Pumpkin Lager

Having reviewed a limited number of recipes, this is my take. I use no crystal, having coated the quartered two small pumpkins with light brown sugar and a little butter, and baked at 350 for 70 min. I hope pumpkin carmelization rather than grain carmelization will provide the taste I'm looking for. No need to overdarken the brew without intent. I "stratified" the timing and grind of the spices to help ensure that the flavor came thru. The aroma was very fine.

Brewer:	How232		Email:	How232@AOL.com
Beer:	Pumpkin Lager		Style:	Vienna
Type:	All grain		Size:	2.35 gallons
Color:	8 HCU (~6 SRM)		Bitterness:	24 IBU
OG:	1.054		FG:	1.015
Alcohol:	5.0% v/v (3.9% w/w)
Water:	85% RO, balance tap high sulphate. 1/2 teap.
Grain:	24 oz. American 2-row 35 oz. German Pilsner 20 oz. Pumpkin (L?) .2 oz. Ginger root (1 slice) 7 oz. Belgian Munich 4 oz. Wheat malt
Mash:	72% efficiency
	1 1/2 quarts per lb. water used. Added pureed baked pumpkin which was coated with a HALF of following mixture: Ground two nutmegs, two sticks cinnemon, 10 allspice, 6 cloves (about 2 tbsp net.). Then gradual rise from room temp to 156, with 13 minutes spent ramping up in the 113-140 degree range. Single decoct after 10 min at 156, with about 40% of grain for 10 min. Returned to main mash to net 142 (cooled main mash to achieve this). Rise to 152, then into oven (170) for slow rise over 90 min. for starch conversion.
Boil:	80 minutes	SG 1.042	3 gallons
	2 oz. Maple syrup .2 oz. Cinnemon ((1/2 stick, 30 min in boil) .2 oz. Ginger root (two slices, 30 min in boil) .2 oz. Nutmeg , coarsely chopped nut, 30 min in boil) .05 oz. Clove (2, 30 min in boil)
	Added at start: 2 teasp. Maple syrup, 1/2 tsp yeast energiser, 1 1/2 tsp brewers yeast (for yeast health), 1/2 tsp gypsum. Rehydrated Irish Moss at 20 min and 10 min. 30 min from boil end added: 2 sticks cinnemon, 10 cloves, 15 allspice, 1 nutmeg, all crushed and vanilla. 10 min from boil end: other half of ground spices described in mash section, plus the ginger root.
Hops:	7g Northern Brewer (5.8% AA, 35 min.) 6g Tettnanger (5.7% AA, 35 min.) 5g Northern Brewer (5.8% AA, 12 min.) 5g Tettnanger (5.7% AA, 12 min.)
Yeast:	Split lot, Wyeast American Lager and Wyeast Munich Lager.
Log:	Brewed 11-4/5-00.
Carbonation:	Bottle conditioned.
Tasting:	The taste was not as good as the smell of the fermeting wort. Some spice, a bit like mulled apple cider. I'm not sure pumpkins, although an interesting medium, lend themselves to a distinctive taste without the spices, and with the spices, the pumpkin pie effect was only faint. After all that work, a dissappointment that the result didn't have more impact. I wonder what fresh sweet corn would be like??

Recipe posted 11/10/00.