Belgian-Style Wheat Ale
I am writing this posting to a question that I received about Blue Moon. Ron R. asked, “Why does Blue Moon taste, look, and smell different on tap versus in the bottle?”
It has to be at least 8 years since I have had a Blue Moon so, today is research day. I plan to buy a six pack of Blue Moon in the bottle and then venture out to a local tavern and sample a Blue Moon on tap.
Now, here is my beer hypothesis. The bottle beer of Blue Moon will have sediment in it because; I’ll bet it is an unfiltered beer.
#1. If you drink unfiltered beer from the bottle it will probably suck in taste by the time you get to the bottom of the bottle where all the sediment is sitting. It will also start off weak because all the sediment is on the bottom. Drinking good beer out of a bottle is not a good idea.
#2 If you do pour it into a glass:
a) pour it so you get no sediment
b) pour the beer so you do get the sediment mixed in. A proper pour makes all the difference.
If you do a) pour it so you get no sediment I always believe you are not getting the full flavor of the beer (also, vitamin B in that yeast) but, some people like there beer looking ‘clean’ so to say. Then, drink Bud.
If you do b) then you are getting all the flavors you are supposed to taste. In the case of Blue Moon you are getting the orange and coriander flavors. (If you do this and don’t like the flavors – then, Blue Moon is not your beer. Find a wheat beer with no spices or citrus. Plenty of good wheat beers out there to enjoy.
Now, on tap can be an issue. While, this beer has sediment in it - it is sitting at the bottom of the keg. If the keg does not get moved around, well the sediment is just sitting there. When the beer gets poured it can have a cleaner look for it will not have that sediment hazy look. Minus the sediment = minus some of the flavors = less aroma or let’s say a cleaner aroma.
The Answer
Now, Ron did tell me that he and his wife enjoy the Blue Moon on tap better than the bottle. I do not know what they were experiencing in this situation. I’ll have to find that out.
First, if you are drinking from the bottle STOP that bad behavior now and make sure to use a wheat beer glass (Not a Pilsner, like it says on the bottle). The little picture diagram on the back of the bottle is a picture of a good wheat beer glass. This may be the answer. Let me know and leave your comment below this posting.
Second, if you are using a glass, use the correct pour and enjoy all the flavors of citrus and spices. Then, go to the tavern and taste it. See what you taste or don’t taste compared to the bottle (write your notes down). Let me know by leaving your comment below this posting.
I am off to the store to buy a six pack – I’ll post my review later today.
Thanks for the question Ron.
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i've tried pouring blue in to a glass. i've only drank it once in a bottle and didnt like at all. i'd prefer budlite (crazy right). tap is always the best but now i will try your pointers and see if the taste is different in a glass. what was your outcome?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. The beer glass you use is very important. They help to deliver the aroma to the nose and this helps the flavor of the beer. Buds, Millers and the like do not have flavor nor aroma so to say ... so why dirty a glass
ReplyDeleteclick on Blue Moon Part 2 and 3 to see the outcomes.