Blue Moon Brewing Company

     Hello again beer lovers it's great to be back with you all on a very special double series of Beers with Brandon where we are going to take a step out of Georgia. For the next two reviews we will dive into look at some great breweries I recently visited on an adventure to the Rocky Mountains starting this week with the Blue Moon Brewing Company located in sunny Denver, Colorado. Upon leaving the airport my friends and I knew there was only one way to quench our insatiable thirst and that was with a refreshing and crisp Blue Moon. Founded in 1995 with the first brew being made at Coors Field this brand has since grown across the country into one of the most sought-after beers that provides a refreshed feeling after every sip. The brewery I had the pleasure of visiting was located in the River North Art District or RiNo of Denver, an area covered head to toe in decadent street art and known for its art galleries and concert halls setup in refurbished industrial buildings creating an atmosphere unlike any I had ever experienced. Walking up to the brewery we noticed the openness of the building with its sliding glass windows that could be raised to allow the fresh Denver air to flow through the place and the generous outside seating accompanied by firepits and deckchairs for those who wished to drink by the fire and enjoy the outdoors. After taking our seats we had the chance to look over their locally sourced universally inspired menu with both vegetarian and gluten free options. A personal favorite of mine was the pulled pork tacos with green chilies, queso, and pickled onions to add sweetness all served inside a fresh corn tortilla. Another great option we had the chance to try was the tap house chicken wings coated in the house spice dry rub making the wings extra crispy and juicy with every bite that had everyone hungry for more. 

    Now the moment you have all been waiting for it's time to talk beer! This brewery offered a unique experience to try many Blue Moon flavors that aren't available through retail stores. My eyes were first drawn to the 16 oz Blood Orange Pale Ale coming in at a 5.5% ABV. This particular beverage is brewed like most other Blue Moons but with an added sprinkle of blood orange puree in order to subdue the hoppy flavor while providing the drinker with its mild bitterness at the finish. After I finished that one, I decided to try the Passion Fruit Witbear with tastes of passion fruit, lemon, orange peel, and coriander. However, despite my high hopes for this drink I was mildly disappointed in the overall taste, while it smelled strongly of passion fruit the flavor of it just wasn't there and it ended up tasting like a regular Blue Moon. Although I am keen to end on a high note and was able to do so by sampling the Tangerillo Juicy IPA. This hazy IPA comes with a rich full body of flavor accompanied by strong hints of fruit and aggressive aroma of tangerine. After we had finished or meal, we took our drinks and were able to tour the brewery itself watching the beer being made and reading about the process as we sipped our beverage. If you ever make it out to Colorado you should definitely stop by this brewery, thank you for joining me this week and I hope to have you all back next time for our final edition of this two-part segment from my journey through Colorado. Cheers!