Blue Moon Pale Moon

Brewed by Coors Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Style: Belgian Ale
Golden, Colorado USA

Name: Pale Moon
Date: May 23, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ticker Tasting
Appearance: clear copper, wispy off white head, streaks of lace
Aroma: sweet crystal and caramel malt aroma, light citrus, touch of floral
Flavor: sweet caramel flavor, nice balancing hops, sweet citrus, light bitterness
Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

(Draught, labeled as Ebb Tide) Pours a lightly hazy orange body with a small off-white head. Aroma of orange peel, florals, grass, and toasted grain. Flavor of floral, grassy hops, caramel malt, and orange peel with a mild bitterness in the finish.

Bottle... Clear, deep golden ale with a small, creamy, white head. The mostly fruity aroma also provides notes of toffee and honey. Light to medium-bodied. Unbalanced. Nice biscuity flavor, but a little too sweet for me. Finishes sweet with toffee and honey lingering on. Not offensive at all, but there’s nothing “Belgian” about this beer. I didn’t pick up any of the hibiscus or orange peel - of course, my neighborhood has hibiscus all over the place and I have yet to pull any aroma from it - so take that for what it’s worth. However, to me, this beer is much more reminiscent of an amber ale or English pale ale than anything at all within the Belgian family of styles. Thanks to Kevin for giving me this bottle at my 40th birthday party in Morgantown, WV!

Nose is soap-heavy laundry detergent anise and candied/perfumed floral notes. Body is light, effervescent, refreshing, moderately smooth. Flavor is lightly sweet cane sugar and floral notes up front but quickly turns to sour, offensive fusel/stewed celery on the back. As expected. Belgian ale rating #100.

Bottle from Liquor Stop in Highland, IN. Poured a clear deep copper body with a sickly white head. Very sweet malt aroma with some light floral scents. Honey sweet taste with a touch of citric bitterness. Gassy. Not worth complete sentences. Inoffensive.

Bottle from shigadeyo. Poured clear amber color with a large frothy off-white head that was lasting and produced good lacing. Heavy grassy citrus aroma. Light to medium body. Moderate grassy sweet flavor with medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Very intersting just above average brew.

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, off-white, mostly diminishing. Body is clear medium amber. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), moderately hoppy (resin), with a light note of plastic/rubber. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately bitter, slightly unclean. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. It’s about as Belgian-styled as...oh, let’s see...Sam Adams Boston Lager. But that’s what they’re pretending it is, so that’s how I’m assessing it. It’s the foul-mouthed, unkempt guy at the party that everyone wishes would just leave.

Bottle from a party last night. Beautiful copper color with a foamy off-white head. Nice aromas of citrus and other fruit. Medium body minus with some sprightly carbonation. A little light in the flavor department. Touch of citrus zest, and some rough light roast caramel. A bit gummy in the finish. Good enough to drink. Pretty weak for a Belgian.