No other beer manages to be quite as contentious as a tall glass of pumpkin ale. Since the Colonial era, brewmasters have quarreled over pumpkin beer’s merits every October as the seasonal brew makes its annual reemergence. It’s all in the flavor, really: Some beer aficionados croon over the subtle hints of squash, while others pinch their nose at the cloying pumpkin-pie sweetness.

The story of pumpkin beer is as old as America. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were all said to have experimented with it when English barley was too rare to procure. And the following bars are ready to continue the Founding Fathers’ tradition this month as they roll out new flavors fresh from the pumpkin patch.

Birreria Paradiso (2029 P St., NW, 202-223-1245; 3282 M St., NW; 202-337-1245)
At the Dupont Circle location, you’ll find Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, a hoppy beer with a clean, refreshing taste that bar manager Greg Jasgur says “you can drink a lot of.” A more traditional pumpkin ale, this beer harkens back to the olden days of pumpkin brewing. Meanwhile, on tap in Georgetown is Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which has a sweeter, spicier pumpkin-pie flavor, and Cape Ann’s Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout, with a strong roasted flavor, fewer pumpkin-pie notes, and a taste of fresh pumpkin.
How much longer: Through October.
Price: $7 a pint.

1. Help celebrate the YWCA’s annual Week Without Violence campaign by learning how to fight. Starting at 6 on Thursday, men and women are invited to the Penn Quarter YMCA (624 Ninth St., NW) for a free one-hour self-defense workshop with Sara Salam. The class will cover both holistic and physical ways to channel fear into strength in order to confront attackers.

2. You’re young, ambitious, and working to change the world. Isn’t it time society gave something back to you other than a barely livable wage? Following the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network gala at the White House on Thursday, BlackFinn American Saloon is throwing an after-party for Washington’s young nonprofit workers and their friends starting at 6. A $5 donation is suggested at the door; Miller Lites are just $2, and glasses of house wine, Champagne, and rail drinks are $3. BlackFinn will provide free food. The networking is up to you.

3. The Bethesda-based Chic Physique fitness club is kicking off its grand-opening weekend with a free Friday-night Sexy Halloween Party at 7, followed by a free pole-dancing demonstration at 9 by Jessalynn Medairy, who teaches the gym’s Ooh La La Lap Dance classes. The fitness center is also offering free trial lessons from noon to 5 on Saturday and Sunday. Classes include Pole Tease, Lap Dance, FlirTease, and Hot Hips.

When hosting a Halloween party, there are three elements critical for success: (1) a great costume, (2) a good music selection (bonus points if you have a DJ), and (3) killer drinks. The last is perhaps the most critical element—the tastier the drinks, the more your guests will consume, and the drunker they get, the less likely they are to care about (1) or (2).

For advice on the perfect drink to serve at a party, we enlisted PS 7’s Gina Chersevani, who recommended putting together a punch: “Punches are great when you’re entertaining, especially during the upcoming holidays.” Her Toasted-Spice Apple-Cider Punch recipe is made with fresh apple cider, pressed at the restaurant. If you don’t have a cider press, an electric juicer will do the trick—just make sure you remove the apple cores before. To make three cups, you’ll need about 12 pounds of apples. If you’re pinching pennies, here’s some good news: Chersevani recommends making the cider using bruised or slightly damaged apples, which sell for much less than regular apples. Of course, if you’d rather skip the hard work, you can buy premade cider.

Below, Chersevani demonstrates how to make the punch and how to properly toast the spices used in the drink. Check out the videos, and make sure to get the recipe after the jump.

Absinthe may still be the main draw at this second-story Shaw restaurant, which opened at the height of the spirit’s craze last year, but bar manager Melyssa Mason has created a cocktail menu with a more well-rounded selection. There’s the 4 O’Clock Rocks ($10), which mixes Hendrick’s gin with muddled cucumbers and limes, and the Mely’s Milkshake ($10)—named after Mason—that’s a combination of vanilla vodka, Frangelico, and Bailey’s.

Also on the menu: 1905’s signature cocktail, the Green Lantern ($11). This gin drink is made with muddled limes and basil, a splash of pineapple juice, and a house-made pineapple simple syrup—the secrets of this last ingredient, says Mason, can’t be revealed. “But regular simple syrup also works,” she adds, tauntingly.

Get a demonstration of how to make the Green Lantern below, and make sure to stop by 1905 for a taste of the fall cocktail lineup, which Mason says will feature some warmed Scotch drinks. The recipe for the Green Lantern is included after the jump.

He may be the City Paper’s beer expert, but on Saturday, Orr Shtuhl will temporarily ditch the mug for cocktail gear and step behind the bar to host Spice, a cocktail party at the Warehouse (1021 7th St., NW). On the menu: five original drinks—plus some punch and shooters—created by Shtuhl and priced at no more than $7. What makes the party even more sweet: DJ Sean P of Fatback will emcee the event.

The Phillips, a variant of a screwdriver that’s made with paprika-infused vodka, is one of the menu’s more interesting offerings. To infuse the vodka, Shtuhl drew inspiration from a previous Buzzed cocktail demonstration and used a home version of the sous vide technique. Find out how he created the drink below, and make sure to get the recipe as well as a look at the party’s menu after the jump.

The calendar may suggest otherwise, but the mugginess outside tells us summer is still here in Washington. So what better time to grab a mojito—the quintessential summer cocktail? Occidental Grill & Seafood, the historic Washington dining room just a short walk from the White House, has a tasty version of this drink that’s easy (and cheap!) to recreate at home: The bottle of Goulart Rosé Spanish Cava, used to top off the drink and give it distinctive taste and red tint, is just $18 at most liquor stores.

Check out our video below to find out how to make this refreshing drink—or stop by the Occidental for the mojito ($12). The recipe is after the jump.

Midtown Loft doesn’t exactly put its best face forward. The narrow, dimly lit stairwell climbing to the bar’s third-story perch is a tough barrier for those who just want to sip a beer. But if you shine your cell phone against the walls and squint, a handful of cheery signs leads patrons on: “Your glutes will thank you later!” “The top of the Washington monument doesn’t serve beer . . . we do!”

Opened on August 17, Midtown Loft is the latest bar from owner Michael Romeo—the force behind Fur, Lotus Lounge, and Tattoo. Yet unlike Romeo’s other dress-to-impress upscale creations, here you’re more likely to sway to Bob Marley in sandals than sweat to Bomb the Bass in stilettos.