Beer Me That Mac and Cheese

I love beer.  It's perfect, flawless, beautiful.  It's gorgeous golden glow (or dark brown hue), it's fragrant full bodied aroma, it's remarkable fun flavor with it's subtle carbonation.  Perfection.  Thanks god.  There's absolutely nothing I want more in life than to drink beer, always.  Especially with Mac and Cheese.  Especially in Mac and Cheese.  YES, let's do it... let's pour beer in our Mac and Cheese.

No I'm not joking.  Thanks to I breathe therefore I am...hungry for the inspiration for very interesting take on my favorite comfort food.  I changed a few things and would change a few things next time, but this was a unique meal that I highly recommend for one of these 5,000 unbearably cold winter nights we're attempting to endure.

what you need...
1 lb Rotini pasta
1 cup unseasoned panko bread crumbs
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 of a pumpkin ale or brown ale (I used Sierra Nevada Autumn Brown Ale)
8 oz grated Manchego Cheese (now see, I used this and didn't love the flavor and found myself needing 
   more cheesiness so instead I would suggest trying 8 oz grated sharp cheddar and 4 oz Gruyere cheese)
Salt and Pepper to taste

what should we do with all these crazy ingredients that don't seem to go together?
1  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare pasta following directions on package.  Strain and set aside.
2  Chop uncooked bacon into small pieces and add to a deep skillet.  Cook over medium heat for 1 - 2 minutes, or until bacon is beginning to crisp.  Add panko crumbs to bacon and saute over medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes, or until panko crumbs appear golden brown and bacon is crisp.  Strain onto paper towel and set aside.  Wipe pan clean and return to heat, adding the butter.
3  Once butter has completely melted, add garlic and onions to pan and cook for about 2 minutes.  Whisk in flour and increase heat, continuously stirring.  Slowly add milk salt and pepper and bring to a boil, continuously whisking.  At this point, not only should your hand be real hot and your arm be mildly tired, but your sauce should be becoming thick.  Once sauce is thick add pumpkin and beer, stirring until smooth.  Add cheese and mix until cheese has melted.  
4  Add strained pasta to skillet with sauce and mix until all pasta is coated.  Transfer pasta and cheese mixture into a 9 x 13 oven safe glass dish.  Spread panko and bacon mixture over pasta, being sure to completely cover the top.  
5  Bake for 15 minutes and get ready to be warm and cozy.  Suffer from how delicious this will make your apartment, oh sorry, house smell and drink a beer.  

Awww look how artistic I can be!  And yes, that brocolini was for show. 

And that my friends, is how we add beer to our mac and cheese...