraid that I don't quite understand the doppelbock choice. I feel that the complex flavors of the doppelbock would be too complex to allow the spices to come through. Maybe make vodka solutions out of the spices and dial in the flavor?

Blitzkolsch, I chose this style due to the challenge not only of brewing the style but also making it into another style all its own. However, I could be swayed. The Bock styles are what jumped out at me because I think a malty beer done well with these spices could be an excellent venture. I first though a Traditional Bock was the way to go, then I switched to Helles Bock, and finally decided that I thought a Doppelbock was the way to go. The beer will be brewed mid August and therefore I fear I cannot have a proper lagering done in time to drink in October. Do you think I could make a Bock of any kind and have it lagered to drink by the end of October?

Perhaps I am just too much of a purist when it comes to doppelbocks. I have never brewed a doppelbock, so I can't tell you anything about length of time, but I feel like it would still be fairly green after two months.

Brew it! If its not ready by Halloween (I suspect it will be drinkable), let it sit for another month and you'll have a great beer to serve or bring to a Thanksgiving fest.