Punk’n Ale #2

Punk’n Ale ABV: 5.1%   IBU: 35   SRM: 12

My second pie beer for Thanksgiving was my Punk’n Ale.  This year I experimented with some different ingredients and set out to improve last year’s recipe.  This year I decided to use 6 lbs of roasted-candied yams in the mash.  (I saved the syrup for the end of the boil.  This sugar would be used to dry out the beer and prevent it from being too syrupy).  It proved to be a pretty sticky addition to the mash.  Even with 1 lbs of rice hulls, the sparge stuck twice.  In addition to the yams, I also made this version hoppier and adjusted my spice additions at the end.  This year’s Punk’n Ale turned out great!  I wanted this beer to be a good beer first and have the yams and spices be a pronounced yet subtle undertone.  My biggest problem with most pumpkin ales is that they’re too sweet and thick and the spice additions are usually too heavy handed.  You can’t drink a lot of them.  I wanted this one to be lighter and easy to drink.  The color of this beer looked like a shiny new penny, bright copper color with a foamy white head.  It smelled like most other pumpkin beers with the pumpkin spice, nutmeg and cinnamon being at the forefront.  It was a full-bodied beer with several layers that became apparent as you swallowed.  Overall, I really like what the yams brought to the beer, something that made it unique.  And, the balance between the spices, sweetness and bitterness overall was spot on.  Until next year.

Cheers!

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