Pumpkin Bread for Homebrewers

You may have noticed this recipes is missing one key ingredient… Beer! And it is not a typo. No beer was used in the making of this bread. Crazy, I know, but it still keeps with the “beer” theme. Let me explain.

I try to find ways to use the leftovers from the brewing process as much as possible. Spent grains are great for breads and soap or even dog treats {I should do a future post for those soon!}

With the start of Fall, everyone is going pumpkin crazy. Craft beer and hombrewing are no different. Right now, the beer aisle are lined with all kinds of pumpkin beers: stouts, ales, porters, etc. Huck and his buddies got together a couple weeks ago to brew they’re annual pumpkin beer. 20 cans of pumpkin later, everyone has enough pumpkin beer to last them through the season.

And yes, you read that correctly! 20 cans of pumpkin in one brew day. As the boys were removing the pumpkin puree from the mash, someone suggested I take some home and make something with it. I declined twice before finally agreeing. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the pumpkin would taste the same after sitting in the mash, and I had no idea what to do with it. I was originally going to make pumpkin pie, but I’m not really a fan, and I wanted something healthier.

That’s when I decided to try Pumpkin Bread. It’s simple and nothing beats the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven. It comes out super moist and flavorful. The salty pumpkin seeds on top added a great crunch and contrast to the sweetness.

To brew with pumpkin, the guys used 100% pumpkin puree {Not Pumpkin Pie Mix}. They used two different methods for brewing that day, All-Grain and Extract.

For the Extract, Huck used a fine mesh bag and added pumpkin puree plus spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Allspice. He then added the bag to the boil. For the all-grain batch, they placed the pumpkin in the mesh bag, but added it during the mash stage.

I really want to do a “How to Brew” tutorial for you guys one day. I’m hoping to start that in the next few weeks.

Of course if you’re not a homebrewer, you can use regular homemade or canned pumpkin puree for this recipe.

I’m thinking about using the leftovers for a Pumpkin Bread French Toast Casserole. I’ll let you know how it turns out.