Blue Moon (beer)

Blue Moon Brewing Company

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Location	Denver, Colorado, United States
Opened	1995
Key people	Keith Villa (founder)
Annual production volume	800,000 barrels/year (2014)
Owned by	Molson Coors Beverage Company
Website	bluemoonbrewingcompany.com
Active beers
Blue Moon Belgian White Ale Name Type

Introduction

Blue Moon is a brand of beer that was originally created by Keith Villa in 1995 in Golden, Colorado. It is brewed by the Blue Moon Brewing Company, which is owned by the Molson Coors Beverage Company. Blue Moon is known for its flagship beer, Blue Moon Belgian White, a Belgian-style witbier made with Valencia orange peel and coriander.

History

Blue Moon was first brewed in 1995 at the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. It was created by Keith Villa, a brewmaster who had previously worked at Coors. Villa was inspired to create a Belgian-style witbier after trying one while studying brewing in Belgium. He developed the recipe for Blue Moon Belgian White using Valencia orange peel and coriander, two ingredients commonly used in Belgian-style beers.

Blue Moon Belgian White was initially only available on draft at the Sandlot Brewery and at a few local bars and restaurants. However, it quickly gained popularity and was soon distributed more widely, becoming available in bottles and cans.

In 2001, Blue Moon Brewing Company was established as a separate entity from Coors Brewing Company, and the beer began to be distributed nationally in the United States. In 2016, Blue Moon opened a new brewery and restaurant in Denver's RiNo Art District.

Beers

Blue Moon Brewing Company produces several beers, but is best known for Blue Moon Belgian White. Some of the other beers produced by the company include:

Blue Moon Belgian Table Pils - a light, crisp pilsner brewed with European malts and hops Blue Moon Mango Wheat - a wheat beer brewed with mango puree and a hint of honey Blue Moon Iced Coffee Blonde - a blonde ale brewed with coffee and cocoa

Marketing

Blue Moon is known for its distinctive packaging, which includes a blue label with a moon and the phrase "Artfully Crafted". The brand has also been marketed with the slogan "Rise Above the Ordinary".

Blue Moon has been criticized by some beer enthusiasts for being too mainstream and for misleading consumers into thinking it is a craft beer. While Blue Moon is technically a craft beer according to the Brewers Association definition, it is produced by a large, multinational company and is widely available in grocery stores and bars.

Awards

Blue Moon Belgian White has won several awards, including:

Gold Medal at the 1995 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal at the 1996 World Beer Cup Gold Medal at the 1998 World Beer Cup

Criticisms

Blue Moon has been criticized by some beer enthusiasts for being too mainstream and for misleading consumers into thinking it is a craft beer. While Blue Moon is technically a craft beer according to the Brewers Association definition, it is produced by a large, multinational company and is widely available in grocery stores and bars. Some beer purists have also criticized Blue Moon Belgian White for not being a true Belgian-style witbier, as it is brewed with Valencia orange peel and coriander rather than traditional ingredients like bitter orange peel and Curaçao orange peel.

Sponsorships

Blue Moon has sponsored several music festivals and events, including the Blue Moon Stage at the Firefly Music Festival and the Blue Moon Bar at the Taste of Chicago. The brand has also been a sponsor of the Denver Broncos football team and the Colorado Rapids soccer team.

External links

Official website Molson Coors Beverage Company website

See also

Belgian witbier Witbier Coors Brewing Company List of beer brands