Pumpkin Saison Fermentation Results

The pumpkin saison is finally bottled and in the process of carbonating.  I've been kind of sick for a while, so I've fallen behind on posts.  You can compare the beer results to what my original recipe and plan was here.

Pumpkin Saison in the bucket

Grain Bill
9lb Pilsen Malt
12oz Wheat Malt
8oz Biscuit Malt
8oz Crystal 20L Malt
1lb Belgian Clear Candi Sugar (added with 10 minutes remaining in the boil)

Hops
2oz 3.8%AA Hallertau 80 minutes
1oz 13.9%AA Citra 5 minutes

Spices (at flameout)
0.5oz Coriander
0.15oz Cinnamon sticks
0.15oz Clove
0.15oz Nutmeg

Fruit/Vegetables
3.62lb (58oz) of Canned Pumpkin Purée in the mash

Pumpkin Saison sample glass

Mash Schedule
127F for 45 minutes
145F for 60 minutes
Mashout at 167F

Yeast
White Labs 566 - Saison II

Boil
80 minutes

Results
O.G. = 1.070
F.G. = 1.011
ABV = 7.7%
IBU = 29

1. I know my other recipe said my homebrew store was out of Hallertau. However, when I checked my chest freezer in the basement, I found a 2oz bag.

2. I had to double up on the spices over my original plan because I didn't have any All Spice.

3. If I had to do it again, I'd toss a vanilla bean in the fermenter for a little more flavor.

4. My opinion, there are two main reasons you put pumpkin in the mash and not in the fermenter like fruit beers:
A. There are some starches that can be converted in the mash that wouldn't otherwise ferment.
B. Pumpkin is very goopy and likes to clog things up.  If you have to choose a place where you want to clog a tube, it's draining the mash.  You can stop, mix up the bed and restart draining.  If you clog a tube after the boil, you risk infection.  If you clog a siphon tube after fermentation, you risk oxidation.

It was brewed on 8/12/2012 and bottled on 9/16/2012.  I did not rack to a secondary.  Active fermentation seemed to take 2.5 to 3 weeks at 76F.

Taste Results
As I  have said before, pumpkin ales are really more about the spices than the pumpkin. Pumpkin is a subtile and delicate flavor and mostly comes across as creaminess.

Sure, clear glass increases risk of skunking over time, but
you can't beat it for presentation.

I have not had this beer carbonated yet. Only a sampling at bottling. So the flavor may adjust some more.

Also, since 7.7% beers don't bottle carb overnight, I don't really expect this one to be carbonated until 10/16/2012.

Anyway, the taste -> you have to think of the taste in three parts: first, middle, and finishing and aftertaste.

The first taste is all Saison and Citra hops.  The middle taste is where the pumpkin and spices come in and bring a taste of pumpkin pie. The finishing and aftertaste is of the spices and it lingers on your palate (and not in an obnoxious way).

There is room for improvement, but this is definitely one of my Top 5 recipes.