Blue Moon: Brewmaster's Seasonal Sampler

Chock full of adjectives making me feel like I've purchased some truly premium spirits, and at almost twenty bucks a case, it better taste like a party in my mouth. I'm used to spending eight dollars on some PBR and settling for a mild hootenanny in my mouth, so this stuff better be worth the price of admission!

Five flavors that includes the traditional Blue Moon which I won't be wasting my time reviewing since it is not unique nor interesting – it's yeasty, orangey and gives you a headache if you drink more than two...what else can I tell you?

Beer 1 – Short Straw Farmhouse Red Ale

Description on Bottle -

“An intriguing interpretation of a Farmhouse Ale blended with a Flanders Red, with hints of white pepper and a tart finish.”  

+ + = ?

The Taste -

Upon first sip, all I really tasted was a tinny rust flavor common with a lot of red ales. I gave it a few more sips and still found  the after-taste to be the most prominent feature. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't taste any Ned Flanders/Sweet Tart awesomeness. It's a decent beer for what it is, and would probably taste good sitting around a campfire with a hot dog or bailing hay on a farm I guess.

Overall – 2.5/5

Beer 2 – (Limited Release) Blackberry Tart Ale

Description on Bottle –

“This deep-amber colored ale is crafted with a bounty of blackberries for a hint of tartness balances with a smooth malt finish.” There's a joke somewhere there involving a bounty hunter and malt liquor, but I just don't have it right now.

The Taste -

The first sip left me wondering – where the hell are the blackberries? Blue Moon is known as being a pretty refreshing and fruity beer, so I figured an ale advertising its tartness and “bounty” of blackberries would have a crisp, fruity taste. I tried a few more sips, and while there is a subtle berry flavor, it's almost too subtle. It honestly tastes like nothing. Nothing but a shitty beer.

Overall – 0.5/5 (It only gets the 0.5 for the hilarious bounty hunter joke I have yet to make, but I'm sure it will be a knee slapper).

Beer 3 – Rounder: Belgian-Style Ale

Description on Bottle –

“Our Brewmaster's expression of a Belgian-style Pale Ale, crafted with a twist of hibiscus and orange peel for a rounder taste.” Tastes like Matt Damon's leftover oranges? What the hell's a Rounder beer? I'm sitting at my computer right now but...too lazy to look it up. I'm just going to assume it's based on this movie. 

The Taste -

Before going into the first sip, I will admit that I am not fond of Belgian beers for the most part, but I do really like Pale Ales, so this one is going to be a crap shoot. (Takes a guzzle). You know what, this is pretty good. Unlike that blackberry pile of lies, I can actually taste the orange and hibiscus and it's a really refreshing summer brew. I think I finally found a winner in this Blue Moon Pack.

Overall – 4/5 Like regular Blue Moon, it's tasty, but I can't see myself having more than two in an evening.

Beer 4 – Blue Moon: Agave Nectar Ale

Description on Bottle –

“This blonde wheat ale is crafted with agave nectar for a subtle sweetness and a balanced taste.” Man, you Blue Moon folks love using the word subtle. I've actually seen this particular beer in stores before, but have never tried it. The only thing I know about agave is that it's a main ingredient in tequila, so how can you go wrong?

The Taste -

After the first sip, I kept hoping to taste...something. I was thinking maybe a little citrus or sweetness, but just like the blackberry beer, it just tastes like nothing. If you put this beer and a regular old Miller Light in front of me, I don't know how easily I could tell the difference (that's probably an exaggeration, but you get my drift). This is one of their more popular beers so maybe I'm just crazy, but it just doesn't do anything for me.

Overall – 2/5 It's a good tasting beer, but nothing special.

So that's the Brewmaster's Summer Seasonal Collection. It wasn't the worst beers I've ever had (South Paw beer still holds that honor), but it's really nothing special and not worth almost twenty bucks for a bunch of just OK beers.

See ya next time!