Why do people look down on Blue Moon beers? I’m sure I don’t know. I think I might have expounded on this phenomena before, but it’s rearing its ugly head again. Look, we live in a world where big brewers abound, and classic craft brewers like Guinness and Spaten are now owned by multinational brewing conglomerations. So who cares if Coors owns Blue Moon? I don’t. As long as the beer is good.

That’ not to say that all Blue Moon beers are good; they aren’t. Still, they do get it right more often that not and usually at a fair price. Take Blue Moon Rounder Belgian-Style Pale for example. While not really my idea of a Belgian Pale Ale, it’ still tasty enough on its own merits that I enjoyed my bottle.

From the Blue Moon website, an explanation of the name:

In the 1940's, Belgian-Style Pale Ales grew in popularity and were ordered by the round due to their balanced taste. Rounder, our expression of this sessionable style, is crafted with hibiscus and orange peel for a hint of spiciness and touch of wheat for a smoother, rounder taste.

This beer is part of Blue Moon’s “Expressionist” collection, meaning they take liberties with the style per the brewmaster’s whims. Lots of brewers do this, of course, it’s nothing unusual. At 5.6% alcohol by volume, this isn’t a session beer as the “rounder” name implies (you could drink a few rounds they seem to be saying), but it isn’t overly potent either. At $7.99 a six-pack you certainly can afford a few rounds. They call this a “maltier pale ale”, so let’s see, shall we?

Blue Moon Rounder Belgian-Style Pale pours to a rather dark caramel color with a moderate sized head formation and a spicy nose of flowery hibiscus and zesty citric orange. Taking a sip the beer has a full caramel maltiness up front followed by more of the flowery hibiscus notes the nose promised. The beer finishes bright and vibrant with the citrus and a pinch of hop bitterness.

Hedonistically, this made for a very tasty first beer of the night and paired well with yuzu chicken and a wild rice and turnip salad. As a Belgian Pale Ale it lacks any funky yeast character. Still, I would buy it again, especially at the bargain price. I do like the maltiness and hint of spice, and I could see myself drinking a round of this one. Or maybe even two.

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