Pumpkin Beer 2019

** 5-6 pounds pumpkin total is an estimate with about 3.5 lbs in mash and 2.5 pounds in secondary.

Do not roast pumpkin if using canned pumpkin

BIAB Method:
MASH
Mash all loose grains and Pumpkin for 60 min. Strike temp 165, mash 155, sparge 170. Put Pumpkin in a SEPARATE DISPOSABLE MUSLIN BAG and add that to water first - this allows the grains to have better access to the water

• Mash 4.5 gal. Heat to 165. Add pumpkin then grains. Mash at 155 F for 60 minutes.
  
• Sparge pumpkin and grains with 2.5 gal. Heat sparge water to 170 F. Remove grains from mash and add to sparge for 10 minutes. Add this water to mash water.
  
  Mash and sparge water should amount to about 6.5 gal for the boil
  
  BOIL
  60 min boil
  
  bring wort to boil. should be approximately 6.5 gallons
  
  add first hops at 60 min
  
  add second hops at 20 min
  
  add spices at 5 min (only 2.5-3.0 tsp cinamon and 2 tsp nutmeg the rest will be added will rum tincture)
  
  cool wort
  
  REHYDRATE YEAST (make starter if needed) or pitch yeast (2 packets)
  
  RUM TINCTURE
  cut in half and scrape 1 vanilla bean and add to glass with spiced rum (4-5 oz as you see fit)
  add 2.5 tsp cinnamon and some nutmeg (about 1 tsp)
  
  PRIMARY (1 week)
  let ferment in cool dark place
  when primary finishes transfer to secondary
  
  SECONDARY (2 weeks)
  add brown sugar
  add pumpkin (if roasting, roast 350F for 1 hr)
  add vanilla extract
  add vanilla-rum tincture and spiced rum
  
  
  2018 VERSION NOTES
  Measured OG was 1.0924
  
  transfered to secondary onto 2 lbs canned pumpkin, rum/spice tincture; at time of transfer gravity was 1.018-1.019 giving an ABV of 9.8% without accounting for the rum addition. tasted it at the transfer and it was really good. super super smooth - does not taste like a 10% beer.
  
  Added 1lb of brown sugar to the secondary. That added about 0.01 to the OG making an effective OG of 1.1024.
  
  12/12/2018 Let brown sugar and rum/spice tincture sit for two weeks. FG was 1.022. Giving ABV of 10.55%.
  
  
  BOTTLING 1/18/2019
  I used 3.7 oz of corn sugar dissolved in 16 oz of water for the priming solution. Goal is CO2 volume of about 2.4. Added 5+ grams of US 05 yeast proofed in warm water to the bottling bucket as well based on Northern Brewers recommendation.
  
  There was 4.6 gallons in the fermenter which made 4.0 gallons in the bottling bucket.
  
  FG at time of bottling was 1.020. Giving approximate ABV of 10.82%
  
  add roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a 12g packet of dry yeast, especially if the OG is above 1.060. CBC-1 is a great choice as well as US-05, you can also use Lalvin EC-1118 (my personal favorite for the price and hardiness) for this but you would want to use half the packet. The bottling yeast can be added to the bottling bucket at the same time as the priming solution. It does help to re-hydrate the yeast in a small amount of water 25-50 ml for 10 mins before adding to the beer but is not needed.
  
  TASTING NOTES 2018-2019
  very good beer
  carbination was a little low. maybe increase by 10% next year
  a little alcoholic but very very smooth for a 10+% beer
  I may go a little lighter on the spices and ginger next year and up the rum and vanilla
  
  I would also wonder what the beer is like without the pumpkin in the secondary. possibly add milk sugar to bring out some sweetness and creaminess and skip the pumpkin in the secondary.