You have the option being a purist and roasting and cubing 3 pounds of pumpkin or just using canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix). The pumpkin gives you the color and a hint of flavor but the crux of this beer is the spices. The roasted and crystal malts pair exceptionally well with the spices. We like the residual sweetness of Wyeast Thames Valley 1275 with this recipe.