Fake craft beer, but definitely drinkable
Written: May 12 '09 (Updated May 12 '09)
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Pros: sweet taste of citrus and honey; smooth
Cons: very mild tasting with a dry aftertaste; too heavy for a summer beer
The Bottom Line: All things considered, I guess this is as good as a psuedo craft seasonal from a macro brewery could be.
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| Chad9976's Full Review: Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale |
With the surging popularity of the craft beer industry, it’s no surprise the macro breweries have launched their own quasi craft breweries in attempt to make mass-market beers for drinkers like me. The problem is these beers more often than not drink like the macros they are, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
As part of Coors’ “Blue Moon” line, Honey Moon Summer Ale is probably as good an offering as we could get. It’s fairly tasty and fairly refreshing, but won’t exactly knock your socks off.
POUR, COLOR AND AROMA
This beer pours very smooth to a body almost identical of a macro lager: bright white gold and crystal clear. Surprisingly, there is next to no carbonation and it forms a two-finger, bright white, foamy head which lasts ‘til the last drop and leaves some lacing on the glass. The aroma is indicative of a macro lager with a mostly grainy scent and just the slightest hints of citrus and spice.
TASTE
I was expecting Honey Moon to taste like a very weak hefeweizen, so I was quite surprised when it was much closer to a blonde ale style. The palate here is mostly mild with some grain but a prominent sweet taste. Honey is very strong in the finish, but despite the bottle’s contention it’s made with real honey, I couldn’t help but find it to be a little artificial-tasting.
The beer has a dry, yeast-like taste leaving an identical after taste. It’s not quite as crisp and clean as I was expecting, as it’s much more direct with a thick, flat mouthfeel. Still, the overall taste is fairly sweet and even though it’s a mild beer, it doesn’t taste bad.
FINISH
Since this beer is low on carbonation and has a fairly thin, watery composition, it’s no wonder it’s a drinker-friendly brew. It’s not the smoothest beer ever made, but for a macro’s attempt at a “refreshing” summer ale, it’s commendable.
BODY
What perplexes me about Honey Moon Summer Ale is the sheer density of 5.6% ABV. Summer beers are usually very light-bodied, which lends them to continuous drinking. I think after two or three bottles of this the average drinker would be full and fairly tipsy.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Honey Moon Summer Ale is exactly what you’d expect: a mild, easy-drinking beer from a macro-brewery. It’s not absolutely delectable, but it’s far from bad. Personally, I’d prefer a REAL craft beer, but in the event one is not available, I’ll settle for this.
NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLHm9mPX_bk
ALSO BY COORS:
Coors Light (3)
Coors Blue Moon Belgian White (4)
Coors Full Moon Winter Ale (3)
Coors Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale (4)
Coors Rising Moon Spring Ale (3)
OTHER SUMMER BEERS:
Labatt Summer Blonde (3)
Magic Hat Belgian Blonde (4)
Magic Hat English Dark Mild (3)
Magic Hat Hocus Pocus (4)
Magic Hat Wacko (2)
Samuel Adams Summer Ale (3)
Saranac Summer Ale (3)
Recommended:
Yes
Beer Name: Coors Honey Moon Summer Ale
Price per six-pack ($US): 7.99
Beer Rating: A solid performer
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Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
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Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 666
Trusted by: 149 members
About Me:Check out Chad'z Beer Reviews on YouTube
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