first pumpkin ale

Beer Recipes
1

So i was thinking of brewing a extract w/ specialty grains pumpkin ale

here is mine idea

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Ichabod’s Revenge (pumpkin ale)

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 3 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.057
Efficiency: 70% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV (standard): 5.39%
IBU (tinseth): 43.77
SRM (morey): 9.38

FERMENTABLES:
4 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Light (75%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
0.25 lb - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.7%)
0.25 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (4.7%)
0.33 lb - American - Munich - Light 10L (6.2%)
0.5 lb - American - Victory (9.4%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 45 min, IBU: 12.28
0.25 oz - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 25 min, IBU: 4.65
0.25 oz - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.33
0.25 oz - Perle, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.2, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 12.19
0.25 oz - Perle, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.2, Use: Boil for 25 min, IBU: 8.47
0.5 oz - Perle, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.2, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 4.86

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp - Irish Moss, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
5 lb - Pumpkin, Time: 20 min, Type: Flavor, Use: Boil
1 tsp - cinnamon, Time: 7 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
1 tsp - all spice, Time: 7 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
1 tsp - nutmeg, Time: 7 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 72%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 59 - 75 F

Generated by Brewer’s Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-08-24 06:05 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-08-24 06:04 UTC

Anybody have any suggestions? also it seems there is no clear choice between canned pumpkin and actual pumpkin minus it being early in the season (at least in Colorado )for actual pumpkins, is this correct

2

My preference is no pumpkin.  I’ve made a few pumpkin ales with fresh pumpkin roasted in the oven and I don’t really think it did a darn thing but make it messy.  I’d love to see someone do a side by side with and without pumpkin in the mash and see if there was any difference.  Personally I think it’s the spice perception that makes you think it’s got pumpkin character but I certainly don’t get anything distintively “pumpkinee” in the ones I have made.
Of course many others may disagree, just my opinion.

3

I would loose the 5 min hop addition and maybe move it to the 25 or remove. Seems loke alot of pumpkin for a 3 gal patch, me I would just use maybe 1 can (16oz) of pumpkin at the beginning of the boil. The pumpkin isn’t going to give much of any flavor, it will help with the mouth feel of your beer and give some extra sugars. The spices look ok, but I would put them in at knockout. I’m doing my pumpkin ale next week and I’ll still tweaking my recipe.
Cheers

4

thanks for the suggestions. i will have to think about all the options. I want to keep the pumpkin due to the mouth-feel and i enjoy the beers with actual  pumpkin vs just spices