You'll never guess the beer's original name.
By Hannah Doolin, Delish
Even people who aren't beer drinkers can get on board with Blue Moon — who can say no to an effervescent, Belgian-style brew, served with a juicy orange slice? But that's not to say that the beer can't stand up to other big names in the business. The brand has opened some way-cool breweries and tasting rooms, made a name for itself around the world, and consistently experiments with new flavors and ingredients. Here are 12 fun facts to know about the beloved Belgian White.
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Even people who aren't beer drinkers can get on board with Blue Moon — who can say no to an effervescent, Belgian-style brew, served with a juicy orange slice? But that's not to say that the beer can't stand up to other big names in the business. The brand has opened some way-cool breweries and tasting rooms, made a name for itself around the world, and consistently experiments with new flavors and ingredients. Here are 12 fun facts to know about the beloved Belgian White.
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It all started in 1995.
Over 20 years ago, one creative brewer named Keith Villa started churning out beers at the 2,700-square-foot SandLot Brewery in Denver, CO. Villa would later become known as the brand's founder and head brewmaster.
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The beer was inspired by baseball.
The SandLot Brewery was the first-ever brewery housed inside a major league ballpark, so it makes sense that the beers on tap were named after the game played there. Slugger Stout and Rightfield Red went over well, but Bellyslide Wit was the hit that changed everything. The SandLot still makes 1,500 barrels of beer per year to serve during Colorado Rockies home games.
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Blue Moon is sold in 25 countries.
You've likely sipped on a Bellyside Wit and not even realized it — now, the brand's flagship beer is known as Blue Moon Belgian White, a name that came to be when someone said, "a beer this good only comes around once in a blue moon." It's stuck ever since, and today, you can find it all over the world.
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There's a reason it's served with an orange.
Blue Moon's co-founder, Keith Villa, knew what he was doing when he started whipping up creative beers at The SandLot. In fact, he got his PhD in brewing in Belgium, where foreign combinations of ingredients inspired his recipe, consisting of malted barley, white wheat, Valencia orange peel, coriander and oats. When he saw European bartenders serving beer with lemon wedges, it struck him that fresh orange slices would complement his Belgian-style wit perfectly.
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You can try over 20 different Blue Moon beer varieties.
Bet you didn't know that Blue Moon is constantly creating new varieties of beer! The offerings go way beyond the Belgian White that we know and love — thanks to a pilot brewing system, customers have their pick of more than 20 rotating taps year-round, including kicked-up creations like Iced Coffee Blonde and Chile Golden Ale.
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Discontinued beers aren't always gone for good ...
In addition to Belgian White, faithful Blue Moon fans can also find Mango Wheat and Summer Honey Wheat (a current seasonal) on shelves — but what if your long-lost favorite went out of rotation years ago? Lucky for you, the brand occasionally does limited releases, bringing nostalgic picks like Raspberry Cream Ale back for a short period.
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The beer has won some impressive awards.
[post_ads]Blue Moon Belgian White and Honey Moon have both claimed gold medals in the World Beer Championship and World Beer Cup, respectively, and the brand has experts on staff who know what it takes to make really good, quality beer. Manager of Beer Education at MillerCoors, Daniel Imdieke, is also a certified Master Cicerone — the equivalent of a sommelier in the beer world — of which there are only 16 in the world.
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There's more than one brewery location.
Nine million barrels of beer come out of the massive MillerCoors brewery site in Golden, CO every year, but Blue Moon has a dedicated location in the RiNo District of Denver. The tasting room there serves pours of an ever-changing variety of beers, all while tracking sales to test them for success. There's also a Blue Moon TapHouse located in Norfolk, VA.
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You can take a tour for free.
Thanks to the RiNo brewery's walk-through tour, visitors can peek behind the scenes and check out the equipment that Head Brewmaster John Legnard and other brewery staff use to churn out around one new beer each week.
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... and even get in on some beer-and-food pairings.
The RiNo brewery has a full-service restaurant with menu items meant to be eaten with Blue Moon beers — sometimes the beer itself even makes it into the recipes. According to Daniel Imdieke, the goal of a beer pairing is to select a brew that will complement the food, provide contrast to the flavor profile and cleanse the palate.
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Blue Moon is big in Aspen.
The brand was the only beer sponsor at this year's FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, where pints were poured alongside dishes from the country's best chefs and culinary experts.
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And soon, it's coming to Las Vegas.
If you're heading to the Strip in Las Vegas, you won't have to look far for a bar with Blue Moon on tap — Planet Hollywood Resort will be home to Blue Moon Bar, where Belgian White will never be in short supply. Customers will also get a chance to sip seasonal, beer-based cocktails at the dedicated watering hole.
