Pumpkin Beer Mustard

The other day a friend and chef (who's tried my homemade Guinness mustard before) suggested I try using other beers as a base, such as pumpkin. I thought that was a great idea and seasonal too! Pumpkin beers are such a wonderful fall treat. In fact, it doesn't quite feel like fall until I've had a sip of an autumnal inspired sud. Before you know it, pumpkin beers are gone, so by incorporating it into mustard, it's a wonderful way to preserve that hoppy pumpkin flavor for months to come. 

Pumpkin mustard is a natural condiment for all those delicious Bavarian sausages and pretzels which wouldn't be complete without an Oktoberfest or pumpkin beer. This mustard might be cause enough for an Oktoberfest type celebration! 

I've used roughly the same recipe as the Guinness mustard, I've just increased the spices a bit and used apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. I think it pairs nicely with the pumpkin beer. The choice of beer doesn't really matter, so pick your favorite pumpkin brew, although I would suggest using a slightly darker beer versus a lighter one. This will give the mustard a more complex flavor and darken it's overall color. I've used yellow mustard seeds because I'm privy to spicy mustards, but feel free to use black or brown mustard seeds if you prefer a milder mustard. 

PUMPKIN BEER MUSTARD
Adapted from Saveur, Issue 117

Ingredients:
7 oz. pumpkin beer (plus 1 to 2 oz. for thinning out mustard later on)
1 cup mustard seeds (see notes below)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium size non-reactive bowl. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 days to allow the mustard seeds to soften and the flavors to meld. 

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula (process until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mustard begins to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes). If the mustard seems too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more of pumpkin beer, and stir to combine. Transfer the mustard to a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate overnight to use immediately, or refrigerate and use within 6 months.

Yield: about 2 1/4 cups 

Notes:

• If you prefer a spicy mustard, use yellow mustard seeds. For a milder mustard, use brown or black mustard seeds. It's significantly cheaper to buy mustard seeds in larger packages at specialty spice stores, such as Kalustyan's in NYC (123 Lexington Ave.).
• As expected, the potency of the mustard will mellow a bit as it ages.