Brewery: Coors Brewing Company, Golden, Colorado
Brewery Description: “Blue Moon Belgian White, Belgian-style wheat ale, is a refreshing, medium-bodied, unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale spiced with fresh coriander and orange peel for a uniquely complex taste and an uncommonly smooth finish. The name “Belgian White” is a reference to the cloudy white, opaque appearance of the beer. “Belgian White” also refers to the style of beer, which has been brewed in Belgium for about 300 years. This type of ale is brewed with malt, wheat and oats. It is unfiltered, which allows protein and yeast to remain suspended in the beer and creates the cloudy appearance. This also adds to the smoothness and full body of the beer. Putting a new twist on the lime ritual, Blue Moon is traditionally served with a slice of orange. Blue Moon was launched in 1995.”
Brew Style: Belgian White, 5.4% ABV
Recommended Glassware: Tumbler, Weizen
The Ugly Truth: I’ve had a decent variety of white beers, and Blue Moon was probably the one of the first ones I had ever had. Sadly, since then I’ve come to recognize that its not the best white beer out there on the market. It is a decently made white beer, no question there. It pours nice, with a good head to it. The body is definately in the medium range, right where it should be for a white beer. The taste is pretty good but I always found it a bit sour. I also wasn’t thrilled by the extent of the spicing, I found them to be a bit stronger than I like in my whites. That being said, it still not a bad beer and I know there are people who enjoy it.
Verdict: I shall now call this beer “Half Moon” because I’m giving it a 5 out of 10 bottlecaps.
For a mass-produced Belgian White, it’s really not that bad. The good thing about Blue Moon is you can find it pretty much anywhere. You just have to smack the bartender when they try to jam a lemon wedge in the top of the bottle. Orange is the way to go. I work with someone who swears Blue Moon is THE perfect beer companion to sushi, so I look forward to trying out that experiment.
Yeah, wheats get lemons, whites gets orange. I can’t imagine drinking this stuff with sushi though. I thought it was a rule you had to drink Kirin Lite when you were eating sushi?
Weak review Remy! This beer is very tasty especially with a slice of orange…takes me back to McCoy Stadium. I guess a beer has to make Remy sprout horns from his forehead in order to get a rating above a 6.
Sorry hon, there are far far better white beers out there than Blue Moon. I could have gone with a six, but it wasn’t quite “meh” enough.
Remy is slipping. Sorry, Rem. First off, Blue Moon is probably one of the smoothest Belgian Whites I’ve ever had, and its aftertaste is distinctly sweet. A slice of orange only enhances that. I’d give it an easy 7.
As for it being the best beer to go with sushi, I am not so sure. Good naturally brewed and fermented soy sauce has a subtle flavor that comes through only when the palate isn’t overrun with other flavors, especially sweet ones. That’s my opinion anyway. I prefer warm sake for sushi. But if I had to choose a beer, I’d probably go with a clean pilsner.
Honestly man, you need to expand your exposure to Belgian Whites then, because Blue Moon is in the middle ground in terms of quality.
Hoegaarden White Beer is better for example.
And I’m honestly suprised it took this long for a controversy on a review to pop up.
You’re assuming people read them…
Sorry guys, I didn’t mean to start a flame war…but Blue Moon is good beer, especially considering it’s made by Coors….who knew they could make a good beer?
They also make Killian’s
Blue Moon is mediocre at-best. I think 5 is the perfect rating. As for the perfect beer to go with sushi, any sushi chef will, sadly, tell you Bud.
Yeah because its made with freakin’ rice.
Dammit Remy, you beat me to the rice comment.
When it comes to sushi, I actually just prefer water. I’m weird that way, I know. But I definitely wouldn’t call Blue Moon mediocre. If I had the choice between Blue Moon and any other “Big brand” beer, I’d almost certainly pick the Blue Moon over that swill.
Well so would I, I’m just saying that as far as belgian whites go, Blue Moon isn’t exactly at the top of the list.
People complain when a company like Coors makes swill, yet when they make a good beer, and this is a good, tasty beer.. …they get slammed. You can’t have it both ways.
Most German wheats that I have had have an aftertaste of formaldehyde. I like Weihenstephaner.. I can’t speak for Belgians, but that aside, this is a smooth and tasty beer. Period. It’s better than Sam Adams’ wheaty beer. (IMO)
Besides, I don’t like paying $8-$10 and up for a six (or a four) of some Euro beer. I’d rather save that money for my Bourbon.
The orange peel thing, though, is so pretentious. Every time I read about putting an orange peel in beer my faggit alarm goes off.
I’ve got nothing against larger breweries putting out good beers under a different label. I like Killian’s and that’s a Coors product. That being said, Blue Moon is still middle of the pack for white beers, hence the 5 out if 10. If you look around the various beer sites, most people have a similar reaction, maybe liking it a bit more.
As for the formaldehyde taste, I got no idea where that one is coming from since I’ve never experienced that one. The orange peel thing I’m not going near since the last time I heard someone actually use the term “faggit” I was in a hick-ass section of SE Mass and it was 1998.
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I agree that Blue Moon is mediocre at best. The first white I had was Celis and it was superb. Unfortunately, they relocated from TX to MI and I can no longer find the stuff. Hoegaarten is definately tasty and even better as a draught beer. I just converted a Blue Mooner to Hoegaarten last weekend.
Tom, your homophobic comment is very rude. What gives? I know many a gay person (myself included) who would never put an orange slice in beer.
Thanks for the feedback Shelly.
Maybe Tom is “special”.
Was excited to stumble across this site. I don’t know much about beer but am trying to educate myself. I will definitely (spelled correctly this time) be back to check out your reviews.
Thanks for all of your work!
I don’t know if drinking a different beer every week qualifies as “work”, but its been a fun time.
I like this beer myself. I’ve rated it as high as 8, but I’m not a hops fan nor do I like bitterness either. You did say you through there were better “far far better white beers” out there though…I’m curious as to which ones do you think are better? Maybe it’ll help me expand my taste if this isn’t the best out there then I’m excited to try the rest!!!
There are a few ones I feel are better that I’ve reviewed. I’ll have to go through and look to see which ones.
As with all the beers I do, if you like it then thats great and you should continue drinking it.