The Nice Wheat Beer Showdown

They’re cloudy, they’re wheaty and they are often tremendous refreshing – Belgian wheat beers, or Witbiers, are the last word summer season drink.

In case you are a fan of Belgian-style wheat beers you in all probability already learn about Shock High and Blue Moon beers, possibly you’ve even loved the odd bottle or two. Together with Hoegaarden White, Blue Moon and Shock High are the best-selling Belgian-style Witbiers in America at present.

Many even argue that Blue Moon is the top-selling craft beer in america, however can a beer that’s owned and produced by one of many largest brewing teams on the earth actually be referred to as a “craft” beer?

With out being an excessive amount of of a beer snob, I’d say “Hell, NO!” Calling Blue Moon a craft beer is like calling The Rolling Stones a small indie band!

Shock High isn’t any extra of a “craft” beer both and is definitely produced by THE largest brewing group on the earth at present, Anheuser-Busch InBev.

That’s to not say Shock High and Blue Moon are unhealthy beers – they’re two extremely well-liked beers that deliver the style of a basic wheat beer to the beer-drinking plenty.

Can both of those American beers fulfill the style buds of your most diehard Belgian-style Witbier fanatics? Are they each the identical beer or is one higher than the opposite? Let’s check out these two refreshing beers, any similarities and variations, and think about which one you may be consuming this weekend.

Who Owns and Brews Blue Moon and Shock High?

Let’s get the large query out of the best way. If these two beers will not be crafted by impartial craft breweries, who precisely makes them or owns the model?

Blue Moon

Blue Moon is brewed and wholly owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Firm and at all times has been (beneath the a number of completely different names the brewer has had – Coors, MillerCoors, Molson Coors, and many others..).

Initially referred to as “Bellyside White” in reference to the baseball season that was in full swing, Blue Moon was the brainchild of Keith Villa, a brewmaster who labored on the Sandlot Brewery owned by Miller Coors on the Coors Stadium in Denver, Colorado.

In 1995, the beer was renamed Blue Moon when somebody stated “A beer this good solely comes round as soon as in a Blue Moon”. With that, the Blue Moon Brewing Firm was shaped.

Blue Moon Brewing Firm is an entity of the Tenth and Blake Beer Firm, which is the craft and import division of Molson Coors. About 10 years in the past although, in 2012, Blue Moon got here beneath hearth from the Brewers Affiliation for not making it clear on the bottle that the brew is owned by MillerCoors.

Coors was mainly accused of trying to mislead the American public and masquerade as a craft brewer. A Californian man even filed a lawsuit towards MillerCoors for the “craft beer” labeling in Might 2015, however the lawsuit was dismissed by a decide later that yr.

It wasn’t the primary time Blue Moon has come beneath hearth for its labeling. Shortly after launch, and following the export of this well-liked “Belgian White” beer to Europe, the Confederation of Belgian Brewers sued the then-named Coors Brewing Firm for using the time period “Belgian White”. The CBB argued Corrs’ promoting was deceptive and would confuse American beer drinkers into believing Blue Moon was really brewed in Belgium.

Coors first responded by including “Made in USA” and “Belgian-style” to the labels of bottles (in very small print although) however refused to vary the promoting or packaging. Coors finally settled out of courtroom with the CBB and agreed to vary the labeling to “Belgian-Type Wheat Ale” and grant the distribution of Blue Moon to the CBB for Europe.

Shock High

By comparability, the story of who owns and brews Shock High is kind of easy, with little or no if no controversy connected. Anheuser-Busch first brewed Shock High in 2006 at their Fort Collins Brewery in Colorado. Curiously sufficient, the beer was brewed to be a seasonal providing and marketed beneath the title of “Spring Warmth Spiced Wheat”.

Nonetheless, the unique Shock High beer received first place on the North American Beer Awards within the class of Belgian White and got here third in the identical class the next yr. The success on the awards was sufficient of a touch for Anheuser-Busch that the beer recipe was adequate to brew all yr round, and the Shock High Brewing Firm was shaped as a part of the Anheuser-Busch empire.

At no time has Shock High gained the identical repute of attempting to deceive American shoppers into pondering that it’s produced by a craft brewery – possibly as a result of all of the labeling fairly clearly states that it’s produced in St Louis, the non secular dwelling of Budweiser and all Anheuser-Busch’s different array of beers.

Shock High is barely brewed within the US and never brewed abroad in any respect, in contrast to Blue Moon which is now brewed at a number of websites worldwide. To be sincere, it will be uncommon to see a bottle of Shock High exterior the USA, as Blue Moon has already stolen that thunder.

So let’s get it proper, Blue Moon and Shock High are NOT craft beers, the Blue Moon Brewing Firm is NOT an impartial craft brewery, and neither High Shock nor Blue Moon is of Belgian origin. As an alternative, they’re American beers produced by two of the nation’s largest brewers, Molson Coors and Anheuser-Busch that are “Belgian-style” wheat beers. They might even be referred to as “craft” type beers.

As for these pesky guys on the CBB, with Shock hardly ever being seen in Europe they don’t appear to have bothered an excessive amount of with suing Anheuser-Busch over using Belgian White on its packaging. It in all probability helps that the HQ of Anheuser-Busch InBev is predicated in Leuven, Belgium – at the very least the brewer can declare to be half Belgian!

Blue Moon vs Shock High – The Elements

Though each beers use a reasonably acquainted Belgian beer recipe and most of the identical substances, each Blue Moon and Shock High add their very own twists to the basic Belgian wheat beer.

Blue Moon Elements

Blue Moon was impressed by brewmaster extraordinaire Keith Villa’s college training he spent in Brussels, Belgium. Working for Coors as a brewmaster, Keith was eager to recreate the sunshine refreshing wheat beers he had tasted in Belgium.

Blue Moon is made with the 4 commonplace beer substances present in most beers: water, hops, yeast, and malted barley. The principle substances which give this well-liked beer type its distinctive flavors are orange peel, coriander, and oats. Like many different wheat beers, at the very least 50% of the full grain invoice of Blue Moon is made up of unmalted wheat.

Nonetheless, to provide Blue Moon a singular twist on the basic wheat beer style, Keith determined to make use of Valencia oranges somewhat than the Dutch curaço oranges typically favored by Belgian brewers. This offers Blue Moon a barely sweeter style than the standard tart flavors of Witbiers in Belgium.

One other twist that Keith innovated was serving the Blue Moon beer with a slice of orange within the glass after seeing white ales in Europe served with lemon wedges to intensify the flavors. It was felt a slice of orange would higher deliver out Blue Moon’s citrus notes.

Together with the basic Belgian White selection, the Blue Moon Brewing Co. additionally produces a various vary of flavors for a variation in style together with Iced Espresso Blonde, a seasonal Harvest Pumpkin Wheat, a Peanut Butter Ale, and a Blackberry Tart ale, and many others.

Shock High Elements

Shock High was first brewed as a seasonal beer, little question impressed by the success of Anheuser-Busch’s predominant competitor Coors’s foray into the world of Belgian witbiers. Shock High is brewed with white wheat once more, 2-row barley, and imported Hallertau hops blended with Willamette and Cascade varietals.

Originating from the Hallertau area of Bavaria, Hallertau hops are one of many 4 noble hops that are generally present in German lagers and Belgian ales. They’re sometimes used for taste and aroma somewhat than bitterness – neither of those beers is especially bitter.

Shock High additionally makes use of orange peel with coriander like Blue Moon, however the guys at Anheuser-Busch additionally determined to throw in some lemon and lime peel too for extra of a refreshing citrus style.

Though the unique Shock High was brewed as a spiced wheat beer, the model has since developed utilizing numerous and sudden flavors in different styles of Shock High similar to Pumpkin, Pretzel, Raspberry, and extra.

Are Blue Moon and Shock High Lagers?

Regardless of their lighter golden colours, and refreshing carbonated fizz, each Blue Moon and Shock High will not be lagers, however as a substitute fall into the class of a wheat beer, or an ale. Lagers are historically brewed at a lot cooler temperatures with a bottom-fermenting yeast, whereas a wheat beer makes use of a top-fermenting yeast at hotter temperatures much like most different conventional ales.

That’s the actually simplistic approach of taking a look at it, however there are undoubtedly extra components at play that differentiate these two high quality beers from a beer, such because the substances, brewing methodology, brewing time, and storage.

One other key issue that makes Blue Moon and Shock High so completely different from a beer is the looks, or somewhat the readability. Wheat beers are sometimes unfiltered beers which have a hazy look because of suspended yeast and wheat proteins all through the beer that make the beer flip opaque and hazy when served chilled. A Belgian Witbier appears to be like beautiful when served in a glass and the cloudy white look nearly glows.

Blue Moon, in line with the Belgian recipes, contains oats which additional contribute to the beer’s cloudiness.

For those who have been to order a Bud or Coors Gentle on draft and it got here out cloudy, you’d insist the beer was off, however with wheat ale, it’s to be anticipated.

Are Blue Moon and Shock High Gentle Beer?

Though the development within the home beer market tends to be for gentle beers (6 of the highest 10 best-selling beers within the US are all Gentle beers, together with Bud Gentle, Coors Gentle, Miller Lite, et al), Blue Moon and Shock High definitely don’t match into this class.

In comparison with gentle beers, which have a calorie depend of round 100 energy and carbs of 4g or much less (Michelob Extremely even boasts zero carbs), a Blue Moon or Shock High Belgian White definitely isn’t the wholesome choice.

Being a Belgian type of ale, each Blue Moon and Shock High have a barely increased ABV than most home beers, particularly gentle beers at 5.4% ABV and 5.2% ABV respectively. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless respectably low sufficient to have the ability to benefit from the beer on a Summer time afternoon within the beer backyard with out falling over an excessive amount of.

Each Blue Moon and Shock High now provide a lighter model of their Belgian Whites for the extra health-conscious beer lovers.

Shock High Zest is a lightweight wheat beer brewed with actual orange and lemon peels, much like the unique Belgian White selection, for the pure style of citrus fruits. Nonetheless, it solely has a calorific worth of 90 energy and three.1g of carbs. The alcohol content material of the sunshine Shock High Zest has additionally been diminished to 4% ABV, protecting according to most different gentle beers.

Blue Moon Gentle Sky Citrus Wheat is Blue Moon’s entry into the sunshine beer market. Gentle Sky makes use of tangerine orange peel somewhat than the Valencia oranges of the standard Blue Moon Belgian White however has a a lot decrease calorie content material of simply 95 cals per 12 oz serving and decrease carbs at 3.6g. Once more, the ABV is decrease and akin to different gentle beers available on the market at 4%.

Which Tastes Higher, Blue Moon or High Shock?

Let’s get to the vital half – which beer tastes higher. Though they’re primarily the identical beer, every has its personal nuances which have received the hearts of beer lovers.

On the most elementary, Blue Moon has a lightweight citrussy taste with notes of orange and hints of coriander, whereas Shock High has a way more pronounced citrus taste with notes of orange, lemon, and lime.

Blue Moon tends to be a bit sweeter from using Valencia oranges, with the presence of coriander notes giving it citrus flavors. Shock High will get these citrus flavors from the additional lemon and lime peels added into the combination with a style of zest being the dominant taste. The coriander aroma in Shock High accentuates the citrus notes in the identical approach contemporary coriander does in some Asian dishes.

Blue Moon will get most of its flavors and aromas from the orange peel and coriander that are added throughout the fermentation. The oats which make up a part of the grain invoice give it a thicker consistency with a creamy mouthfeel.

Shock High tastes like a basic wheat beer with citrus flavors from the three fruits that are used within the brew. A delicate spicy taste in Shock High comes from the coriander, with the Hallertau hops blended with Willamette and Cascade giving it a barely grassy and nearly natural taste.

Each beers have a dough-like bread taste to the malt from the 50% wheat used within the mash. Blue Moon looks as if a thicker beer from the oats that are added, but it nonetheless tastes creamy and light-weight. Consider it as a lighter Guinness however in wheat kind.

Though Belgian Witbier fanatics are likely to favor the extra genuine taste of the Shock High, each beers are gentle and refreshing, making them best for summer season consuming. Personally, I favor the added depth of taste from the Valencia oranges within the Blue Moon, however it’s just about a matter of non-public choice.

One factor is for certain although, each these wheat beers have extra taste than any of the opposite beers produced by Molson Coors or Anheuser Busch. Each the most important breweries have tried to attraction to the development of craft beer within the extra demanding drinkers and produced two distinctive craft-style beers.

Blue Moon vs High Shock – Last Name

In the case of general high quality, Blue Moon and Shock High are each glorious decisions for wheat beer lovers. They’re each well-crafted and have distinctive taste profiles that make them stand out from different wheat beers available on the market.

Nonetheless, Blue Moon is a extra established model, and it has a wider vary of merchandise, together with completely different flavors and seasonal choices. Shock High is a more moderen model, and it has a smaller product line, however it has been gaining reputation in recent times.

There are numerous positives which have emerged from the rising craft beer market and the rise of pseudo-craft beers from bigger beer producers. Though they is probably not the true deal with regards to authenticity, grocery store cabinets are actually awash with an array of refreshing beer types that make the perfect summer season companions.

From the burst of a citrussy zing to the spicy or herb-inclusive end, Belgium White beers are probably the most well-liked types of summer season beers. And in Blue Moon and Shock High, two of our largest stateside brewers have succeeded in creating two of the perfect out there anyplace on the earth, and that features Belgium too…simply don’t inform that to the Confédération des Brasseries de Belgique (the Belgian brewers)!