WLP037 for a Dark Mild, then Pumpkin Winter Warmer?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by DaddyDan, Nov 14, 2013.

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  1. DaddyDan

    DaddyDan Initiate (0) Aug 15, 2004 Connecticut

    Good afternoon

    I am planning on brewing a massive winter warmer with pumpkin (actually, a blue hubbard squash), pecans and herbs Thanksgiving weekend. The recipe is below, minus the hops. I am a bit unsure where to go with hops. I am thinking about brewing Stone's Lee's Mild from their beer book to create a yeast cake for the beer. I am trying to decide on a yeast that will work well with both beers and WLP037 seems like the best fit. Will this yeast work for both?

    10 lbs 2 row
    3.75 lbs rye malt
    1 lbs oat malt
    1.75 lbs munich
    1 lbs flaked oats
    1 lbs 150 crystal
    4oz special b
    3 oz chocolate rye

    This will be mashed with 3-4 lbs of blue hubbard that I will roast with brown sugar and pecans.

    OG 1.103 + whatever the pumpkin gives me.
    ;
    Bonus questions:
    1. How would you hop this?
    2. Do I need a little 6 row to help convert the squash? Switching a pound of 2-row to 6-row should not make make a big difference in the final flavor, right?
    3. I plan on using a mix of sage, thyme, rosemary, and black peppercorns Instead of standard pumpkin spices for this beer. Thoughts?

    Any and all thoughts, advice, criticisms, and insults are welcome.
     
    #1 DaddyDan, Nov 14, 2013
    inchrisin likes this.
  2. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    The recipe looks intriguing. I've been told that 150L crystal malt IS Special B. I haven't used much of either when brewing, so maybe someone can follow up on that. Too much oat. Drop the flaked. Too much crystal, especially if it's that high in lovabond. I'd also demand that you get some low crystal in there or something to sweeten the deal. cyrstal 40 or 60 AND some chocolate malt. :slight_smile: I'm interested to hear what others will say.

    Edit:
    1. English hops please. EKG to 50 IBU
    2. No. American 2 row? It's generally a work horse too.
    3. Spices can wait, especially on a big beer like this. I'd save this for the end of primary or secondary if you're not going to package yet. Again, this might be a great beer.
     
    #2 inchrisin, Nov 15, 2013
  3. DaddyDan

    DaddyDan Initiate (0) Aug 15, 2004 Connecticut

    Thanks for the input.

    What I did not mention is that this is the same malt bill as Stone's Holiday Ale collaboration with Jolly Pumpkin and Nogne O. I brewed it a couple years ago and it was an amazing beer with real depth of flavor. It won the Herb/veg/spice category at the BJCP regional competition. That one had .5oz of Perle for 90 minutes and 1.75 oz of Columbus at flame out. The beer also had chestnuts, sage, juniper berries, and caraway seeds.
     
    #3 DaddyDan, Nov 15, 2013
  4. nicholasb

    nicholasb Initiate (0) Nov 13, 2005 Michigan

    The 037 is a terrific strain, with plenty of character, and suitable for both a mild and a warmer.

    A friend of mine mashed with pecans and ended up with a very murky brown ale. It tasted great but the appearance was not pleasing.

    I want to say that special B is 220L; I've used it in plenty of brown ales, but it can produce raisiny notes.

    I'd probably hop with EKG or Willamette at 60 and 15, something between 15 and 25 ibus.

    WLP 037 has character so I'd probably scale back the herbs/spices. I sort of think black pepper would be cool with the special b. I might go sage as well and maybe edit out the rest. IMO.

    Never brewed with squash/pumpkin--sorry, can't comment on that.

    Cheers!
     
    #4 nicholasb, Nov 16, 2013
  5. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    #5 GreenKrusty101, Nov 16, 2013
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