79 replies to this topic

[Malzig]

I'd leave out the spices, then you'll get a nice Oktoberfest. Add in the Pumpkin, if you want to be able to say you added it, it won't prevent you from having a nice Oktoberfest.

[chuck_d]

A third novelty idea would be to make the beer and to serve it out of a pumpkin. Get one of the valves from a bottling bucket and fill a hallowed out pumpkin.

Thank you for this idea. I'm so stealing it this year.Edit: And yeah, welcome to the board hoppygirl. Some things to summarize from the thread, if you're not mashing, don't add any pumpkin, just the spices. And if you cannot control your fermentation temperature then don't use real oktoberfest yeast, just use a clean ale yeast like WLP001.

Edited by chuck_d, 17 August 2010 - 07:38 AM.

[Malzig]

Thank you for this idea. I'm so stealing it this year.

Check out the third paragraph here, where it's become an annual event.

[chuck_d]

Check out the third paragraph here, where it's become an annual event.

I wanted pictures... I'm starting to think this through, it wouldn't necessarily be a Halloween party, but maybe more of just a November Sunday football gathering. I might not even make it a spiced beer, but just rack some o'fest in there or something. Maybe this technique should be split into another thread, assuming there isn't one already.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

why do I feel like we've already lost a new member prematurely?

[Malzig]

I wanted pictures...

Sorry to be so heartless. Here you go, with Will Meyers himself:

[chuck_d]

Sorry to be so heartless. Here you go, with Will Meyers himself:

Haha, that thing is enormous! Looks like he's got a real tap in there? Not a bottling spigot?

[hoppygirl]

I'm still debating on what to do, however i have to comment on the picture of the beer in the pumpkin. very impressive haha. i'm going to do this at my halloween party for sure. thanks!

[Malzig]

Haha, that thing is enormous! Looks like he's got a real tap in there? Not a bottling spigot?

I think I read that the pumpkin was 150-200#.Yup, real tap hammered through the side, I believe. There's another picture that might show the tap a little better, here:I think you can also see how they sealed the pumpkin back up with wax.

[hoppygirl]

so by the way, the recipe calls for about 3 lbs of pumpkin (5 gal batch). Im leaning more towards using it, since i have the pumpkin sitting here on my desk already-i should put it to use right? those of you that have said it would come out very cloudy, is it still going to do this even if i put it in a secondary and use gelatin?

[Deerslyr]

so by the way, the recipe calls for about 3 lbs of pumpkin (5 gal batch). Im leaning more towards using it, since i have the pumpkin sitting here on my desk already-i should put it to use right? those of you that have said it would come out very cloudy, is it still going to do this even if i put it in a secondary and use gelatin?

I would advise against the secondary. Pumpkin does not bring a lot of fermentables to the party and your beer will end up having a distinct vegetable taste to it. Another issue with secondary is the risk of infection. I threw out an entire batch of Hefe when the plums I put in it ruined it. I didn't boil them because I didn't want to lose that certain something I thought I would get, so I soaked them in metabisulfate... something survived and it was the most vile thing I've ever tasted. I don't know if I will ever add fresh fruit to a secondary again...I don't mind a hazy beer every now and then. Hell, I was served one at a Firkin & Beaver that was supposed to be an English Pale Ale, but frankly it was light brown and cloudy. Tasted great though. If you really want to use it, and I don't disagree with you at all, put it in the boil kettle.

[chuck_d]

I think I read that the pumpkin was 150-200#.Yup, real tap hammered through the side, I believe. There's another picture that might show the tap a little better, here:I think you can also see how they sealed the pumpkin back up with wax.

Awesome! Yeah, I saw that. I don't think I would bother with the wax though. I'd just carve the pumpkin in the morning, install a faucet somehow and water test the seal, rack some beer in from a keg and put it on the chest freezer next to the kegerator. Just a little pumpkin cask to serve beer out of for a few friends watching football.

[chuck_d]

I would advise against the secondary. Pumpkin does not bring a lot of fermentables to the party and your beer will end up having a distinct vegetable taste to it. Another issue with secondary is the risk of infection. I threw out an entire batch of Hefe when the plums I put in it ruined it. I didn't boil them because I didn't want to lose that certain something I thought I would get, so I soaked them in metabisulfate... something survived and it was the most vile thing I've ever tasted. I don't know if I will ever add fresh fruit to a secondary again...I don't mind a hazy beer every now and then. Hell, I was served one at a Firkin & Beaver that was supposed to be an English Pale Ale, but frankly it was light brown and cloudy. Tasted great though. If you really want to use it, and I don't disagree with you at all, put it in the boil kettle.

I think she meant if I used the pumpkin, and then used a secondary, not really use the pumpkin in the secondary. It will likely be hazy and have a weird mouthfeel from all the starch. If it were me, you already have the pumpkin, brew the beer and use the spices if you like, and then try to serve the beer out of the pumpkin. Even if you don't keg, if you have a couple friends over you can just pour the beers gently from the bottle into the pumpkin. I'd rather have good beer coming out of a pumpkin rather than "meh" beer that had pumpkin boiled in it.

Edited by chuck_d, 17 August 2010 - 11:48 AM.

[Malzig]

Awesome! Yeah, I saw that. I don't think I would bother with the wax though. I'd just carve the pumpkin in the morning, install a faucet somehow and water test the seal, rack some beer in from a keg and put it on the chest freezer next to the kegerator. Just a little pumpkin cask to serve beer out of for a few friends watching football.

I think they actually cask conditioned it in the pumpkin, which is clearly going beyond the call of duty.

[EWW]

Radical idea... If you want to use pumpkin why not try adding it to 150F water add some beano to convert the starches. Strain out water. Bring liquid to a boil (to denature the beano). Add extract and complete recipe as written. This is the only way I can think of getting the fermentable out of the pumpkin in an extract batch.Needless to say I haven't done this but it should work. This is the one time I would do an iodine test though.Best of luck.

[hoppygirl]

Radical idea... If you want to use pumpkin why not try adding it to 150F water add some beano to convert the starches. Strain out water. Bring liquid to a boil (to denature the beano). Add extract and complete recipe as written. This is the only way I can think of getting the fermentable out of the pumpkin in an extract batch.Needless to say I haven't done this but it should work. This is the one time I would do an iodine test though.Best of luck.

oh this is a good idea. thanks !

[DaBearSox]

Radical idea... If you want to use pumpkin why not try adding it to 150F water add some beano to convert the starches. Strain out water. Bring liquid to a boil (to denature the beano). Add extract and complete recipe as written. This is the only way I can think of getting the fermentable out of the pumpkin in an extract batch.Needless to say I haven't done this but it should work. This is the one time I would do an iodine test though.Best of luck.

This is probably the closest to how I do it. My best batch of pumpkin (placed 3rd at a comp) I used canned pumpkin. As I was heating up my sparge water (batch sparge) I added the pumpkin and let it come up to temp. Then I poured in...This IS the way if you want pumpkin flavor...

[Deerslyr]

This is probably the closest to how I do it. My best batch of pumpkin (placed 3rd at a comp) I used canned pumpkin. As I was heating up my sparge water (batch sparge) I added the pumpkin and let it come up to temp. Then I poured in...This IS the way if you want pumpkin flavor...

Just so I'm clear on this and want to understand your process... your sparge water contained the pumpkin?

[davelew]

Radical idea... If you want to use pumpkin why not try adding it to 150F water add some beano to convert the starches. Strain out water. Bring liquid to a boil (to denature the beano). Add extract and complete recipe as written. This is the only way I can think of getting the fermentable out of the pumpkin in an extract batch.Needless to say I haven't done this but it should work. This is the one time I would do an iodine test though.Best of luck.

Beano uses a galactosidase, not amylase like barley or wheat. Are you sure the temperature is the same? I would think that Beano would be most effective at body temperature.This article seems to say you should keep Beano cooler than 130 dF:

Beano enzyme is inactivated at high temperatures. It should be added to foods at a temperature of less than 54°C. If the food is too hot to eat, it is too hot for the enzyme.

[DaBearSox]

Just so I'm clear on this and want to understand your process... your sparge water contained the pumpkin?

yep....the grain bed drains out the pumpkin....so the sparge water gets infused with the pumpkin flavor...usually you only think the spices make the pumpkin beer but this one actually tasted like pumpkin...