# Pumpkin Beer **URL:** \ **Category:** General Homebrew Discussion\ **Created:** [September 10, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770 "2011-09-10T12:06:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dzlater](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dzlater/32/4766_2.png) [@dzlater](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dzlater)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/1 "2011-09-10T12:06:24Z")
My club is doing an informal pumpkin beer comp. Personally I have no desire to brew one. If you like them that’s cool, to each his/her own. It’s one of those things where I think , why would you want to screw up a perfectly good beer by adding a large orange squash. ??? Just wanted to see what others think. _Poll ([view on site](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![jeffy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jeffy/32/12842_2.png) [@jeffy](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jeffy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/2 "2011-09-10T12:48:41Z")
You should add, “may try a sample if you hand me your home brew but I don’t want a full pint.” ---
**Author:** ![bernman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b19c9b/32.png) [@bernman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bernman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/3 "2011-09-10T13:24:54Z")
I started one a couple weeks ago. It’s the thrid pumpkin ale I have brewed in the last 4 years. ---
**Author:** ![chezteth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/chezteth/32/7932_2.png) [@chezteth](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/chezteth)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/4 "2011-09-10T13:31:55Z")
My wife & I will be brewing one next weekend.  I don’t think adding the pumpkin to the beer is such a bad thing as it really doesn’t add much flavor.  What usually turns people off to pumpkin beers are the spices.  I personally like pumpkin beers this time of the year.  I guess it just goes with autumn. ---
**Author:** ![hokerer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/hokerer/32/266_2.png) [@hokerer](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/hokerer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/5 "2011-09-10T13:33:40Z")
Have had Dogfish Head Punkin and thought it was Ok.  So I had to check “might” buy some. ---
**Author:** ![dzlater](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dzlater/32/4766_2.png) [@dzlater](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dzlater)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/6 "2011-09-10T14:44:01Z")
> [@jeffy](#): > > You should add, “may try a sample if you hand me your home brew but I don’t want a full pint.” done ---
**Author:** ![jeffy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jeffy/32/12842_2.png) [@jeffy](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jeffy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/7 "2011-09-10T15:08:27Z")
> [@dzlater](#): > > > [@jeffy](#): > > > > You should add, “may try a sample if you hand me your home brew but I don’t want a full pint.” > > done Dang, I already voted. ---
**Author:** ![beersk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/beersk/32/13414_2.png) [@beersk](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/beersk)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/8 "2011-09-11T01:52:37Z")
I don’t see a “no pants” option… ---
**Author:** ![sparkleberry](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/sparkleberry/32/7728_2.png) [@sparkleberry](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/sparkleberry)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/9 "2011-09-11T02:11:54Z")
never tried one i wanted to keep drinking.  this style has never made sense to me.  pumpkin belongs in pies. ---
**Author:** ![cheba420](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/cheba420/32/3040_2.png) [@cheba420](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/cheba420)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/10 "2011-09-11T07:44:41Z")
> [@chezteth](#): > > My wife & I will be brewing one next weekend.  I don’t think adding the pumpkin to the beer is such a bad thing as it really doesn’t add much flavor.  What usually turns people off to pumpkin beers are the spices.  I personally like pumpkin beers this time of the year.  I guess it just goes with autumn. Feels like Autumn, indeed. I’ve been brewing a pumpkin porter every season for the last 4 years. Its a really good beer that comes in around 7.5%-8%. I got the recipe from Sam G’s Extreme Brewing and converted it to all grain. Its a little different from the typical pumpkin ale you find out there. The spicing is low key but you know its there. Its one of the beers I look forward to brewing and having around for the holidays. I usually pour the first pint on Halloween and keep it on through the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![andrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/andrew/32/2906_2.png) [@andrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/andrew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/11 "2011-09-11T12:27:15Z")
> [@chezteth](#): > > My wife & I will be brewing one next weekend.  I don’t think adding the pumpkin to the beer is such a bad thing as it really doesn’t add much flavor.  What usually turns people off to pumpkin beers are the spices.  I personally like pumpkin beers this time of the year.  I guess it just goes with autumn. It does seem that either you love’em or you hate’em with the spices being the sticking point. The cinnamon is what kills me. Its fine as long as its just a hint since that stuff can over whelm it easily. I’ll be brewing up one as soon as the store gets in some pumpkins which probably wont be until a couple weeks from now. Next year I plan on growing my own pumpkins so I wont have to wait on them. ---
**Author:** ![chezteth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/chezteth/32/7932_2.png) [@chezteth](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/chezteth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/12 "2011-09-11T15:28:42Z")
> [@andrew](#): > > It does seem that either you love’em or you hate’em with the spices being the sticking point. The cinnamon is what kills me. Its fine as long as its just a hint since that stuff can over whelm it easily. > > I’ll be brewing up one as soon as the store gets in some pumpkins which probably wont be until a couple weeks from now. Next year I plan on growing my own pumpkins so I wont have to wait on them. I can definitely understand how too much cinnamon would be unpleasant.  What I tend to find is that most examples, including commercial ones, have too much clove.  Even in a pumpkin pie too much clove, or cinnamon, is not pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![madscientist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@madscientist](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/madscientist)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/13 "2011-09-12T17:05:56Z")
I brewed one up and it’s still in the primary, but is almost ready to be racked to the secondary I would say.  Another gravity reading today and tomorrow will tell me. Anyway, I thought I overdid it when I mixed up the spices, but after tasting my hydrometer sample i think I’m right where I want to be.  I was debating whether or not to add a small amount of vanilla to the secondary, but I don’t think i want to do that now, it seems really balanced.  The base beer is a brown ale. ---
**Author:** ![linenoiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8edcca/32.png) [@linenoiz](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/linenoiz)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/14 "2011-09-12T17:07:42Z")
I had been planning on brewing one this year. I had never had one and the idea sounded appealing as I loves me some pumpkin pie. Last week I saw a local brewery put out their seasonal pumpkin beer, so I picked up a six pack. I took one sip and said “Oh. So that’s what that tastes like…” I will not be brewing one now. ---
**Author:** ![tschmidlin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tschmidlin/32/3857_2.png) [@tschmidlin](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tschmidlin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/15 "2011-09-12T17:57:00Z")
> [@linenoiz](#): > > I had been planning on brewing one this year. I had never had one and the idea sounded appealing as I loves me some pumpkin pie. Last week I saw a local brewery put out their seasonal pumpkin beer, so I picked up a six pack. I took one sip and said “Oh. So that’s what that tastes like…” > > I will not be brewing one now. Don’t decide based on what may have been a poorly done version of the beer.  Try a few different ones and you may find that you like them after all.  I recommend Southern Tier Pumking, Elysian Great Pumpkin, and Dogfish Head Punkin. ---
**Author:** ![linenoiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8edcca/32.png) [@linenoiz](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/linenoiz)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/16 "2011-09-12T19:24:37Z")
> [@tschmidlin](#): > > > [@linenoiz](#): > > > > I had been planning on brewing one this year. I had never had one and the idea sounded appealing as I loves me some pumpkin pie. Last week I saw a local brewery put out their seasonal pumpkin beer, so I picked up a six pack. I took one sip and said “Oh. So that’s what that tastes like…” > > > > I will not be brewing one now. > > Don’t decide based on what may have been a poorly done version of the beer.  Try a few different ones and you may find that you like them after all.  I recommend Southern Tier Pumking, Elysian Great Pumpkin, and Dogfish Head Punkin. Really, my problem is that I have a poor “taste imagination” for things I’ve never tried before. Pumpkin pie beer sounded good until I got a taste of one. Now that I have a metric, I can’t imagine any level of pumpkin pie spices that would be good. Except maybe zero. I imagine zero would be good. I will make an effort to try other pumpkin beers, but until I find one that isn’t gross, I don’t think I want to waste my efforts making one. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/17 "2011-09-12T20:08:01Z")
> [@linenoiz](#): > > I imagine zero would be good. That was my conclusion, too. ---
**Author:** ![roguenationpatriot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/roguenationpatriot/32/7668_2.png) [@roguenationpatriot](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/roguenationpatriot)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/18 "2011-09-12T20:56:41Z")
> [@hokerer](#): > > Have had Dogfish Head Punkin and thought it was Ok.  So I had to check “might” buy some. I just had my first Dogfish Punkin this weekend, I liked the spices and the body of it.  Looking forward to making my own this season. ---
**Author:** ![tschmidlin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tschmidlin/32/3857_2.png) [@tschmidlin](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tschmidlin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/19 "2011-09-12T23:49:29Z")
> [@linenoiz](#): > > > [@tschmidlin](#): > > > > > [@linenoiz](#): > > > > > > I had been planning on brewing one this year. I had never had one and the idea sounded appealing as I loves me some pumpkin pie. Last week I saw a local brewery put out their seasonal pumpkin beer, so I picked up a six pack. I took one sip and said “Oh. So that’s what that tastes like…” > > > > > > I will not be brewing one now. > > > > Don’t decide based on what may have been a poorly done version of the beer.  Try a few different ones and you may find that you like them after all.  I recommend Southern Tier Pumking, Elysian Great Pumpkin, and Dogfish Head Punkin. > > Really, my problem is that I have a poor “taste imagination” for things I’ve never tried before. Pumpkin pie beer sounded good until I got a taste of one. Now that I have a metric, I can’t imagine any level of pumpkin pie spices that would be good. Except maybe zero. I imagine zero would be good. > > I will make an effort to try other pumpkin beers, but until I find one that isn’t gross, I don’t think I want to waste my efforts making one. It’s entirely possible you don’t like the style, but I’m glad you’ll try some other ones, you may be surprised.  Or you may be Denny. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770/20 "2011-09-13T00:49:08Z")
> [@tschmidlin](#): > > Or you may be Denny. 😉 I may not be interested in brewing one, but I’ll keep tryin’ 'em.  No way to know otherwise… [Next page](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/pumpkin-beer/7770.md?page=2)