Blue Moon Valencia Amber Ale - Coors Brewing Company

jsisko01

Michigan

3.86/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a clear copper/amber color with an inch thick head that lasts for a minute. Leaves a very nice lacing.

Smell - All I detect is coriander and orange zest. Maybe a hint of caramel as well.. It smells great though.

Taste - Roasted malts, a hint of caramel,orange zest and citrus, with a mild bitterness and nuttiness in the finish. The finish seems to have many brown ale-like similarities.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall - This isn't your average amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:47:19 | More by jsisko01

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz.

Pours a deep clear reddish amber. Off-white head dissipates quickly.

Smells of mild citrus tartness and some sweet wheat malt elements.

Flavor is of orange blossom honey, coriander, apricot and orange zest over a standard wheat malt base.

Medium body with some stinging carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

I've had a number of Blue Moon seasonals and special releases and, for the most part, I've found them to be average at best, but this is actually pretty good. Highly drinkable with an enjoyable flavor and character. I could drink this again no problem. I think it gets a bit of a bum rap for being a Coors beer. It's really not half bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 22:19:33 | More by Cylinsier

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.73/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Blue Moon Valencia Amber Ale has a thick, light beige head and a somewhat hazy amber appearance with minimal lacing. The aroma is pronounced- sweet, brown bread and a touch of citrus. Taste is of sweet brown bread, caramel, some slight citrus, a touch of hop bitterness, and alcohol. There’s an underlying cloying sweetness to this, which evokes malt liquor. Mouthfeel is medium and somewhat fluffy, and Blue Moon Valencia Amber Ale finishes semi-dry and relatively easy drinking. Overall, this is a good and interesting beer.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 21:29:54 | More by RonaldTheriot

CamuMahubah

Nebraska

3.68/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It pours beautiful..orange..

It smells sweet..

It tastes nice but a bit sweet..

Goes down easy but needs something..too sweet..

I don't know if extra hops would help..it's just a seasonal and goes well with Spring bbq's if we could ever have a Spring in NE..

Nice beer..I was thinking today about a beer that would be citrusy..

Nah I shoulda went IPA but I thank Blue Moon for trying..being a child of Central Florida I know the Valencia is too sweet for anything but OJ..the should have used the Navel..

Ah well nice try and I like it and rated it higher than I thought I would..

TRY TO DRINK THIS BEER SLOWLY..you cain't..it's nice..

It's sweet like the girls you let slip away..love it..

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 07:59:44 | More by CamuMahubah

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.61/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

'Valencia Grove Amber' on my label: drank 5 Feb 2013 in my hotel room in San Francisco. The 12 ounce bottle was chilled with ice in the wash basin and poured twice into a plastic beaker.

I found this OK: good amber hue to the body and an off-white head that didn't want to hang around for very long.

Flavour wise it had a pleasant orangey feel within what is a malty brew that has very little hop action in the nose or taste.

I prefer maltier, semi-sweet brews and this fitted my profile fairly well. One of the best beers from Coors I've had either side of the Atlantic.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 10:14:54 | More by BlackHaddock

BucBasil

South Carolina

3.59/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

A: Nice orange color with a medium amount of carbonation inside. Off-white to light tan foamy head that is 2 fingers thick and sticks around a while. This is a good looking beer.

S: Clean citrusy aroma, not too orangey but clean overall with a bit of floral hop and some malt underneath to tie it together. Pretty basic actually. Somewhat more like a pale but without too much depth. Unoffensive and makes a drinkable presentation.

T: More malty than expected. This is somewhat like the Blue Moon winter seasonal but a bit brighter. The malt and spice profile is the same. There is a citrusy twinge in there but the "Valencia Orange peel" is not super noticeable. It is more of a bready malt profile with some citrus notes.

Not a bad beer - not what I expected but nothing extraordinary. A good solid drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:13:41 | More by BucBasil

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.58/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance –A light copper mixed with amber color. It formed a huge white head upon pouring which lasted with some persistence, leaving a little bit of lacing.

Smell – Mainly malty in nature with some nice biscuit and caramel aromas. While those are the heavier aromas, there is a little bit of orange citrus aroma in it the smell as well that is more prevalent toward the end of the smell.

Taste – Sweet malt is present up front. It consists of a mix of breadiness and some orange as well. The citrus and a bit of more bitter lemon seem to come into play more toward the end of the flavor profile. These citrus and lemon taste lessen the presence of the maltiness originally present, but leave a very nice taste in the mouth.

Mouthfeel –A medium bodied brew with a lighter level of carbonation. Very normal, but not bad.

Overall – This brew has a nice citrus and malt flavor, but lacks some complexity. It is very easy to drink and definitely not a bad brew. Well worth a try and one I hope Blue Moon keeps in the rotation.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:46:53 | More by Darkmagus82

scratch69

Missouri

3.54/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Clear amber color with half a fingers worth of head. Light amount of lacing.

Smell- Wheat grain with hints of orange citrus.

Taste- Wheat malt flavors with caramel and citrus notes. Mild hop bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with an average amount of carbonation.

Overall- Slightly above average beer, but still not as good as a regular Blue Moon.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 19:36:08 | More by scratch69

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.51/5  rDev +14%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into tulip. Pours a golden amber with a finger of head. Sweet caramel and slight citrus aroma...taste is the same. Its got lots of sweetness. Its slightly citrus but nice. Glad to see a little alcohol in a blue moon brew...
Its a good decent brew...not amazing but good

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 02:08:55 | More by DrinkSlurm

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.39/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This pours a semi-clear amber color with a slight off-white head. There is a mild scent of wheat and orange. The flavor is fairly citrusy but is less creamy and has more of a raw orange juice flavor than regular blue moon. Better than the average macro-brew but it still isn't as good as the original. Finishes with a little bit of a tang taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 04:37:22 | More by Lemke10

TheFunGuy

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Picked up in a sixer for drinking on the balcony during the first warm weekend of the year.

It poured a very clear amber with a one inch head which faded to almost nothing. It looks like an impressive, clean beer. A Bud Light with better color.

The smell is light wheat, light caramel, and light orange. The taste is exactly the smell. Dead on the same.

The mouth feel is as a easy drinking as Bud Light but with a decent flavor. Perfect for an outdoor beer when you are going to each have three.

My wife really liked it in this context, and she also likes Two Heart style IPAs and porters.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 16:06:15 | More by TheFunGuy

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.31/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12 ounce bottle - $1.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Date code: JUL1513.

Appearance: Pours out an amber-hued body, great clarity, with a not-so-great, very thin, white head.

Smell: Sweetish scent of toffee atop bready, scantly grainy malts with just a tickling of wheat and a juicy orange topnote.

Taste: Toffee-laced, bready grains, moderately sweet adjoined to a sip of everyday OJ. Minimal hop character, bitterness. Slight wheaty accent here and there. Orange peel taste on the back-half and into the drying, zippy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: While the VAA is not exactly bad, I just wasn't exactly keen on the flavors presented here.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 00:17:00 | More by ChainGangGuy

jjclick17

Indiana

3.29/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Cooper hue with a slight brown tint and very clear. Very light head. Has a Citrus aroma.

Decent flavor. Has a faint taste of orange peel. Not too filing.

Overall, not great but better than average. Would consider in the future, but probably opted for something else

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 04:12:19 | More by jjclick17

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.29/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

I picked this up a part of a mix-a-six at Giant in Linglestown, poured chilled into a tulip.

The color is copper with good clarity and thick tan cap with average sized bead and stringy lace. The smell has a bready aroma with mild yeast and malt esters with light citrus tinge. Mouthfeel is gently malty entry with semi-high carbonation and mild sweetness with light yeast tanginess and semi-dry finish with light alcohol presence.

The flavor has a slight nutty toastiness with mildly malty and slightly caramel notes with mild citrus element in the background with a gentle yeast creaminess and element of biscuit in the finish. Overall, not too bad, but this was pretty plain and ordinary which is not something I would want to purchase again- just ok drinkability wise.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 17:02:31 | More by Slatetank

hosehead83

Ohio

3.21/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Clear gold in color, with a decent head of off-white foam.
Aroma-Toasted malt, faint orange note
Taste-Orange zest, toasted malt, wheat note. A bit thin-bodied and not-quite balnced. An o.k. offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 16:56:43 | More by hosehead83

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.19/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

LOOK: Clear copper color with a white film on top.

SMELL: Wheat malts, bread, dusty musty aroma. Some orange soda like scents eventually emerge as well as some floral hops. An interesting nose.

TASTE: Wheat and a good bit of citrus. Mild bitter hop touches and finishes with a snap of tangy orange peel. Soft citrus skin comes through in the taste. This is a mild ale but the orange flavors grow increasingly evident as it warms. In the summer I can see this as an ideal beverage to drink ice cold out of a cooler during a cookout or something.

FEEL: Medium bodied, well carbonated and spritzy. There is a lingering finish of orange peel and citrus oils that coat the palate.

OVERALL: Not bad, and def drinks easy. For those not fond of oranges, steer clear.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 23:03:10 | More by Stinkypuss

zeff80

Missouri

3.16/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a clear copper color with a one-finger, khaki colored head of foam. It left little to no lacing.

S - It smelled of oranges, lots of them. Some toasty notes.

T - It tasted of orange - less strong than the aroma. Some sweet caramel and toffee.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This was interesting, but I don't think I need to have another one.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 22:44:34 | More by zeff80

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

3.16/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Blue Moon Valencia Amber Ale

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a shaker pint. Served chilled.

A) A copper colored brew with a thin white head, maybe half a finger. The head quickly dissipated, not much lacing to write about.

S) Grainy, slightly sweet, maybe a whiff of caramel. Some wheat and a little orange rind. Not a powerful aroma by any means.

T) The taste follows the nose, but packs a little more punch than I expected. Not overly sweet. I liked the use of wheat and orange here.

M) Medium bodied, and well carbonated. It's crisp and goes down easy enough. Decent finish...

O) This was alright.... I wouldn't turn down a bottle. For whatever reason, I found myself drinking a Third Shift Amber, and a Killian's Red recently. I liked this better than both of those.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 04:01:26 | More by RoamingGnome

jjamadorphd

Florida

3.15/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Valencia Amber Ale - I had high hopes for this one and ended up with a mixed experience.

Out of the bottle it looked great. It has a nice dark-yellow color with visible carbonation, a small head but with good staying power and lacing. The carbonation was just right in the mouth with little stickiness but, there was a surprising after taste I wasn't pleased with. I smelled none of the spices or citrus it claims to have, but I did taste them from a distant, sorta there, kinda there perspective. I smelled the hops and barley more than I tasted them so that much was good.

Overall, it a good brew, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:00:39 | More by jjamadorphd

jera1350

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Burnt orange color with a thin head on top.

Very BMC like smell with some wheat and orange peel notes.

A heavier wheat presence with orange. Not actually too bad. A touch of hops on the back side.

Carbonation feel is great, lighter medium body, very dry finish.

Drinks easily, just not the most interesting. The orange is evident and the overall beer would be on the slightly adventerous side of novice. Could see how people would like it for warmer temps.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:18:26 | More by jera1350

nach0king

Texas

3.13/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a 12oz into the first clean glass that came to hand - a pint glass. Grew on me over the course of the bottle. Have two more of these to go and I'm looking forward to them.

A: A nice deep copper, with a middling amount of lacing. The head fades immediately then grows smaller. Mine turned into the shape of a chicken, for which I almost gave it an extra half point.

S: A bit of sweetness but not much of the much-touted oranges that give this ale its name. No booze in the nose despite being close to 6% ABV.

T: Candy apples and slightly sour buttermilk pancakes to start with, then quickly to a minor tang, closing with bitterness at the back of the tongue that encourages more sips. The first taste wasn't that encouraging but halfway through the bottle I started to appreciate it more.

M: Would have preferred a bit more carbonation but that's a personal thing - it's the right side of medium-bodied.

An interesting one. I'm not entirely convinced by the replacement of malt with orange at the end of the taste but something keeps me coming back to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 02:25:32 | More by nach0king

budgood1

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

pours out perfect amber colour with a modest off white head leaving a little lace. aroma of lightly caramel tinged roasted malts and a touch of citrus. the flavour profile runs to the sweet side...fairly rich caramel maltiness...a little on the nutty side with hints of orange/citrus for a refreshing splash. decent enough for a blue moon offering. overall body is medium, with a lightly textured mouthfeel making for ease of drinkability.

overall about what one might expect from the blue moon line up. a fairly tasty beer with some residual sweetness and a quasi inspirational profile. oh well...sort of hit the spot after a hard day at work.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 23:01:42 | More by budgood1

HalfFull

California

3.13/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. twistoff bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a clear copper/light amber with a slightly off white cap of foam which offers moderate retention.

Nose has a light hop presense but tends more towards a light pumpkin ale and with some added cinnamon in the mix along with some subdued caramel notes. Taste follows with a light caramel influence and some remote hop spice. While light in body it remains fairly well balanced. Aroma expands with warming to a degree.

Decent feel with a supportive carbonation. Touch of orange and lighttly sweet and smoky malt on the finish. Overall a bit subdued as expected but worth some merit.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 07:04:38 | More by HalfFull

StLThrash

Missouri

3.11/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass.

A - Light amber, not much head - maybe a finger, and no significant retention or lacing.

S - Nothing spectacular. I don't get a lot of the citrus / orange which this beer is marketed as. I do get more wheat / malt in the nose.

T - Again, just OK. Not refreshing as I'd expected with the description. Typical amber ale, with some wheat to make it kinda like a Blue Moon, but I think it fell short with the added valencia orange peel / spices.

M - Average. Nothing special. Kinda dry.

O - Not bad, but not that great. Worth a try, but I wouldn't waste money on a sixer... Maybe add it as a part of a mixed six at your local beer store.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 16:45:13 | More by StLThrash

angusdegraosta

New York

3.1/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is not a one star beer, but not a five either. It's easy to drink and readily available - on par with Killian's Red, but with more citrus. Has a decent sweet faintly aromatic smell. No head retention and kind of watery, which is no surprise. The taste is above average. The light sweetness and orange flavor certainly have more presence than the aroma. Hops are not a big part of the picture here. The simple malt taste and a little orange peel presence are what wins it points. Overall a light easygoing brew, just fine to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 03:08:31 | More by angusdegraosta