Pumpkin Beer

Every year we brew a pumpkin ale. For the last 5-ish years we served it at the world's largest outdoor cocktail party - the Florida/Georgia game. This year I was in DC for work that weekend so the pumpkin ale had to wait until now. Each year we tweak the recipe slightly to play with spices, ABV, hops, etc.... Here is this years recipe. Should be ready in time for turkey day.

Ingredients
29oz can Libby Canned Pumpkin (make sure it is 100% pumpkin, not pie filling or anything added)
.5 lb carapils
1 lb amber candi sugar
1 oz cascade hops
1 oz hallertau
16 oz molasses
6.4 lbs golden light malt extract
Wyeast American Ale 1056
2.5 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Irish moss

Directions
Steep grains in grain bag to 180. Turn off burner and steep 15 extra minutes. Bring water to boil. Add malt. Return to boil. 60 min - add cascade. 30 min - add pumpkin, .5oz hallertau & sandy sugar. 15 min - add spices, molasses and irish moss. 5 min- add .5 oz hallertau. Move to fermenting bucket. Pitch yeast when cool. Ferment at least 2 weeks.

OG - 1.050
FG - TBD
ABV - TBD

It Takes 2 to Mango (Mango Double IPA)

My new mango obsession along with an upcoming trip to the Savannah CraftBrew Festival recently inspired me to brew a Mango Double IPA.  This morning I finally got the finished product into bottles and shipped off to  the homebrewers contest at the festival. I will let you know the results when the come in. I tasted a bit before I sent it off and I am very happy with the results so far (beer changes flavor a bit as it ages so hopefully it will still be awesome when the judges taste it). There are an INSANE amount of hops in this beer! I am a hop head though, so the more hops the better for me. The mango is pretty mellow and comes out more in the smell than in the taste. You can also taste the citrus hints from some of the speciality hops I used. Overall, its not too sweet and not to mango-y. I am even more excited than usual about this beer because this is the first beer I brewed all by myself (Ron was working late) and it is the first beer I will ever have professionally judged. Hopefully its a winner!