Batch #4: It's a Great Pumpkin Stout, Charlie Brown!

Brainstorming:


Good thread to start with
Great site with history, tips, recipes, videos of Pumpkin beer brewing

Naming ideas: Halloween Treat, Autumn, leaves, Jackolantern, Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Pumpkin Stout


edit: better idea - It's a Great Pumpkin Stout, Charlie Brown!  (can substitute Stout with Ale, etc..) Many thanks to the wifey for helping nail the name down.

It's a Great Pumpkin Stout, Charlie Brown!

Base kit: [1] HomebrewUSA Up & Over Oatmeal Stout(5.6%)
Using Actual Pumpkin (if using canned skip to the next step)

6-10 pounds of pumpkin, roasted
You’ll first need to roast the pumpkin in the oven, similar to cooking squash. This softens the pumpkin and begins breaking it down. Cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces (should be cleaned, of course—old jack-o’lanterns work great), place in a shallow baking pan and add a bit of water to the pan. Roast in a 325°-ish oven for about an hour, or until soft

Using 2x15 oz cans of organic pumpkin.

Place in cookie pyrex plate. flatten and cook on 350F for a little over an hour or until 50% of its mass is gone. The finished product should look a bit caramelized.

• Add Pumpkin product to bottom of cheese cloth with grain on top.

1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Molasses
(I accidentally added these two with 10 minutes left on the boil)
Pitch these spices towards the end of boil (last 5 minutes).

2.5 Tsp Cinnamon
1.5 Tsp Nutmeg
1.5 Tsp Allspice
1.5 Tsp Ginger
 ½ teaspoon vanilla last 5 minutes of boil

Would recommend a blow off tube as this has a bit of a violent fermentation.

Make a starter!  Don't want a wimpy yeast.

Consider racking into secondary fermenter depending on how "messy" primary is.


Brew Day:

7/31/11 - Today I began brewing my much anticipated "It's a Great Pumpkin Stout, Charlie Brown!" I love this name for so many reasons. 

Note: Polka music makes GREAT brew day music!


Woke up the next morning to THIS:

Oops...I paid for this one...Went to work after cleaning up slightly and adding a temporary blow off.
Posted this to reddit regarding the situation:

I knew it would happen one day. I woke up this morning giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. I opened the door and was immediately greeted with a strong and pleasant pumpkin pie odor. I flipped on the light switch and happened upon the mess :D I quickly cleaned up and re sanitized the carboy. Plugged it with a bigger blow off pipe and it's still going strong. Lesson learned and I'm looking forward to trying this come October!

After work I went to Lowes and for 6 dollars bought a 1'' Inner Diameter tube for a more permanent blow off.

After cleaning and installing the blow off:

08/08/11 - Today tested the remaining ABV (sitting at about 2.5% left to ferment out) Possibly stuck as this was the reading two days ago.  I also took this time to taste the beverage after measuring.  It may not ferment out completely but I am definitely on the right track! I got clear notes of pumpkin and cinnamon with what I'm sure is the remaining all spice, ginger, and nutmeg backing it.  I also took the time to create a brandy based secondary flavoring of 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp all spice, one stick of cinnamon, and one sliced vanilla bean. Hopefully this will have a powerful flavor addition.

08/25/11 - Today I prepped the new (2nd) keg for tomorrow's kegging by letting it soak for 24 hours in an oxyclean solution.

 08/26/11 - Today was kegging day. Which was fortunate because Hurricane Irene was only a few hours from making land fall. Should the worst have occurred, I wanted to make sure my 4 week investment in this beer wasn't wasted.
This also marks the first time I used my red carboy holder which really worked a treat.
After a successful transfer from carboy to keg I had a bit of trouble testing the liquid out. It kept leaking when I put the tubing over the pin. I later found out it was missing a grommit which Wine and Cake Hobby shop was more than happy to give to me for free.
It is now sitting in my Study happily aging away until October.

08/30/11 - Tasting Notes:
My skills and practices in beer making continue to improve. I know I keep saying it but this is my best beer yet. It came out exactly how I wanted in the taste department. Free of off flavoring but could have been filtered a bit more.
I got notes ginger, vanilla, the pumpkin definitely came through. Its main characteristic as a stout is very apparent and there is a clean final hint of cinnamon at the end.
Michelle was also very impressed and stated this was the best one of all my batches.  She's not the biggest beer drinker but she sure does love to support me by giving each brew a tasting.