Just in time for the holidays! Although I think Thanksgiving would have been more appropriate. Just make sure everything is sterilized!
This is my second brew and it came out successfully, the stuff tastes real good if you like a dark full bodied and kind of sweet beer. Perfect for the holidays!
On weekdays I spend my time in an apartment in the city so if you are tight on space or the wifey hates when you make a mess, you are in luck. I used a John Bull beer kit since I have no room for steeping or mashing stuff. Less work for me
Naturally I started with a brewing kit, in this case, I bought a brewers best deluxe kit. Since I wanted the glass carboy it comes with.
Here is the ingredients list that I had:
Windsor brewing yeast
Muntons Carbtabs
10 whole cloves
Spring water (your preference I used Hinckley)
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1 teaspoon oats
John Bull Brown Ale Beer Kit (Any brown ale kit will suffice)
4lbs canned pumpkin (no preservatives!!!)
Rice Syrup (Get a bottle and start with 7 tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons Dark Corn Syrup (optional)
3 Tablespoons Honey (optional)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
8 oz Malto Dextrin powder
16 oz lactose (skip if you are lactose intolerant)
1 Jar Briess DARK pure malt extract (3.3 lbs or use more if you want more alcohol content in your final product) I ended up with 6% with the 3.3 lbs
I first started with the canned pumpkin. Open those suckers up and scoop 'em out on a non stick surface. You can use normal (stickable?) surfaces but it will be a pain to clean later. Spread it nice and even then pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for a hour or more. Until your kitchen smells like a bakery or when it caramelizes (nice brown color). Ensure your significant other you are not making cookies or baking pumpkin for a quick snack.
I took a big 'ol pot, the bigger the better, and added 1 1/2 gallons spring water and brought it to a nice slow boil. I then added the pumpkin into the water. I then took some coffee filters (find some tea bags!!!) and made little spice packets so I could steep the spices in the boiling water. For the first steep I made a packet with 9 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. I steeped it for 10 minutes.
Next I made another packet and put in 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon oats, 1 whole clove, and 1/4 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon. I steeped that for roughly 40 minutes and removed the mix from heat.
Now to my fermentation bucket I added the following:
-The John Bull beer kit (yeah it looks like crude oil, better get some of that boiled water and rinse it!)
-The dark corn syrup
-The honey
-The rice syrup
-The vanilla
-The dark malt extract
-3 1/2 gallons spring water (make one cold to cool the boiled stuff)
Now mix the above ingredients in the bucket and did I mention MIX it real well! The malt extract and John Bull stuff like to stick to the bottom. Use a long stirring mechanism of sorts so you don't contaminant the mix with your germ filled hands! Try not to breath on it either!
Add the boiled pumpkin soup you made earlier and give it another good mixing! Let it settle for a while and take a hydrometer reading to check alcohol content. Not enough for you? Add some more rice syrup as it will boost alchey without effecting flavor. Take a temperature reading to ensure it is around room temp or so. Pour the brewing yeast in some warm water and let it hydrate. Make sure the temp of the yeast is similar to the brew!
I let mine sit for a full week to let the pumpkin solids settle to the bottom. I then transferred the brew into the glass carboy making sure to pick up as little of the crude on the bottom as possible. I then waited another 3 weeks or so to let it settle and clarify. If you have a spare fridge, then it will help the brew turn more clear.
I had some clean brown beer bottles and and also ordered some Muntons Carbtabs and used 3 tabs per bottle for light carbonation. I waited another week or so and had a go, mmmm that's some good beer. Stuff tastes good cold or warmed.
Any questions? Send me a pm!
Happy Holidays!
This is my second brew and it came out successfully, the stuff tastes real good if you like a dark full bodied and kind of sweet beer. Perfect for the holidays!
On weekdays I spend my time in an apartment in the city so if you are tight on space or the wifey hates when you make a mess, you are in luck. I used a John Bull beer kit since I have no room for steeping or mashing stuff. Less work for me
Naturally I started with a brewing kit, in this case, I bought a brewers best deluxe kit. Since I wanted the glass carboy it comes with.
Here is the ingredients list that I had:
Windsor brewing yeast
Muntons Carbtabs
10 whole cloves
Spring water (your preference I used Hinckley)
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1 teaspoon oats
John Bull Brown Ale Beer Kit (Any brown ale kit will suffice)
4lbs canned pumpkin (no preservatives!!!)
Rice Syrup (Get a bottle and start with 7 tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons Dark Corn Syrup (optional)
3 Tablespoons Honey (optional)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
8 oz Malto Dextrin powder
16 oz lactose (skip if you are lactose intolerant)
1 Jar Briess DARK pure malt extract (3.3 lbs or use more if you want more alcohol content in your final product) I ended up with 6% with the 3.3 lbs
I first started with the canned pumpkin. Open those suckers up and scoop 'em out on a non stick surface. You can use normal (stickable?) surfaces but it will be a pain to clean later. Spread it nice and even then pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for a hour or more. Until your kitchen smells like a bakery or when it caramelizes (nice brown color). Ensure your significant other you are not making cookies or baking pumpkin for a quick snack.
I took a big 'ol pot, the bigger the better, and added 1 1/2 gallons spring water and brought it to a nice slow boil. I then added the pumpkin into the water. I then took some coffee filters (find some tea bags!!!) and made little spice packets so I could steep the spices in the boiling water. For the first steep I made a packet with 9 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. I steeped it for 10 minutes.
Next I made another packet and put in 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon oats, 1 whole clove, and 1/4 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon. I steeped that for roughly 40 minutes and removed the mix from heat.
Now to my fermentation bucket I added the following:
-The John Bull beer kit (yeah it looks like crude oil, better get some of that boiled water and rinse it!)
-The dark corn syrup
-The honey
-The rice syrup
-The vanilla
-The dark malt extract
-3 1/2 gallons spring water (make one cold to cool the boiled stuff)
Now mix the above ingredients in the bucket and did I mention MIX it real well! The malt extract and John Bull stuff like to stick to the bottom. Use a long stirring mechanism of sorts so you don't contaminant the mix with your germ filled hands! Try not to breath on it either!
Add the boiled pumpkin soup you made earlier and give it another good mixing! Let it settle for a while and take a hydrometer reading to check alcohol content. Not enough for you? Add some more rice syrup as it will boost alchey without effecting flavor. Take a temperature reading to ensure it is around room temp or so. Pour the brewing yeast in some warm water and let it hydrate. Make sure the temp of the yeast is similar to the brew!
I let mine sit for a full week to let the pumpkin solids settle to the bottom. I then transferred the brew into the glass carboy making sure to pick up as little of the crude on the bottom as possible. I then waited another 3 weeks or so to let it settle and clarify. If you have a spare fridge, then it will help the brew turn more clear.
I had some clean brown beer bottles and and also ordered some Muntons Carbtabs and used 3 tabs per bottle for light carbonation. I waited another week or so and had a go, mmmm that's some good beer. Stuff tastes good cold or warmed.
Any questions? Send me a pm!
Happy Holidays!
