Batch #6-12: Pumpkin Ale

Style Pumpkin Ale
Ingredients Heart’s Home Brew Recipe
Brewing Date: Saturday, October 6, 2012
Primary Fermentation: Saturday, October 6, 2012
Original Gravity: 1.054
Secondary Fermentation: Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Interim Gravity: 1.022
Bottling Date: Sunday, November 4, 2012
Final Gravity: 1.020
Release Date: Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Alcohol by volume: Tentative: 4.5% ABV Raw (5.0% ABV conditioned)
Final Release Name: Carriage Return

A repeat of the favorite recipe for this time of year.

Summary:

SA: Oct 6 @ 7:30PM — Brewing session lasted about 5 hours (as usual), and this year I only made the batch with one pie pumpkin (usually, it is 2-4).  I am very happy with the OG on this batch.

SU: Oct 7 @ 9:30AM — There is pressure in the airlock, but no bubbling yet.  This was done with a yeast starter, but I started the batch 48 hours later than I planned and did not “recharge” the yeast flask with new nutrient.  I am sure this is why it has not started bubbling yet.

TU: Oct 9 @ 7:30AM — The bubbling has gone to solid 3-second bursts, with 3-second intervals.

WE: Oct 25 @ 10:30PM — Transferred to secondary.  The wort has a deep red color and an excellent, rich body.  I was a full week late transferring this to secondary (due to time constraints), but I wonder if the extra time in the fermentation bucket has improved the taste.

SU: Nov 4 @ 2:15PM — Bottling yield: 2x 20oz, 60x 12oz.  Because I was so late getting to the bottling, I took about 6oz of the wort and used the yeast starter flask with some corn sugar to rebuild some yeast activity.  The mix went into the bottling bucket with the wort after 24 hours, and bottling occurred 16 hours later.    This left a bit of a foam in the bottle (about 1/4″) which is a good precursor to good carbonation.