For the last 10 years, I have brewed beer for the office Christmas open house. The company pays for my ingredients, as well as some brewing gear on occasionally, so it has worked out well for all parties.
A couple of years ago one of the VPs told me he had a bumper crop of pumpkins this year, including pie pumpkins. Great! I replied, I will brew a pumpkin beer this year.
I cut them up, seeded them, and put them in the oven to roast. What I did not factor in, is that freshly harvested pumpkins have A LOT OF LIQUID in them.
So, while I was merrily getting the brew started up down in the basement, my wife comes home to find the oven smoking like a chimney from all the liquid oozing out of the cut up pumpkin roasting.\
I continued anyway.
At the Christmas party, 2 months later, I received a few compliments on the pumpkin ale. But personally, I could taste kitchen smoke in every sip.
I will never brew another pumpkin ale again. (And to start with, I am with Denny. I have always hated them. Biggest. Beer. Gimmick. Ever. [Okay, session IPA has surpassed that]).