Beer Review: Blue Moon

Being a beer snob, I generally turn my nose up at anything put out by the major brewers: Coors, Miller, Bud, etc. But before I was fully entrenched in my snobbery, I tried Blue Moon, not realizing it was a Coors product. I tried it on my beer buddy Mobelly’s recommendation, and I have to say it earned a soft, wheaty spot in my heart.

Blue Moon is a belgian-style white beer. The beer poured to a cloudy orange-copper color. The cloudiness comes from the unfiltered nature of this ale. The color can only be called extremely appropriate, as I smelled orange before my nose even neared the glass.

On the pour I notice a medium head that seems to last a good long while.

The nose, once I got past the orange, also had a nice wheat bread dough aroma to it. I thought it had a very smooth mouthfeel to it, with mild carbonation, though I did think it could have been fuller bodied. I tasted wheat bread dough and orange in the beer. Some people like this accompanied by a slice of orange. I tried it once, but I much prefer it standing alone. I think this is a great introduction to wheat as an ingredient in beer.

There are other spice notes in the beer, but spices are my weak point….I have a hard time identifying distinct spices in beers or foods, for some reason.

This beer says it is bottled by Blue Moon Brewing Co., but this is really a Coors product. I think it is, overall, a nice change of pace from the usual, and a great summertime, or even springtime, beer. Very refreshing and light. I think it’s a good introduction to wheat-type beers. It’s subtle enough to get you used to the idea without being so overpoweringly wheaty as to turn you off of them forever.

Recommended: Definitely
Price: I paid $6.79 for a six-pack
ABV: 5.4%

Awards:

• 1996 World Beer Championship silver medalist, White Beer category
• 1997 World Beer Championship silver medalist, White Beer category
• 1995 World Beer Championship gold medalist, White Beer category