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Brewing with Pumpkin
I've added pumpkin to my winter beer for a while. I've added it both during the mash and during the boil. I don't seem to get much pumpkin flavor either way. Any advice?
It doesn't seem to work using pumpkin, it just doesn't have much flavor period. Use pumpkin pie spice, even though it's not pumpkin, the taste is what you're really after when you're thinking of pumpkin.
I don't think just adding pumpkin would give you that generic pumpkin flavor. That comes more from spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice, etc. I used a few of those really small pumpkins before in a beer and I cut them up into small 1 inch cubes and placed them skin side down on a baking sheet and sprinkled brown sugar in the inner parts and then baked it for a while, I don't remember how long or hot. I then added those to my primary and it got super gross from there. I think adding just the spice is the way to go.
All you have to do is taste a chunk of pumpkin, is that what you really want your beer to taste like?
Fair enough 
I do use the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanilla) and the overall effect is nice. I guess I'm saying that the pumpkin isn't doing anything per se, which is consistent with what you guys are saying.
I prep it like cmanley was saying - baked first.
Thanks for the corroboration!
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