Here it is, the next to last day in July, 2015, which is the last Thursday night of the month. The beer of the month here at Taco Mac in Canton is Blue Moon, and so I’m drinking a Blue Moon White IPA. Thursday nights at Taco Mac are always a blast, because when you order any of the 4 (sometimes 5) beers of the month, you get a free brewery logo beer glass. While supplies last!

Though I’m well aware that Blue Moon beers are the subject of much disdain by beer enthusiasts, I’m always curious about them and often enjoy them. Perhaps it is that disdain that drives me to them, though again, they’re almost always flavorful and interesting. To this day Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale remains a personal favorite.

From the brewery website:

For our white IPA our brew masters wanted to combine the citrus flavors of an IPA with the smooth, balanced malts of a Belgian white Belgian-Style Wheat Ale. They began by experimenting with hop after hop until they found the perfect combination of four hops, including a rare German hop called Huell Melon. The result is a pronounced citrus and fruity hop taste, perfectly balanced by wheat, coriander, and orange peel. Hoppy. Unfiltered. Balanced. We bring the best of two styles together to craft an IPA with a unique twist.  

Ingredients from the website:

Malts: Wheat, Oats

Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Citra, Huell Melon

Blue Moon White IPA has an alcohol content of 5.9% by volume with 45 IBUs. I paid $5 for a mug at Taco Mac and I’ve seen it in six-packs for $7.59.

My mug of Blue Moon White IPA arrived a glowing whitish yellow color with a thin filmy head and bits of coriander and citrus in the nose. Taking a sip, I got more coriander and bitter citrus peel in the palate, crackery wheat and sharp hop bitterness and tart wheat in the finish.

There’s not much hop aroma here, and while this is not a bad beer I'm not getting the white IPA theme. The Huell Melon hops don’t stand out either. Still, it is smooth and enjoyable and hoppier and more citric than Blue Moon Belgian White Ale. At the bargain price, I would likely buy this again.

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