Blue Moon Brewing Company's flagship beer - Blue Moon - was launched in 1995, and is a Belgian-style witbier brewed by the Molson Coors Brewing Company at their Coors Field Sandlot Brewery (the onsite brewery owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company). It is marketed in Canada as a similar beer called Rickard's White which is brewed in Montreal, Quebec. Blue Moon was originally called Bellyslide Belgian White, and was created by Keith Villa, a brewer at the Sandlot brewery. The beer is orange-amber in color with a cloudy appearance because it is unfiltered. It is brewed with malted barley, white wheat, and oats, and is also spiced with coriander and orange peel in addition to the hops found in most beers. Blue Moon has a more pronounced orange flavor than many other beers of the style, and also has a slightly sweet flavor.
While some weiss and hefeweizen beers are commonly served with a slice of lemon in North America, Blue Moon is traditionally served with a slice of orange, which is meant to accentuate the flavor of the brew. Creator Keith Villa of Molson Coors admitted the orange slice garnish was mostly for attention-getting when Blue Moon is served in a bar. Many beer drinkers do not prefer fruit slices in their beer, and indeed it is often frowned upon since citric acid can eliminate the beer's frothy, flavorful head. Traditionalists may prefer to have the brew served in a wheat beer glass instead. As with the tradition of unfiltered wheat beer, it is suggested to leave a small amount of the beer with sediment at the bottom of the bottle, then swirl it around in order to pour it into the glass, creating a thick head on the beer.
Blue Moon is available in bottles and kegs, and recently branched out into cans. The brew has 171 calories per 12-ounce serving and 5.4% alcohol by volume, however, in Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah, the alcohol content of all Blue Moon beers bought in grocery or convenience stores is 3.2% alcohol by weight (approximately 4.0% alcohol by volume). Blue Moon Brews and Seasonal Brews sold in Liquor Stores are 5.4% by volume.
The back of the label reads, "Brewed with white wheat and oats, Blue Moon features a crisp wheat finish and the perfect combination of orange peel and coriander. Bring out Blue Moon's natural spices by serving it in a Pilsner glass with an orange-slice garnish."
Locations[]
22nd and Blake Street
Coors Field
Denver, CO 80202
United States
303-298-1587
Labels[]
- Blue Moon (1995) (originally Bellyslide Belgian White)
- Honey Moon (2006) (originally Blue Moon Summer Ale)
- Harvest Moon (2006) (originally Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale)
- Full Moon (2006) (originally Blue Moon Winter Ale)
- Rising Moon (2007) (originally Blue Moon Spring Ale)
- Pale Moon (2008)
- Winter Abbey Ale (2010)
- Spiced Amber Ale (2011)
Awards[]
- 1995 World Beer Championship gold medalist, White Beer category
- 1996 World Beer Championship silver medalist, White Beer category
- 1997 World Beer Championship silver medalist, White Beer category
- 2008 World Beer Cup gold medalist, Specialty Honey Lager or Ale category for Blue Moon's Honey Moon
- 2008 World Beer Cup silver medalist, Fruit and Vegetable Beer category for Chardonnay Blonde
- 2008 World Beer Cup Champion Brewery - Large Brewing Company