Pumpkin Ale Recipe

Getting the spice mix right is crucial to a pumpkin ale. (Photo courtesy Mark Pasquinelli.)

Get ready for fall by brewing a pumpkin ale now. The key to this beer is getting the spices right. Remember that you can add spices in secondary, if needed, but you can’t take spice away. Over time, the spice character will change — so if it is slightly overspiced to begin with, let it age for a few weeks.

Pumpkin Ale

(Spiced Ale)

All-grain, English units

by Mark Pasquinelli

DESCRIPTION

This beer is designed to taste like pumpkin pie in a glass.

INGREDIENTS (for 6 gallons)

Malt and Other Fermentables (for on OG of 1.065 at 75% efficiency and 13 SRM)

7.0 lbs. Maris Otter malt

3.0 lbs.  Munich malt (10 °L)

2.0 lb. aromatic malt (20 °L)

10 oz. Caramunich malt (45 °L)

8.0 oz. dark brown sugar

4.0 lb. pumpkin, bagged and prepared as directed, boil 90 minutes

Hops and Spices (for 20 IBU total)

Magnum hops (20 IBU)

0.40 oz. (at 14.0% alpha acids), boiled for 60 minutes

4.0 tsp. Saigon cinnamon, boiled for 5 minutes

1.0 tsp. nutmeg (fresh), boiled for 5 minutes

1.0 Tbsp. ginger root (fresh), boiled for 5 minutes

(1 tsp. if using dry)

3.0 tsp. vanilla, in secondary fermenter

Yeast (for an FG of 1.017 and 5.7% ABV)

White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) yeast,

1.5-qt yeast starter

Other

3.5 oz. priming sugar

PROCEDURE

Single step infusion mash at 155 °F for 60 minutes. Sparge to collect 7.5 gallons. Add brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Boil for 90 minutes, adding pumpkin and hops at 90 and 60 minutes left in the boil, respectively. Add spices with five minutes remaining and allow to steep for another five minutes after knockout. Chill and ferment at 65–70 °F for one week. Rack to secondary fermenter, taste, and add vanilla and additional spices if needed. Age in secondary for 10 days. Prime and bottle with sugar or keg.

Extract Adaptation:

Substitute 8.0 lbs. Maris Otter liquid extract (or pale LME) and 2 lbs. 4 oz. Munich liquid extract (or amber LME). Steep 1 lbs. 6 oz. Caravienne and 6.5 oz. Caramunich for 30 minutes at 155 °F. Remove. Add extract, pumpkin, and proceed with boil for 60 minutes. Follow all grain recipe. Chill and add water to bring volume to make 5.0 gallons. Add yeast.

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Pumpkin Ale

(Spiced Ale)

All-grain, metric units

by Mark Pasquinelli

INGREDIENTS (for 23 L)

Malt and Other Fermentables (for on OG of 1.065 at 75% efficiency and 13 SRM)

3.2 kg Maris Otter malt

1.4 kg Munich malt (10 °L)

0.91 kg aromatic malt (20 °L)

280 g Caramunich malt (45 °L)

230 g dark brown sugar

1.8 kg pumpkin, bagged and prepared as directed, boiled for 90 minutes

Hops and Spices (for 20 IBU total)

Magnum hops (20 IBU)

11 g (at 14.0% alpha acids), boiled for 60 minutes

4.0 tsp. Saigon cinnamon, boiled for 5 minutes

1.0 tsp. nutmeg (fresh), boiled for 5 minutes

1.0 Tbsp. ginger root (fresh), boiled for 5 minutes

(1 tsp. if using dry)

3.0 tsp. vanilla, in secondary fermenter

Yeast (for an FG of 1.017 and 5.7% ABV)

White Labs WLP 002 English Ale yeast,

1,500-mL yeast starter

Other

100 g priming sugar

PROCEDURE

Single step infusion mash at 68 °C for 60 minutes. Sparge to collect 28 L. Add brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and add pumpkin and hops at 90 and 60 minutes respectively. Add spices with five minutes remaining and allow to steep for another five minutes. Chill and ferment at 18–21 °C for one week. Rack to secondary fermenter, taste, and add vanilla and additional spices if needed. Age in secondary for 10 days. Prime and bottle with sugar or keg.

Extract Adaptation:

Substitute 3.6 kg Maris Otter liquid extract (or pale LME) and 1.0 kg  Munich liquid extract (or amber LME). Steep 0.60 kg Caravienne and 180 g Caramunich for 30 minutes at 68 °C. Remove. Add extract, pumpkin, and proceed with boil for 60 minutes. Follow all grain recipe. Chill and add water to bring volume to make 19 L. Add yeast.