First brewed in 1995, Blue Moon was one of the first successful “craft” beer attempts by an American macro-brewery (MillerCoors). The 5.4 percent ABV Belgian-style wheat ale (also known as a witbier) was initially dubbed Bellyslide Wit and brewed by Keith Villa at Sandlot Brewery in the basement of Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. It took home the gold medal at the 1995 World Beer Championship in the White Beer category, beginning its rise as a national staple in nearly every bar, liquor store and gas station across America (plus a couple dozen other countries).
Brewed with malted barley, white wheat, Valencia orange peel, coriander and oats, Blue Moon is unfiltered, hazy and citrus-packed. If you like Blue Moon, here are three other beers to top with an orange slice.
Allagash Brewing Company White
Style: Witbier
ABV: 5.2%
Availability: Year-round, nationwide
The Standard: The ultimate American witbier, Rob Todd of Allagash Brewing Company hitched his entire wagon to witbier by releasing only Allagash White when he opened in 1995. That decision has paid plenty of dividends. Where Blue Moon leans into the use of an orange peel as a garnish, Allagash White is a little lighter on the citrus flavors and a tad spicier. White is brewed with oats, malted wheat, unmalted raw wheat, coriander and Curaçao orange peel that all complement well with Allagash’s house yeast. For something a little less like a shandy and more like a traditional Belgian beer, reach for an Allagash White.
