What we are tasting in a pumpkin pie is actually the huge load of sugar dumped into it along with the allspice, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, ginger and other spices. I’ve read where some brewers talk about how much pumpkin puree they use per batch, but they get coy when you ask about the sugar and spice. It’s essentially “pumpkin pie beer”.

Bob Brewer on Pumpkin Beers and Halloween, from the Anchor Brewing Blog.