Beer Primer Ready the stomach pump(kin): guzzling a few beers made with the great gourd

Leaves have begun filling with brilliant color, and spandex-wearing cyclists are especially tense and jittery. Winter is nigh upon us, the dark comes earlier now, and soon the streets will be filled with scary witches and monstrous demons, with only a cadre of Harry Potters and Hermione Grangers to keep the public peace. Yes, The A.V. Club thinks, it’s the time for a wool sweater, fingerless knit gloves, a 12-gauge shotgun just in case, and a cold bottle of pumpkin beer or three on the front porch from which to drink deeply while pondering the shift in seasons and the swirling winds as they gather autumnal detritus.

Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager
When is a pumpkin ale not an ale? When it’s a lager, of course. Lakefront bills its seasonal beer as the world’s only pumpkin lager, putting all those other weak, pumpkin-themed ales to shame. Even the beer’s description sounds unique: “A frothy entry leads to a off-dry medium-to-full body of intense cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and candied yam flavor on a nutty wheat toast palate. Finishes with a drier spice and light toffee fade.”
Where is the hook-up: Various grocery stores, liquor stores, and baseball stadiums throughout the city.

Woodman Brewery Halloween Ale
This hand-crafted micro-brew is quite subtle, with a crisp, mineral taste revealing almost no pumpkin after the initial blush. It’s subtle, refreshingly clean, and tastes best very cold. If you’re still in the Halloween drinking mood, check out the Shocktoberfest, which comes out Oct. 1 in 18-ounce bottles and packs a ghoulish 10-percent ABV.
Where is the hook-up: Woodman’s Foods or the Whistle Stop Restaurant in Woodman, Wisconsin.

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale
Ichabod summons the spectre of the Headless Horseman, a tale defined by Ichabod Crane’s fear for losing his head. Easy to do with this brew: Strong notes of spice and pumpkin kick in after the creamy ale is down the hatch, inviting another sip.
Where is the hook-up: Beechwood Sales and Service

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
A delicate, floral nose offers hints of citrus, the initial taste is of cinnamon and nutmeg nose, and a mild finish provides little aftertaste until a massive pumpkin flavor supersedes all other flavors.
Where is the hook-up: Beechwood Sales and Service