Blue Moon Proximity - Coors Brewing Company

davey101

Connecticut

3.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A - Pours a crystal clear amber body. Two fingers of soapy off white foam forms and dissipates quickly leaving behind a thin edging. This sits completely still if left alone for a few minutes. Minimal lacing.

S - This really does capture the grape variety. Very sweet and floral with that unique tropical dryness that you would expect from the wine. Finishes with some harsh graininess.

T - Less winey than the nose. Sweet grapes with a bit of wheat and cereal grains. Lacks complexity as its actually quite boring. Washes away quickly with a finish that is almost dry. Crisp and well carbonated.

O - I was pretty impressed with the nose, but the flavor just doesn't carry through. This beer is very approachable and I can imagine people who enjoy the wine could appreciate this beer. A solid attempt, but not very memorable.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 22:46:09 | More by davey101

alex_hart

Massachusetts

2.35/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

bought this and the impulse the other night.

have seen these at the store a bunch of times and wanted to give them a try. Was interested in the idea of a beer and wine mix-up.

honestly, looks like a bud light with no head, but i know you shouldnt judge a book by its cover. no head, some carbonation, absolutely no lacing.

it smells like grapes (of course), and not really much else. maybe some mild citrus notes.

it tastes like how it is described on the bottle, but not really in a good way. it tastes like savignon blanc and some type of light beer mixed together. on a positive note, they do mask the 8.5% abv very well. it cant be detected at all, in my opinion. mild bitterness.

mouthfeel is average. light and smooth with just a slight bitter bite. not much else to talk about.

overall i was hoping for more. glad i got this 30% off at a store where it wasnt selling, but i now see why it had been sitting for a while. not horrible, but not really worth full price.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:19:03 | More by alex_hart

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.91/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Blue Moon : Proximity

LOOK: Clear pale yellow. Fizzy white head forms and dissipates quickly, leaving no lace. Looks like a standard Coors product.

SMELL: Straw, damp hay, wheat malt, just a small dry fruit aroma.

TASTE: Ultra clean wheat malts and grape juice. Tastes little like wine, more like wheat beer with a shot of grape juice. Not bad, but keep this away from kids, this is like beer apple juice. To their credit, if this was 8.5%, you would never know it from the taste. Hardly any bitterness, light bodied, force carbonated, and drinks like carbonated juice. Grape skin? From juice? Hardly, not even tart really, just juicy.

OVERALL: Good for grape lovers, this beer makes me yearn for the German Purity Law, that would require this grape juice to be put to better uses.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 22:42:24 | More by Stinkypuss

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.89/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750 ml capped bottle poured into a Blue Moon tulip.
8.5% ABV, OCT2113 on shoulder.

A - Pouring steadily, this mildly carbonated beer is clear and pale golden in color with a slowly forming white head that disappears to a ring of tight bubbles quickly.

S - Proximity's aroma begins with a white wine scent that's curious; tannic white grape skin and a touch of solvent alcohol, but what's more interesting is how it plays off the dry yeast-driven nose with very faint spice in the background. Light orange peel sweetness and touches of peach cobbler kiss the soft wheat but nothing about this aroma is powerful; all very subtle and quiet.

T - Subtle wine notes toy with the base beer, balancing well with it's intricacies. White grapes add a touch of sweetness as well as tartness in the grape skin reflecting the notes of sweet malt and soft wheat. The dance of malt and grape concludes with a dry, faintly spicy yeast flavor, hint of Bartlett pear, and gentle tickle of floral hops.

M - Possibly the closest Proximity comes to wine is in the mouthfeel where this gently carbonated beer graces the palate with a smooth, velvety feel that finishes slick with a touch of alcohol dryness.

O - Blue Moon Proximity may not explore the realm of barrel aging in used wine barrels or wine as part of sour beers everyone raves about, but it's a door-opening beer that's readily available for people who have never heard of wine (or their grapes) being used in beer! For that, I applaud them. On the beer's merits, I enjoy it's subtle tip of the hat to wine while maintaining something enjoyable and drinkable while being somewhat familiar but, this isn't you're normal Blue Moon.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:37:28 | More by BeerFMAndy

riored4v

Colorado

3.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured in to a tulip. Poured a golden, crystal clear body. 1/2 finger, white head. Would have expected a bit more cloudiness for the style.

Smell was a bit grainy, malty and aromas of the white grape juice. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes pretty much dominated the aroma and made it smell more wine than beer.

Flavor was slightly akward, but decent. Grainy and a bit malty. Slightly fruity with a dominate Sauvignon Blanc flavor. Flavor reflects aroma pretty closely. Base beer tastes almost more like a Coors Light than a Witbier.

Medium/light body, medium/high carbonation and a crisp finish.

Overall the balance is a bit off and in the end, it just tastes more like a BMC type beer with grape juice added to it. Has potential, but fell off the mark.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 05:13:23 | More by riored4v

jwc215

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear yellow-golden with a sizable white fluffy head that very quickly settles to a very thin wispy cover. Trailing lace slides down the glass.

The smell is of a musty-ish white wine with some hint of wheat tang. Smells "interesting".

The taste is tangy with sweet white grapes mixed with grape-skin and yeasty dryness, Fruity in a white grape juice way. Alcohol sharpness comes through at first, but soon tapers off. Despite sweetness, it has a fairly dry finish.

Seems a bit watery at first, with a bit of late fizz, but the carbonation evens out as it progresses. Light-bodied with a lingering aftertaste of a cheaper white wine and some breadiness.

Well, it is made with the juice of cabernet sauvignon grapes. It does have wine-like characteristics and pale wheat ale characteristics that combine. Doesn't fit with "witbier", but doesn't quite fit a style - maybe american pale fruit wheat beer. Anyway, it's a bit pricey ... about nine bucks where I bought it (in New Jersey) for what it is. It's "different", and not bad for what it was trying to accomplish - mix of wine-like grape juice and wheat ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 01:32:24 | More by jwc215

KansasBeerLover

Kansas

3.13/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First I tried the Impulse, now the Proximity.

Pours to a clear, light gold color. A light head that quickly disappears, leaving no lacing. Carbonation rises continuously.

Aroma begins with white grapes. Also present are apples.

Flavor is sweet white grapes, with light citrus and a light wheat on the rear.

Mouthfeel is like a white wine without the alcohol presence.

My review is somewhat biased, I prefer the dark cab grapes in my wine. However, I can't get past the taste and feel of a carbonated white wine. It's okay, but not for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 03:16:22 | More by KansasBeerLover

GRG1313

California

3.68/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

C'mon! Who wouldn't want to review Coors' transparent attempt to cash in on the current humongous popularity of craft beer!? Label indicates "Vintage Ale Collection" (one can only speculate and wonder…..) Also indicates "Wheat Ale brewed with the juice of Sauvignon Blanc grapes."

Pours a crystal clear yellow/gold with a short lived white head.

Nose is fully assertive fruit esters with a sauvignon blanc/sweet apple toned nose and quite pleasant. Almost too sweet in the nose but just makes it to "pleasant and appealing."

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a light and elegant carbonation and a nice rich texture. Carbonation is perhaps a bit too light but it helps carry over an elegant "wine" flavor profile. Flavor profile is a nice surprise, albeit a bit more like carbonated wine than beer.

Flavors are elegant and well integrated and the initial reaction is "sweet fruity and somewhat nondescript white wine" flavors. There is a sweet white grape character and a sweet light orange, citrus character. The overwhelming tone is one of grapey white wine. I'm thinking a bit too sweet and simple fruit for my taste but I can see where some may well like it and it's well made. There is a hint of white bread yeast at the very front palate that I like but that fades very quickly.

Finish is sweet fruit and grape juice with light yeast/bread notes.

Pleasant drink, I tasted at room temperature as I taste all beer. However, I can see this one a bit colder and quite refreshing for spring and summer or as an "introductory or first wine of the night" alternative. I also suspect that many non beer drinkers will like this one for it's sweet/fruity wine character. What started out as an anticipated sarcastic review turns into a conclusion that this beer, for what it is, is worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 19:57:27 | More by GRG1313

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a wine glass.

Whilst the future Mrs. VDubb enjoyed her white wine, here soon-to-be hubby and I figured we'd partake in a beer brewed with similar grapes. Symmetry. This stuff pours a clear brass topped by a half-finger or so of lightly off-white foam. The nose is pretty blatantly a one-act play of white grapes, though there may or may not be a hint of wet wheat in there as well. The taste brings in more of the same, though now it's clear that a pinch of coriander is involved somewhere along the line. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a drying finish. Overall, this stuff ain't bad, but it gets a bit tedious with its only trick. it would have been nice if some other elements played some role or another in things, but, alas, it's just white grapes throughout.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 07:10:08 | More by TMoney2591

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours an extremely clear yellow color with a white head. The aroma is very wine like. I get a lot of the sauvignon blanc notes. The flavor is more of the same. The wheat and biscuit malt come through up front, but then there is a lot of white wine character. I get a little bit of acid, likely from the grapes. There is also a little bit of toastiness. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 04:48:02 | More by Mora2000

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour at the BevMo Holiday Beerfest held at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a clear orange with a foamy white head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, and white grape aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is interesting with the use of Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 22:35:10 | More by UCLABrewN84