Why not drink your pumpkin pie this holiday season? Here's another way to enjoy the taste of that classic pie with its warm, spicy flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pumpkin ale, a seasonal beer, hit the stores around October and should be around through Thanksgiving.

The basics: Pumpkin ale is flavored with roasted pumpkins and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Its history dates to the Pilgrims, who were said to have used pumpkins to brew beer because traditional brewing ingredients were so scarce.

George Washington was also known to have brewed a kind of pumpkin porter (dark beer) himself. In fact, the company credited with reviving pumpkin ale in the 1980s, Buffalo Bill's Brewery in Hayward, Calif., got the idea after reading about Washington's use of squash in his brew mash.

Pumpkin ale is made with a mash of roasted pumpkin and a combination of hops (the dried flowers of a vine used to give beer its bitter flavor) and barley malt (a grain). Spices are then added to give it a pleasing pumpkin-pie taste.

Selecting: A number of commercial brands are produced, but Buffalo Bob's is the brand easiest to find in the islands. Homebrewers may want to try some of the many recipes available on the Internet.

Storing: Like all beers, pumpkin ale should be consumed immediately -- aging is not encouraged. Ales are best enjoyed at around 55 degrees, a temperature that brings out the complex flavors.

Where to buy: Many supermarkets and specialty liquor stores should be carrying pumpkin ale for the next few weeks. Prices are steep, from $7 to $8 for a six pack.

Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com

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