Pumpkin Ale

Classification: pumpkin ale, spiced beer, all-grain

Source: Mike Uchima (uchima@mcs.net), r.c.b., 10/21/96

This stuff smelled really weird in primary. Stinky. The bad smell eventually went away, and by bottling time it actually tasted OK, though the spice flavor was nearly gone (that's why I added more spice at bottling time). IMO it came out pretty good, though it could have used more pumpkin flavor.

The sparge got stuck 3 times; I had to cut the grain bed and recirculate to get it going again. Next time I plan to use some rice hulls (and *more* pumpkin).

Ingredients: (for 3 gallons)

4 lbs 6-row pale malt
1 lb 2-row malt
8 oz "Biscuit" malt
4 oz "Special B" malt
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin
6 oz brown sugar
1 oz Northern Brewer 7%AA (60 minutes)
2 tsp McCormick pumpkin pie spice
Wyeast #1056 (American ale, 1 pint starter)
3.5 oz brown sugar (priming)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (at bottling)

Procedure:

Mash-in at 122F; hold for 50 minutes. Boil pumpkin for 30 minutes in about 2 qts water; add to mash, and raise to 156F; hold for 45 minutes. Mash-out 168F. Boil for 60 minutes, adding spice 10 minutes before end. Pitched/fermented at 64F.

Specifics:

OG: 1.054
FG: 1.012