Okay, so here's the update on this brew:
I came up with 1.072 OG into the brew kettle. I used the "hybrid fly/batch sparge" presented by Biermuncher's sticky.
The brew sat in the fermenter for two weeks, and came out at 1.018. Bottled this puppy up, using 5.6 oz of corn sugar (for 2.9 vols carbonation). Let the bottles sit for another three weeks...
...opened one up for a sampling and....HOLY SMOKES, thats a LOT of carbonation! How could this be? Ran another gravity test...1.010 ...CRAP! I guess it was not done fermenting...
Needless to say, finishing at 1.010, the brew is very dry. I think this is because my mash thermometer is off. It says "154 F", when really I think it is about "150 - 151 F".
Also, I cut back a bit on the amount of spice I used (because I bought the wrong Libby's pumpkin stuff!). As a result, the brew is not as "pumpkin-y" as I would have liked. BUT, the brew is still fairly young. Couple more weeks, and I will see where it's at. Hope to god the carbonation settles down a bit. haha
In conclusion (according to Beersmith), this beer finished with a pretty high alcohol content...8.11% WHOA! ... Luckily, the alcohol is undetectable. Popped open a few of these puppies last night and was feelin preeetty good. Even if it doesn't taste that great, it gets me drunk...
...round TWO of this brew comes tomorrow...
What I will change:
1) get a new freakin thermometer
2) get the CORRECT pumpkin mix
3) let it ferment for THREE weeks