Blue Moon Spiced Amber Ale - Coors Brewing Company

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle, best before date of June 18, 2012. This was a gift from a friend and I didn't get it until recently, but I'll drink it anyway. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a reddish/brown color with about an inch off-white head. Head retention is decent, but there isn't much lacing at all. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel malt. The beer tastes like it smells, but there's also the addition of some apples and gingerbread. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick and has moderate carbonation. This beer is a lot better than I thought it would be, I'd try this again. I know it's Blue Moon, but it's definitely worth trying. I just wish I would have tried it fresher when it originally came out. I liked it.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 23:31:30 | More by bluejacket74

phishsihq

Colorado

2.88/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Blue Moon Brewing Company continues to impress with special variety pack only offerings, and this time it is their Spiced Amber. Pouring a deep ruby brown, a one inch cream colored head provides light lacing. Aromas of the Winter season fill the nose, mostly cinnamon, spice, nutmeg and brown sugar. Dessert-like flavors dominate the pallet, almost reminiscent of gingerbread, with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon also in the mix. The brew features a long spiciness in the finish, with a medium-light body and lighter levels of carbonation. Would be a GREAT brew on a cold Winters night, hopefully it will be back next year.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 02:08:04 | More by phishsihq

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a reddish-amber ale with a white head. The aroma brings me back to Christmas. I smell something that strongly resembles Snickerdoodle cookies, with a ton of cinnamon and sugar notes. I also get a little bit of toffee. The flavor definitely follows suit. I get some cinnamon and sugar, as well as some caramel and ginger. There is also some brown sugar in the flavor. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice spiced beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 04:48:59 | More by Mora2000

iBeer16

New York

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed In a polkas glass

A: pours a dark amber color with a 2 finger very ligh tarnish color that lingers for a long time and leaves nice lacing.

S: very spicy! Allspice- nutmeg, Cloves, and a very strong cinnamon aroma.

T: again similar taste to the smell, mostly cinnamon. Has a slight wheaty finish.

M: full body, good carbonation.

Overall, a bit too much spice but has good flavors. Can pair well with pork and possibly chicken, easy to drink but wouldn't enjoy more than one in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 02:56:44 | More by iBeer16

blackcompg

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from their 12oz bottle from their Winter Sampler...

Appearance - Pours about 2 fingers of tan head, color of the beer is a translucent red copper amber. Very little lacing.

Smell - Cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, this seriously smells like baking cinammon rolls!

Taste - Oh my goodness, I'm drinking a cinammon roll, and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Starts cinnamon and sugar, wheat bread and sweet malts take up the center, and your literally left with the flavors of having just finished a bite of a cinnamon roll or sweetened cinnamon toast.

Mouthfeel - Lite to medium mouthfeel, lots of carb provide alot of tingle and crispness, extremely drinkable.

Overall - I'm pleasantly surprised by the flavors here. They are definitely not bold or over the top, but they work for me. If you like cinnamon rolls or sweetened cinnamon toast, you will really enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 22:47:58 | More by blackcompg

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I bought a 12pk Winter variety pack of this from Woodman's in Janesville, WI in Winter 2011.

Pours medium brown color with a smooth fluffy head. The scents of toasted cinnamon cover up most of the other aromas but it still smells delicious. The taste isn't quite as good as the smell but still pretty good with cinnamon, sugar, and toasted malts. This is a great any day beer for me during the winter as it is not too heavy or too light and it's so refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 04:52:28 | More by Lemke10

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dark amber in color and a very dark clear appearance. Smell has a slight carmel/cinnamon smell with a good balance of hops. Taste, this is well balanced. The spices are there but they do not take over the beer; the way it should be. Mouthfeel is ok, it does tend to stick on the tongue. Overall this is a well brewed beer that will go nicely on a winter day with some good sticky buns. Has that winter ale characteristic.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 00:58:08 | More by barleyroad

BucBasil

South Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass from the 12 oz bottle.

A: the beer is a pretty solid red color, clear with visible carbonation throughout. Head was offwhite to light tan and did not last very long.

S: Smells surprisingly sweet and fruity. Spiced apples and a definite wheat character.

T: That's weird. This tastes like eating a gingerbread cookie or a cinnamon bun. Not much else. Just a gigantic liquid cookie. The cinnamon and spice really overpower this one, and there's no hint at all of the fruit note that was in the smell. The taste lingers around a while after.

M: Somewhat thin, but sticky.

Overall, strangely alright. I couldn't drink a bunch of these but I'm not hating this one right here.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 23:25:54 | More by BucBasil

CaptJackHarkness

New York

3.63/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From twelve ounce bottle freshness dated April 02 12.

Smells faintly of cinnamon sticky buns. Poured deep amber/orange with thin off white head. Head does not last and only spoty lacing . Taste is unexpected, sweeter and less robust than I would like in a Winter brew. Cinnamon allspice is very pronounced. No carbonation, very slick and flat. Taste sours as it warms. Meh!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 00:42:36 | More by CaptJackHarkness

J23hc

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pour is orange/amber with average white bubbly head Smells like rice pudding with cinnamon. Taste is fresh and clean, doesn't reflect the smell too much but i get spice notes and cinnamon in the finish. Not as good as regular blue moon but i still enjoy every blue moon variation for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 03:46:38 | More by J23hc

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Pours a 2 1/2" head that falls to a respectable creamy presence. Absolutely beautiful deep amber auburn color. Very nice to look at.

S: Potpourri, spicy candied apples. Just okay.

T: Definitely get that candied spiced apple thing (like those bright red things you see in a jar). Cinnamon, clove, caramel malt. Too novelty for me.

M: Thin, drying. Unremarkable.

D: Very interesting but not past 1/2 of the glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 17:38:47 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a darkened amber brown body with an inch of off-white foam, for relatively short-lived head.

Smell: Toasted ground cinnamon powder with oven-toasted, butter-brushed rolls and maybe a lightly sweet-scented hint of maple or brown sugar.

Taste: Caramel malts, with a well-spiced breadiness as the cinnamon jumps in in a flash. Soundly sweet. Comes together for a flavor reminiscent of that sugar-encrusted, morningtime bread with the cinnamon swirl in the middle. A few stray drops of pancake syrup. Low, light hint of wheat in the background. No apparent hop character or bitterness, allowing the cinnamon to do its thing. Remains malty on the back end, and still with plenty of cinnamon taste, aided a bit by the fairly crisp carbonation. Finishes semi-dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. A hair above medium carbonation.

Overall: Surprisingly nice. Has, for me, a pleasant cinnamon bread quality to it and is, for me, probably the best of the Blue Moon series.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 22:38:47 | More by ChainGangGuy

Pegasus

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep, clear toned copper in color, with a massive, persistent cloud top head, lots of Belgian lacing and small streams of small, slow-rising bubbles

Aroma: Very spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar, and orange zest. There are also dark bread notes, but the aroma is most reminiscent of a freshly-baked Christmas cookie.

Taste: Opens with lots of Christmas cookie spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and orange zest. There is also a strong undercurrent of brown sugar, which carries throughout the taste. There is a brief and late flourish of herbal hop bitterness, and a late wave of Christmas spices, as at the opening of the taste.

Mouth feel: Smooth and soft, perhaps a touch thin, with a slight sting of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: A really nice Christmas beer, its hard not to like. This would pair well with Christmas desserts.

Presentation: Packaged in a custom twelve-ounce brown glass long neck bottle with a twist-off crown, served in a standard Pilsener glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 15:49:59 | More by Pegasus

Kromes

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A clear dark brown with a thick tan colored head. Good lacing down glass.

S: Cinammon and sugar spiced apples.

T: A nice sweet cinammon and sugar apple pie spice flavor up front, but unfortunately that is it. Maybe a slight toasted malt flavor with the spices in the finish.

M: Light and good carbonation. Has a smooth feel to it.

O: Not bad, has a good flavor. Definitely a one and done type beer as it is very sweet. Would be a nice dessert beer with some vanilla ice cream.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 22:29:10 | More by Kromes

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a deep slightly hazed ruby brown amber color with a thick light beige head forming thin layers of lacing on the sides of my glass. Nose is of course spiced with the cinnamon, which is like LIFE cereal cinnamon even a touch of sharp wheat in the nose a tart green apple with some caramel presence as I continue to smell this beer. Flavor is much like a cinnamon flavored cereal, it's pretty amazing a touch of dark fruit and caramel sweetness washed with strong layered cinnamon spice. Really I get more LIFE cereal with a creamy malted wheat flavor, actually not as bad as it sounds. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with dry spice finish giving the palate a lasting bitterness between heavy loads of caramel malt sweetness. Overall it's from a Blue Moon variety pack, and the Blue Moon standard variation was killer with drinkability last night. That's why this beer has a reputation as being a better mass produced beer that isn't fizzy and yellow. This is another version of something that seems good, because it's more than just an adjunct lager, but it still has it's training wheels on.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 22:00:09 | More by WVbeergeek

hdf561

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this in the Blue Moon Sampler Pack

Smells great can really smell the caramel and spices

WOW this beer has an overwhelming taste with the cinnamon, and caramel...it is great no bitterness, and very little after taste...

This is a great beer. The only downside is that it is sweet and a little on the heavy side. Not for drinking all nite but a great beer sitting by the fire on a winters nite, or when you just want to have a few delicious beers!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 01:50:57 | More by hdf561

czfreeman

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

In a mixed Holiday pack
Pours a nice amber tone, creamy head ,medium carbonation
Heavy on the cinnamon. Suprisingly so, I never would have expected such and upfront aromatic in your face from Blue Moon.
A swwet bready background create a cinnamon-apple pie type smell. Apple is appreciated, grahmn crackers, clove, sugar, this beer is a apple cinnamon bun with frosting aromatically/
Flavor is also very cinnamon foward.Almost too much so. To pair this beer with a dish would be great. Cinnamon, bread, brown sugar, maple, all upfront. Light bitterness, but sweetness is very prominent.
Mouth feel is medium. Too light to be cinnamon-bun-in-a-glass-but very upfront cinnamon bread beer.
Enjoyable for the holidays, will use this to cook and pair with in the future,

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 06:12:01 | More by czfreeman

jb413

Massachusetts

2.65/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Nice clear amber, some rising bubbles. Small khaki head that dissipated quick with little retention and no lacing.

S - Malt is lost in a heavy dose of spice, notably cinnamon. Seems a tad overdone, but on its own it's alright.

T - Exactly like the nose. Amazingly, the cinnamon hits first, and never leaves, lingering long into the mediocre finish. The caramel malt is not bad, but it's washed out.

MF - First thing that comes to mind is it's thin for 5.6 ABV. Drinkable in mouthfeel but not so drinkable with the cinnamon factor. Overcarbonated a tad in my opinion.

O - I like ambers, and this is not a good one. I would have loved for Blue Moon to have a lower priced quality amber, but the cinnamon is far too much, the beer characteristics aren't there, and it's just lacking.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 01:46:50 | More by jb413

Vashtar

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

THIRD PLACE so far for winter/Christmas beers (out of about 20).

The smell had a nice spice.

The taste was also nice and spicy. It tasted foreign... maybe Indian.

The appearance was great, but it didn't have much in the way of head retention.

The mouthfeel was like a ball bearing slowly sinking into a thick, soft pillow. It blooms nicely.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 07:40:56 | More by Vashtar

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured this American Amber ale into a pint glass from a 12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown amber color, produces a very nice head with good retention, leaves some lacing behind on the glass. The aroma is dominated by cinnamon, very nice aroma...unexpected for a Blue Moon product. The taste is medium in body, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, apple and caramel. Well balanced. Decent beer-

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 15:28:44 | More by GossageBrewery

zander4dawin

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours like a standard looking amber beer with a lighter body. Drinks easy and smells of cinnamon candies, graham crackers, and other spices. The most impressive thing is actually the taste, the beer drinks super smooth and is followed by an impressive and distinct cinnamon taste. A great sipping beer. I can see how the cinnamon could overwhelm some but on a bigger body this could be a world class beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 14:59:55 | More by zander4dawin

kojevergas

California

3.45/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into N'Ice Chouffe stemware in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Expectations are moderate; Coors' blue moon line has some pretty average beers. Reviewed live.

A: Pours a three finger head of pretty decent cream, pretty good thickness, and decent retention - though the ABV is merely average. The colour is a dark brown-amber. It's generally appealing.

Sm: Heavy cinnamon - surprisingly delightful and pure. I don't know that I've experienced a cinnamon aroma this undiluted before. Props. An apple pie scent is also very tangible and very appealing. I'm rather drawn in and pleasantly surprised. Will the taste hold up? Moderately strong.

T: The cinnamon and apple pie notes do come through, but not quite as much as I'd like. It's still pretty impressive coming from Blue Moon, however. Some caramel is buried in there, helping the complexity a bit. It's built pretty well for what they're going for, and it's rather balanced as well. I quite fancy it.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Slight cream is present. It suits the flavours pretty well.

Dr: Very drinkable, average ABV, and pretty good quality. I'd love to try this on draught. Perchance Blue Moon's best offering yet. Serve a bit colder than you might otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:43:48 | More by kojevergas

DoubleJ

California

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 12 ounce bottle that was shared by my friend Shane, thanks! Another brew for the Blue Moon portfolio. On to the beer:

Rather clean bodied with a crimson/amber color to it. The head is soapy and a finger's thick on the pour, though its retention and lacing are "meh". There good spicing in the aroma, which disgusied the mediocre base. Cinnamon and maple graham cracker come to mind.

The base beer is meager; a simple big boy amber ale with soft fruity esters. The spices add a cinnamon and cider character to the beer. It's got a light medium that is a little watery.

Take out the spices and this is nothing more than Rickard's Red (Canadian's know what I'm talking about). Meh.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 03:17:54 | More by DoubleJ

Rayek

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Spiced Amber hits with a deep copper tinge, a light haze and a billowing cap. The cap slowly falls to a patchwork quilt and a decent lace is left behind.

Toasted cinnamon bread is the theme here. Toasted malts and cinnamon spice do almost all the work. There's the faintest bit of banana in the nose. Bitterness is very mild and adds a slight amount of pepper to the flavor. The light body is slightly grainy and a bit too fizzy.

Overall, one of the better Blue Moon beers. The cinnamon definitely says Winter. I'm glad I grabbed it.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 02:18:06 | More by Rayek

rodney45

New York

3.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Very clear and distinct dark mahogany red. Satin thick frothy head.

S: Intense notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Wow, that smells like baking cookies, and christmas, and possibly fake pine cones... I cant imagine a beer smelling any better than this.

T: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and caramel bombard you all at once. Woah. Im not going to say there is a complexity here, but a myriad of spices that plays folly on the tongue. The PROBLEM here, is that there is no hop balance, no bitterness, just spice and sweet. Its like a gingerbread cookie that looks great in the bakery window, until you try it, and realize it was much more than you bargained for (in terms of sweetness and ginger). No hop flavor to speak of, and that kills this beer. (see overall)

M: Some people would find this beer overly sweet, and too winter spiced. I like it, I just wished for a better bitter balance. Not overly carbonated.

O:Personally this would have been a great beer if they added any sort of definable hop flavor. They let this beer get away from them by catering to the mass market's lack of a craft beer palate. Im simply saying, with the right bittering and aroma hops, and if they cut the sweetness down, let the hop notes carry some of the winter spice flavor, this could have easily been an A beer.... I wonder what it would taste like warm... like a cider, or mulled wine.... AND NO i wont apologize for drinking a coors owned company, even though it goes against what I stand for. The big beer giants are catering to the craft beer consumerism, and they are buying into the small craft market share, which means, honestly.... better overall quality of beer... If anything, I blame the uninformed beer snob for allowing it. Stay thirsty my friends.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 12:34:46 | More by rodney45