Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

US NavLeft

  • Home
  • Brewery
  • Beers
    • Current Available Beers
      • Blue Moon® Belgian White<br><span>Belgian-Style Wheat Ale</span>
      • Moon Haze
      • Mango Wheat
      • Blue Moon LightSky<br><span>Citrus Wheat</span>
      • Blue Moon LightSky<br><span>Tropical Wheat</span>
    • Past beers
      • Agave Blonde Ale
      • Belgian Table Pils
      • Blackberry Tart Ale
      • Cappuccino Oatmeal Stout
      • Caramel Apple Spiced Ale
      • Chai Spiced Ale
      • Chimp®
      • Cocoa Brown Ale
      • Crimson Crossing®
      • Farmhouse Red Ale
      • First Peach Ale
      • Gingerbread Spiced Ale
      • Golden Knot™
      • Grand Cru
      • Grape Scott
      • Harvest Pumpkin Wheat
      • Iced Coffee Blonde
      • Impulse®
      • Mountain Abbey Ale®
      • Pacific Apricot Wheat
      • Peanut Butter Ale
      • Pine in the Neck®
      • Proximity
      • Raspberry Cream Ale
      • Rounder® Belgian Style Pale
      • Spiced Amber Ale
      • Summer Honey Wheat
      • Sunshine Citrus Blonde
      • Tongue Thai-ed
      • Valencia Grove Amber
      • White IPA

US NavRight

  • Recipes
  • Story
  • Where to buy

Currently Available Beers

Citrus Wheat

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Blue Moon LightSky

Citrus Wheat

A light and refreshing wheat beer from Blue Moon, brewed with real tangerine peel for a lighter, exceptional taste at only 95 calories

Our Twist

Brewed with real tangerine peel

Where to buy

Blue Moon

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?
ManufacturerBlue Moon Brewing Co. (MillerCoors)
Introduced1995
Alcohol by volume5.4%[1]
StyleWitbier
Websitewww.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/currently-available/blue-moon-belgian-white 
Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Blue Moon Belgian White (branded as Belgian Moon in Canada) is a Belgian-style witbier brewed by MillerCoors under the name the Blue Moon Brewing Co. It was launched in 1995, and was originally brewed in Golden, Colorado.

Background[edit]

Originally called Bellyslide Belgian White, the beer was created by Keith Villa, a brewer at the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, Colorado (owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company). Blue Moon, brewed at the Molson Brewery in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is sold in the US, as well as exported to Europe.[2] Blue Moon Brewing Co. is an entity of Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the craft and import division of MillerCoors.

The grain bill for Blue Moon includes malted barley, white wheat, orange peel, coriander and oats—and is usually served with a slice of orange, which its brewmasters claim accentuates the flavor of the brew.[3]

Available in cans, bottles and kegs, Blue Moon has 5.4% alcohol by volume.[4] In Minnesota, 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.

Variations of Blue Moon[edit]

Is Blue Moon a citrus wheat beer?

Blue Moon Agave Nectar Ale and Blue Moon.

In addition to their original Belgian White variety, Blue Moon Brewing Company offers Blue Moon Summer Ale, renamed Honey Moon in 2006. Honey Moon contains 5.2% alcohol by volume in a standard 12 fluid ounce bottle. The beer was renamed "Summer Honey Wheat" in 2011, and is still sold under that name.

In autumn, Blue Moon markets Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale, renamed Harvest Moon in 2007. This variety contains the flavors of pumpkin and other seasonal spices. Harvest Moon is typically available in bottles from mid-September through December. It contains 5.7% alcohol by volume in a standard 12 fluid ounce bottle. The beer was later renamed "Harvest Pumpkin Ale", a name it is still marketed under.

Blue Moon offers Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale during the winter season. Its name was changed to Full Moon with the subtitle "Blue Moon Winter Ale" in 2007. It is brewed with natural flavor and a caramel color. Full Moon contains 5.6% alcohol in a standard 12 fluid ounce bottle. The name was changed to "Mountain Abbey Ale" in 2012.

In spring, Blue Moon provides Blue Moon Spring Blonde Ale, originally known as Rising Moon. In 2011 the recipe was changed removing the Kaffir lime leaves. The new recipe focuses more on orange and lemon peel to add the citrus flavors. In 2013 the beer was changed to "Valencia Grove Amber", an amber ale brewed with Valencia orange peel, roasted malts and a touch of wheat.

It addition to its seasonal brews, Blue Moon released a pale ale called Pale Moon in 2008, with filings commenced to create a Pale Moon Light. Pale Moon is now marketed as "Rounder".

Blue Moon released a revamped and renamed set of seasonal beers starting with the Winter Abbey Ale, in 2010.[5]

In Canada, Blue Moon is marketed as "Belgian Moon" with packaging very similar to the Blue Moon labeling found in America.

Controversies[edit]

Craft beer[edit]

In 2012, Blue Moon had come under fire from the Brewers Association for not stating on the bottle that the beer is made by MillerCoors. The Brewers Association says that this omission allows the Blue Moon Brewing Company to masquerade as an independent craft brewer.[6] Some other independent craft brewers agreed with the assessment.[7] In May 2015, a California man filed suit against MillerCoors for the "Craft Beer" labeling;[8] however, the lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in October.[9]

Naming[edit]

In 1999, the Confédération des Brasseries de Belgique (The Confederation of Belgian Breweries) sued the then-named Coors Brewing Company over its use of the term "Belgian White". The CBB alleged Coors' advertising was misleading, and could confuse American consumers into believing Blue Moon was made in Belgium. Coors at first responded by adding "Made in USA" and "Belgian-style" in small print to the bottle labels, but refused to change its advertising or packaging.[10]

Coors eventually settled out of court with the CBB, agreeing to change the labeling to "Belgian-style Wheat Ale". Additionally, the CBB distributes the beer to conglomerates in European countries.[11]

The New Belgium Brewery, which makes Fat Tire Amber Ale, also complied with the CBB's request for name changes.[12]

Awards[edit]

  • 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
  • 2012 World Beer Cup silver medalist - Blue Moon Vintage Blonde Ale, Fruit Wheat Beer Category
  • 2016 World Beer Cup silver medalist - First Peach Ale, Fruit Wheat Beer Category

See also[edit]

  • Shock Top, a similar beer produced by Anheuser-Busch.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Coors.com Nutrition Information Archived March 14, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Molson to brew Blue Moon beer in Montreal". CBC News. May 5, 2005.
  3. ^ Blue Moon Brewing Company, accessed April 28, 2012
  4. ^ "MillerCoors Beers". MillerCoors.com. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  5. ^ "Age Verification". MillerCoors. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  6. ^ "Trouble Brewing: The Craft Beer Vs. 'Crafty' Beer Cat Fight". Time.com. December 27, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  7. ^ "Big Beer dresses up in craft brewers' clothing". Fortune. November 15, 2012. Archived from the original on June 18, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  8. ^ Craft Brewer Sues Miller-Coors Over Blue Moon Labeling Archived May 4, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Filloon, Whitney (October 27, 2015). "Marketing Blue Moon as a Craft Beer Is Perfectly Legal, Says Court". Eater. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  10. ^ Belgian Brewers Group Sues Coors; Alleges America's 3rd Largest Brewer Misleads Consumers.[dead link], Business Wire, November 18, 1999
  11. ^ Coors agrees to change Blue Moon labeling - Brief Article, Modern Brewery Age, December 11, 2000
  12. ^ Belgian brewers sue Coors, Realbeer.com, November 19, 1999

  • Blue Moon Brewing Company

Is Blue Moon a citrus beer?

Product description. Blue Moon Light Sky Wheat Beer is a citrus wheat craft beer. Light and refreshing with a subtle citrus sweetness, this beer has a 4% ABV. Perfectly balanced and crisp, this tangerine beer shines with a bright taste that's highlighted by tropical hop notes.

What kind of beer is Blue Moon considered?

Blue Moon Belgian White (branded as Belgian Moon in Canada) is a Belgian-style witbier brewed by MillerCoors under the name the Blue Moon Brewing Co. It was launched in 1995, and was originally brewed in Golden, Colorado.

What is citrus wheat beer?

THE California Citrus Wheat Beer: We are delighted to share our vibrant, effervescent beer, made with whole organic California lemons, west coast hops, and 100% local organic golden wheat and barley. Accolades: 93 Points, Craft Beer Connoisseur. Style: California Citrus Wheat Beer. ABV: 5.0%

Is Blue Moon beer made from wheat?

Brewed by Blue Moon Brewing Company, Blue Moon is a Belgian-style wheat beer that contains malted barley, white wheat, orange peel, coriander and oats. It is usually served with a slice of orange, which its brewmasters claim accentuates the flavor of the brew.