And now for something a little different…
Sometimes you want something a little different than your typical table wine, but you still want something special. You want something with some flavor, something interesting and different. When we have one of those moments we have a Blue Moon Beer.
While the typical beer in the Chaos household is Mexican and gets a lime wedge and salt for garnish, a Blue Moon Belgium White Ale gets a hefty orange slice. The citrus flavors in this beer really pop when offset by the fresh orange. Unlike many beers, this one is actually unfiltered. The body is cloudy and there is sediment in the bottle. The flavorfulness of this beer though is much like a fine wine and unlike many typical beers. You can taste the complexity of wheat and citrus flavors, feel the thickness of the beer’s body, and smell the hoppy aroma. The fresh orange slices make “having a beer” much more of a sensory experience-like pairing a good wine.
It has been said that pairing beers can be even more complex and satisfying than wine pairings. Never big beer drinkers, we are only beginners in pairing beers but we may start trying more of these special brews in the future. We have had Blue Moon’s Summer Ale: Honey Moon-which is equally delicious. You can bet we’ll be trying their other seasonal flavors as they become available.
Do you have a favorite beer? Have you tried something a little different lately?
Posted in Reviews
August 26th, 2008 at 5:49 am
And now, a different take on the same beverage:
Witbier by definition is prone to cloudiness and fruity tastes all on its own. The wheat and relatively warm brewing temperature of ales contributes to the formation of esters (the aromatic part of fruit flavors) as a byproduct of fermentation.
That said, going into any witbier, you should be prepared for some unfamiliar flavors.
Blue Moon is a a witbier that has all of the characteristics of a typical macrobrewed wheat beer. It’s cloudy to the eye and estery to the tongue, yet still somehow watery and unrefreshing.
But that’s not all. Some genius decided to use some sort of concoction of cardamom in the brew that leaves a bitter, unbalanced taste in your mouth and an explosion of old musty citrus in your nose.
There are many things you can do with this beer, and they range from adding an orange slice to make it barely drinkable, to pouring it down your kitchen drain and breaking the empty bottle over your own head, which might actually be more pleasant. I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourselves, but I need to go put some ice on the lump rising on my forehead.
Selah.
Thanks for the alternate opinion Frank, we aren’t big beer drinkers around here, so maybe a recommendation? -Katie
August 26th, 2008 at 6:32 am
I’ve had Blue Moon beer before – it is good. We’re not big beer drinkers, as neither my hubby or I can hold alcohol very well (I’m flushed and my heart is racing after just a few sips of wine!), but I do like to try different beers every once in a while!
August 26th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Blue Moon is definitely a great beer! It’s one of the perfectly refreshing summer beers. No fruit when you’re at a bar though…only at home. Who knows where those hands that hold the fruit have been! You love the Mexican beer? Have you had Pacifico Clara? Same style as Corona but SO much better!
Thanks Josh! I’ll put it on the list. -Katie
August 26th, 2008 at 7:56 am
It’s a harsh critique, I know, but I am a very selective beer drinker, such to the point that I actually make my own because it’s hard to find good beer at reasonable prices. Also, I did some checking and the spice in Blue Moon is coriander, not cardamom, as I previously indicated.
For other wheat beer (witbier, weisse, etc.) I recommend Hacker-Pschorr. It’s a light(er) wheat beer with subtle fruitiness and medium bitterness. More strongly would I recommend Paulaner Hefewiezen, which has a very complex flavor profile including cinnamon, clove, and hints of banana ester. This is a sit down, dessert beer that goes well with hearty meals on cool nights.
Happy drinking!
That Hefewiezen sounds delicious! I will definitely look for it and let you know what I think. Of course it will be some time before we have any cool nights around here… Thanks! -Katie
August 26th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I can recommend staying away from ‘Fosters’, that horrible concoction marketed overseas as ‘Australian Beer’.
If you’re ever in Australia, try a Coopers Pale Ale. It might not change your life but it’s a great, reliable local beer.
August 27th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I like Bud Light because there are many things you can do with this beer, and they range from drinking one, to pouring about ten or twelve down your throat and breaking the empty bottles over Frank’s head, which actually results in pure satisfaction. I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourselves, but I need to go put some ice on to relieve the headache from Frank’s post.
I’m still trying to master brewing something similar to Budweiser Select at home… it’s SO GOOD but hard to find at the price I want to pay for it.
(P.S. Hoegaarden, Leffe, Chimay)
August 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Hey this is cool. I’ve never seen this brand but my favorite beer is Dead Guy Pale Ale. I love it.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Oh dear, I’m sure Frank would not be happy to hear this but our everyday beer is Shiner Bock.
For something heavier, I like Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers.
Avery Brewing has interesting beers also. I had a colleague who drank a couple botles of their beer “The Beast” and he said he fell out of his jacuzzi. One bottle shared with my husband and I was laid out on the couch the rest of the night.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:48 am
I am so glad I found your blog! First amazing fried chicken and now my favorite beer in the whole wide world?!
I totally dig you.
Aw sweetbird, I totally dig you back! -Katie
June 5th, 2017 at 6:03 am
Descomunal, formato de tu blog! ¿Cuanto tiempo llevas bloggeando? haces que leer en tu blog sea divertido. El diseño total de tu web es magnífico, al igual que el material contenido!
Saludos