Blue Moon is the craft beer operation run by megabrewer Coors (website note: crap—age verification nonsense on more than one page) that is notable for producing their Belgian White and Pumpkin Ale that both don’t suck. Their Pumpkin was the first pumpkin beer I’d ever seen, craft brewed or otherwise, years ago. It still holds up pretty well, though it’s not the best pumpkin beer I’ve had.

Appearance: Head is foamy, a light tan. Beer is clear and orange with a reddish tint.

Smell: Caramel and malty. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. Brown sugar?

Taste: Light, pumpkin-y but not real strong. Very clean. Spices at the back of the palate. No real hops. Some light burnt sugar.

Mouthfeel: A little thin-bodied. Smooth and a little watery.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores 78 out of 100 with only 69% expressing approval. On RateBeer, it doesn’t fare so well: 2.7 out of 5, in the low 25th percentile.

Overall I think this is a good introduction to pumpkin beer, and it’s a good session beer. It’s certainly worth a seasonal six pack or two.