All,
Please advise!
I am wondering since I ordered this kit if I can “turn” it into a pumpkin brew…
I was thinking since there is no style and this pretty much an Octoberfest I should be ok.
Spice addition just a teaspoon of McCormick spice 10 mins left in boil.
Pumpkin addition of 2 large cans of Libby’s. If you have suggestions on spicing etc please share.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/germ ... n-kit.htmlThanks!
Tim :cheers:
Not sure I’m following you, but Alt is a style, and a really fine one at that.
Alts are ales, fermented at low temps with German ale yeast, and cold conditioned similar to what you might do with a lager.
Yes, similar to Oktoberfest, but No, not really. A little hoppier, not as sweet, maybe a little less malty. Real nice. I’m sure others will chime in with commercial beers in the style, but the one that really turned me onto them is Longtrail Brewing ‘Doublebag’ which is a 7.3% stickealt. IMHO, it’s really a fine, fine beer. Last year I brewed a mostly extract Doublealt starting with that NB kit and adding another 3lb of Munich LME, 1lb DME and 1 lb honey to try and match it, but it came out a little more like ‘Triple bag’ which is a 9%er. Going mostly allgrain this year, and I have big hopes for it.
Add pumpkin? Go ahead if you really want, but I believe this kit will stand on it’s own. Try it, you might like it.
I wouldn’t pair up pumpkin spices with the bitterness of an alt. An oatmeal stout or Southern English brown or brown porter (more malt-centric styles) is a better choice.
If you’re set to tweak this recipe, consider reducing the hopping to accommodate the spices. And be very light on the spices- its way to easy to overdo a spiced beer.
Just wanted to give an update: Brewed My Alt on Sunday 9/22…used 4 cans of pumpkin 2 @30 2 @15 and cut the hops in terms of Alpha. Used one oz of Tettnang at 60 mins and 1 oz of perle at 15 mins.
For spices used 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice one teaspoon of nutmeg. Yeast was Wyeast 1007. Its fermenting off like a shot as of Monday morning…hope it turns out nice (smells good now).
Chinaski’s plan sounds solid, I think you did the right thing by changing hops.
I brewed the AG version of Smashing pumpkin this weekend. My only modification is I am adding the spices in keg instead of boil. I am going to take 2oz of burbon and steep the spices for 3 days then dump that in the keg. I can’t wait to taste this one!
Well its still a fermenting…I tasted it 2 days ago and it has an Vodka burn to it…it is at room temp and I think it would better at a cold temp but it just won’t quit fermenting…I took a reading and it was about 3.8 abv.
Any suggestions? Cold crash, let it ride?
TB
[quote=“tbilderback”]Well its still a fermenting…I tasted it 2 days ago and it has an Vodka burn to it…it is at room temp and I think it would better at a cold temp but it just won’t quit fermenting…I took a reading and it was about 3.8 abv.
Any suggestions? Cold crash, let it ride?
TB[/quote]
It’s punishing you for adding pumpkin to a great beer! 
Let it ride, you have to let a fermentation finish completely.
I’m with you Denny, an alt is a great style and would go well with a piece of pumpkin pie. I don’t see the need to liquefy the pie.
Maybe your right! 
[quote=“Denny”][quote=“tbilderback”]Well its still a fermenting…I tasted it 2 days ago and it has an Vodka burn to it…it is at room temp and I think it would better at a cold temp but it just won’t quit fermenting…I took a reading and it was about 3.8 abv.
Any suggestions? Cold crash, let it ride?
TB[/quote]
It’s punishing you for adding pumpkin to a great beer! [/quote]
Don’t beat yourself up about it. 20 yrs ago I made a Dunkle and put spiced tea bags in it and let Ckarlie Papazian sample it. He said " Why did you do that to it?" I say drink it, and make it again the way it is, ferment between 55-57 primary, cold crash secondary at least a couple weeks or more, then cellar store for at least 6 wks or more. A great Alt is a great beer.
12/3/13 -Alt - Pumpkin---- Turned out great with the exception that it had no spice to it. It really picked up the orange color from the canned pumpkin. I would make it again its just not spiced correctly.
In fact can anyone tell me if there is any drawback to adding spices, mint, etc at kegging time? Seems even at flame out the spices dissipate. I guess you need to sanitize it heating water to 170 with the spices and then add would be best?
Thanks!
[quote=“tbilderback”]12/3/13 -Alt - Pumpkin---- Turned out great with the exception that it had no spice to it. It really picked up the orange color from the canned pumpkin. I would make it again its just not spiced correctly.
In fact can anyone tell me if there is any drawback to adding spices, mint, etc at kegging time? Seems even at flame out the spices dissipate. I guess you need to sanitize it heating water to 170 with the spices and then add would be best?
Thanks![/quote]
i just made a pumpkin ale that i added spices to the boil and it wasn’t enough, so i added a spice/vodka tincture to the keg. worked out fine.
[quote=“Denny”][quote=“tbilderback”]Well its still a fermenting…I tasted it 2 days ago and it has an Vodka burn to it…it is at room temp and I think it would better at a cold temp but it just won’t quit fermenting…I took a reading and it was about 3.8 abv.
Any suggestions? Cold crash, let it ride?
TB[/quote]
It’s punishing you for adding pumpkin to a great beer! [/quote]
What he said.
[quote=“Denny”][quote=“tbilderback”]Well its still a fermenting…I tasted it 2 days ago and it has an Vodka burn to it…it is at room temp and I think it would better at a cold temp but it just won’t quit fermenting…I took a reading and it was about 3.8 abv.
Any suggestions? Cold crash, let it ride?
TB[/quote]
It’s punishing you for adding pumpkin to a great beer! [/quote]
It’s been asked, “What is a good fruit to add to beer?” Many people at the same discussion said, “None.” There is the school of thought that if I wanted to taste raspberries, cherries, or grapes, I would drink wine instead of beer.
Last summer,I used a pound of limes to make a Saison, along with Belle Saison yeast. This was one, that if I could re-brew, I’d enter into a contest. Later last year, I used flaked maize and jalapenos, and made an ale that tasted like corn chips and salsa. This one will be entered into March Mashness. Also last year, I gave into the pumpkin beer craze, used a spicy hop, think it was Chinook, with Belle Saison yeast, and well, fine then, I’ll enter it, but don’t think I will do a pumpkin beer again. I had a bottled raspberry Belgian once, reminded me of a cider or wine cooler.
Something else already tried in beer, we need to discuss it because of what’s happened in Colorado, Washington, and New Hampshire. Someone told me once of a cannabis beer he tried in Spain, nothing special, nothing at all. I have to agree with another poster here that the best course of action is to drink a beer and smoke a joint.
Wait…what? German alt with pumpkin? How could you commit such a sin? I pray that Thor have mercy on your soul!
My book on altbier says that altbier predates any conflict that the Germans had with the Romans. Thunder was Thor’s brewpaddle hitting the sides of his mashtun. Make good with Thor, lest he spank you with his brewpaddle.
