United Nations of Beer

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager

by Lucia Novara
(Beer Delegate, CO, USA)

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager
Lakefront Brewery, WI, USA

Lakefront's pumpkin beer took home the trophy and also probably slept with Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin ale's girlfriend after the game. (Hopefully it used a Jack-o-Lantern condom. Ed.)

It's a lager, which makes it freak show in the world of pumpkin seasonals (most are ales because they take less time to brew). The Lakefront brought an all-spice offense with nutmeg and cinnamon flavors at the forefront.

Since it's a lager it had more carbonation than you typically see in a pumpkin seasonal, and the extra carbo made for a harsher mouthfeel, but it was in tune with the dramatic spice flavor.

The brewers at Lakefront use real pumpkin mash and riff on a recipe that Thomas Jefferson used to home-brew pumpkin beer at Monticello. Deep and smooth while not being too thick, this lager was a slice of pumpkin heaven.