Was "Blue Moon" beer designed to make you want to puke at the taste?

Question

But then why does it grow on you?

Answer 1

LOL..good point.....

Answer 2

I actually love Blue Moon.  I think it tastes great, with the orange slice, it really brings out the wheat flavor....d**n, now I want one....thanks

Answer 3

i don't like beer, and blue moon is one of the few i can actually enjoy drinking. i haven't had one in a while, but if i's remembering correct, it's very smooth and almost tastes like it's part iced-tea to me.

most other beers are all bitter and just taste yulkey to me.

Answer 4

Blue Moon was designed by Coors executives to compete with American microbrews and foreign imports.  They re-formulated a Belgian Wit beer recipe, to develop a very thirst quenching summer-style brew.

Belgian wits, a traditional summer beverage, nearly went extinct in the 20th century until Pierre Celis brought it back.  Originally, he was the head brewer for Hoegaarden.  Which is still in production today, and (to me) is the archetype of this beer style.  Later, Pierre went on to open up Celis Brewing in Texas.  After a while, he sold the rights to his Celis White to Miller.  Miller never actually brewed the beer and ended up selling the beer to the Michigan Brewing Company - located outside of Lansing, MI, in Webberville.  You can find Celis on the shelves today depending on where you live.

A number of other brewers have developed Wits and some of them are very good.  Here are some other ones to try:

Allagash Wit

Wittekerke

St. Bernardus Blance

Unibroue Blache de Chambly

Triumph Wit

Ommegang Witte

Bells Winter White

Hitachino Nest White Ale

Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca

Great Lakes Holy Moses

This is just a short list of the number of interpretations of this style available to consumers now days.  In terms of how it is made:

Barley Malt (40-60% malt bill)

Wheat Malt (40-60% malt bill)

Hops (varies, but normally a "noble" hops"

Yeast - A belgian strain - normally adds some "spiciness" to the overall beer

Orange Peel (bitter and/or sweet)

Coriander (this is normally the spice that people find objectionable if they don't like this beer style)

Optional Ingredients

Grains of Paradise (a unique "peppery" flavor)

Lemon Peel

Chamomile Tea

Like all Belgian beers, each beer is unique.  But the above offers some basics and describes about 95% of the beers produced to this style

Like you, this beer ended up growing me.  One recommended way of serving it is to grind FRESH pepper on top.  You don't often see this (you normally get the orange or lemon slice as a garnish), but I simply love it!

Salud!