1001 Beers

Beer No: 15/1001
Page No: 566
Category: White

It's somewhat fitting that today's beer of choice is Blue Moon from Blue Moon Brewing Co.  A "Belgian-Style Wheat Ale," this beer is pretty far off of the mark of being a Belgian white.  It's a bit too dark, way too watery, and just devoid of any real flavors.  But boy is it refreshing on a hot day like today.  This beer is just easy to drink.  It's certainly nothing special, but if you're looking for a beer to chug down while watching your favorite game, or if you're one of "those" people that likes a fruit in their beer, have a Blue Moon with a slice of orange and drink it down...

As for me, I'll take a beer with flavor, with heft, with character.  So, I'll wait until tomorrow to have what I really crave as I've got a couple of amazing beers in the fridge for the weekend lineup.  But until then, watered down wheat.

On an unrelated note, studying to become a Certified Cicerone continues.  After passing the Certified Beer Server exam with a 93% (and I somehow skipped two questions), I'm fairly confident that with some more studying and time, becoming a Certified Cicerone should not be a huge problem.  My main weaknesses lie in knowing all about the draft beer system - the kegs, lines, proper cleaning, etc. - and in the food and beer pairings.  But with my new book, Tasting Beer, I hope to really learn about proper pairings and the intricacies of all the different types of beer.  I really was surprised by this book when it arrived yesterday - it's much more in-depth than I expected and it covers such a broad range of topics, it really is an essential book for any beer geek.  From glassware to cheese pairings and ancient beer history to modern brewing techniques, this book really does cover just about anything you need to know about beer.  It'll teach you how to identify off-flavors, differentiate between a German and Czech Pilsner, and what type of beer you should bring to a party when you don't know what will be served (Abbey Dubbels or Tripels work great with all foods).  Either way, I'm looking forward to digging into the book and really learning much more about beer.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Blue Moon Belgian White Ale from Coors Brewing Company (MillerCoors)

Aroma: 5/10
Appearance: 2/5
Flavor: 3/10
Palate: 2/5
Overall: 10/20

Rating: 2.2 / 5.0

Had from bottle. Pours a golden orange color with a slight white head which is quickly gone. Very small bit of head remains around edges of glass and there is no lacing to speak of. Aromas of wheat and very minuscule hints of orange and citrus. Tastes of orange and slight sweetness. Cloudy appearance deceives the watery texture and taste. It’s got drinkability though, and that’s all the masses seem to care about. As for taste, not so much.