First Pumpkin beer, looking for some insight on the recipe I'm using.

[skuzma]

Good day!

I'm doing a pumpkin ale next month from a kit recipe I found (attached in the grain bill and additions).

I have a couple of question and would like some input
1) I want to do whole spices and not crushes spices - for the pumpkin spice. Has anyone done this before, and what do you think a good portion for a 5-gallon batch would be?

I was thinking 10 cinnamon sticks, 2oz candied ginger, 6-10 all spice berries, 1 whole star anise and then shave some nutmeg? Would you do differenty?​

2) I wanted to add in some whole vanilla beans into it - when would be a good time to do this, during the mash, during the boil, or doing it like a dry hop and adding it into the keg?
3) Finally - does anyone has any suggestions for a different hop that might pair well with this? I feel like it would use a little more hoppy flavor.

Thanks for your insight! Greatly appreciated!

 

[Nosybear]

Good day!

I'm doing a pumpkin ale next month from a kit recipe I found (attached in the grain bill and additions).

I have a couple of question and would like some input
1) I want to do whole spices and not crushes spices - for the pumpkin spice. Has anyone done this before, and what do you think a good portion for a 5-gallon batch would be?

I was thinking 10 cinnamon sticks, 2oz candied ginger, 6-10 all spice berries, 1 whole star anise and then shave some nutmeg? Would you do differenty?​

2) I wanted to add in some whole vanilla beans into it - when would be a good time to do this, during the mash, during the boil, or doing it like a dry hop and adding it into the keg?
3) Finally - does anyone has any suggestions for a different hop that might pair well with this? I feel like it would use a little more hoppy flavor.

Thanks for your insight! Greatly appreciated!

That's a lot of spice. That much spice: Any neutral hop, about 10 IBUs (assuming about a 5% beer).