Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by Coors Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Golden, Colorado USA

Actually smells a bit bad, which is hard to do on a pumpkin beer. Very little pumpkin or spice in this, mostly uninspired. A nice finish makes this drinkable buy why?

Pours a clear copper color with a thin white head and very low carbonation. Aroma is very light with only a mild note of spice, mostly nutmeg and allspice, and ends with a light fruity nose. Flavor is overall pretty sweet of apples and some pumpkin fruit. A mild mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg add a spicy presence to the brew but are pretty light. Medium body, thin texture and low carbonation round out the brew. The brew really isn’t that bad but the flavors tasted a bit on the weak side, lending to a slightly sub par Blue Moon offering.

Rich amber/cider color; Medium body; Aroma of malt/bread and spice; Flavor of malt, caramel, cinnamon, and some pumpkin overtones; Overall, not the best pumpkin brew I’ve had - it was ok.

Smells like holiday desert, period. Ginger and cinnamon tastes predominate, nutmeg and malt coming next. Aftertaste was unique... lingering bubbles, and a burst of a different balance of pumpkin spices. Not exceptional otherwise... but not bad.

Bottle. Dark copper, clear with loose, receding, off-white head. Aroma is herbal with cinnamon, nutmeg, cereal, and pumpkin. Flavor is earthy with allspice, and pumpkin. Slightly vegetal. Soft and watery. Below average pumpkin beer.

THOUGHTS: Better than most macros, but just an average pumpkin beer. Pumpkin beers shouldn’t just have pumpkin spices, they should be malty and fuller for the Fall season. It was nice for a Blue Moon, but nowhere near the the quality of Full Moon. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, rusty orange with a small to average, off-white head that mostly diminished and barely left any lacing. The aroma was light to moderate caramel; very light grain; and slight pumpkin spices. The initial flavor, which was nice, was sweet; while the finish, which faded away, was rather sweet, ever so slightly sour and a little acidic with a short duration. There was caramel malt, not much pumpkin spices, nuts, toasted malts and slight hops. The light to medium body was slightly syrupy, but mostly watery with fairly fizzy carbonation and a lightly astringent finish.

Deep golden color with orange tints. Minimal head of foam with no retention. Minimal lacing. Nice mellow smell of pumpkin, pie spices and some sweet maltiness. Same spice notes as the nose. No real pumpkin presence. Slight malt flavor. Overall, pretty bland. Thin and waterey. Not appealing. Minimal creaminess, almost as an afterthought. This makes me sad. Blue Moon used to be one of my faves, before Coors bought them out, some years ago. Being well aware of this, I’ve stayed away from their products for awhile now. Since I was craving Pumpkin beers, I thought I’d give this another chance. This is a pale imitation of past glory.

Pours a nice amber. Smells of spices. Thin off white head gone in seconds. Taste wasn’t very good. I did taste pumpkin, but spices get in the way.