Thoughts on Pumpkin Porter Recipe here

I would personally use some pumpkin pie spice over just cinnamon. And maybe add some vanilla when you bottle.

 

I'd think about some Munich mixed in the grain bill. Perhaps, instead of just 2-row, some MO, Munich and the Victory. Give it a bit of that doughy/biscuity backbone, like the crust in a way.

I'd up the chocolate a bit more, personally. To enhance the roasty flavor, and I second the idea of using pumpkin pie spice in there too.. Do it in the boil, or at bottling, not sure which would give you the better balance.

 

I used 1/2 of an ounce of pure vanilla extract in a 3 gallon batch of pumpkin beer (I added it to the bottling bucket along with 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg (I used 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice in the boil)) . It is 8 % ABV and 90% base malt, 10% 20 L caramel. You can not taste any vanilla specifically but it seemed to enhance the pumpkin pie flavor of the beer. The spice level was perfect for what I was looking for. It tastes like a pumpkin pie themed beer without being overly spiced or too assertive.

 

I agree with bumping the chocolate malt probably to a half lb. I'm bottling my pumpkin porter today and it looked a little lighter than I hoped even with a half lb each of black patent and chocolate. Granted, it was an extract brew so YMMV, but I think bumping the chocolate just to get that extra bit of roastiness might pay dividends.

 

You won't notice 2 tsp cinnamon in 5 gall. I've been on a mission every year for the past 4 years to make a pumpkin beer that tasted like pumpkin and not just spice. But you need the spice to bring out the pumpkin. 2# pumpkin won't give you much pumpkin flavor, but will add starch and mouthfeel.