Pumpkin

For a riff that goes beyond pumpkin pie, this tiramisu made with a splash of Belgian strong dark ale is ready to take center stage at your holiday gathering.

Pumpkin ale is a seasonal American tradition strong enough to smash even the most cynical pumpkin-spice fatigue. It’s also fun to make—and drink, and share—at home.

Popular legend holds that colonists brewed ales with pumpkins, even if the evidence is scanty. But if they did, what would they have been like? Frank Clark, food historian and brewer at Colonial Williamsburg, walks us through his highly educated guess.