Every Blue Moon Flavor Ranked From Worst To Best

People either hate to love or love to hate Blue Moon beer. According to Forbes, this may have to do with the brand's Schroedinger-esque status in the craft beer world. On one hand, some people see it as a perfectly good foray into the sphere of artisanal beers, while others criticize it as a lackluster drink that's simply trying too hard while not doing enough.

Despite the criticism surrounding the brew, the brand is undoubtedly creative. While its most recent Thanksgiving pie pints collaboration might be what first comes to mind, it's worth considering the surprising amount of Blue Moon flavors. This may come as a surprise given that the brewing company only has a handful of beers in rotation at the time of writing. However, third-party retailers still offer a steady rotation of options.

With dozens of past beers in its repertoire, you'll taste some shining stars as well as others that are best never seeing the light of day again. Here are 35 Blue Moon brews ranked from worst to best.

Crimson Crossing is a member of Blue Moon's Vintage Ale collection, which Beer Street Journal explains seeks to bring the best elements of wine into the world of beer. Incorporating a heavily-flavored wine like merlot in a beer is no small feat, and the result is unfortunately diluted and lacking any strength from the bold red. Props to the visionaries who thought to bring merlot grapes, black cherries, and raspberries to beer — it's a tempting idea. That being said, merlot and beer enthusiasts will have to keep their loves separate, as Blue Moon's Crimson Crossing is not currently available for sale.

Blue Moon's Golden Knot is part of the brewery's Vintage Ale collection given the presence of chardonnay grapes. The wheat ale displays bright hints of apple and kiwi flavors, leaving the drink fresh and pleasantly tart. The wine-beer hybrid works decently, though not exceedingly well. Beer Advocate reviewed the Golden Knot brew, and it didn't gather any rave comments. Still, most people agree that it is an okay beer that is fine to drink if there's no other option around. And if you're looking for a boozy bang for your buck, it boasts 9% ABV. However, its lukewarm reception wasn't enough to keep the Golden Knot sailing high, and Blue Moon has since retired the beer indefinitely.

Chai spiced everything has become an increasingly popular flavor profile as the years go on. With this creation, Blue Moon takes the tea outside of Starbucks and into the bottle. As described by the brewer's website, the chai flavors in this particular brew are decidedly "assertive." Make no mistake that this chai spiced ale leans heavily into the beats of its secondary ingredients, with a balanced smoky sweet taste that tea lovers will quickly recognize. Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily translate to a good beer, which may be why this brewer's selection is no longer on the market.

Gingerbread is one of those silent hits, but once you notice it, you won't be able to ignore the ubiquitous flavor. So, ubiquitous in fact, that at one time you could find it in the liquor store. Blue Moon's gingerbread spiced ale is one such Christmastime treat. The taste is fairly marked and may not be for everyone given that the brew combines holiday spices like ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a classic wheat beer recipe. A limited edition seasonal release, this beer is a lot harder to find these days. So if you're eager to drink your dessert then keep an eye out.

As the name implies, Blue Moon's LightSky tropical wheat is a lighter take on the company's signature wheat beer, with a 4% ABV and 95 calories per can. You may find yourself wondering what makes this a tropical beer — that would be the orange peel and pineapple brewed into the light wheat ale. The fruity elements add an unexpected twist that isn't unsuccessful, but a bit too busy on the palate. Despite the summery name, Blue Moon LightSky tropical wheat is available all year round. If you're looking for a light and citrusy version of a wheat ale, this is a decent choice — otherwise, there's better to be found.

Rounder Belgian-style pale ale is a pleasant beer that is both tart and refreshing with hibiscus and orange peel notes. The drink has a notable malty flavor, with a comforting balance of bitter, sweet, and refreshing aromas thanks to the fruit. On Untappd beer review site, the brew has garnered pretty average reviews. Still, it has received praise from beer drinkers for its well-rounded flavors and nice foamy head. Sadly, these positive aspects did not spare the Belgian-style brew from the chopping block. Hopefully, this pale ale makes a future appearance on store shelves.

Based on Influenster reviews, Blue Moon's Tongue Thai-ed has garnered some pretty dedicated fans and some equally-sized criticism. While some absolutely love the unique flavor profile, others are less than impressed by the drink's twist on a classic recipe. So what exactly makes this beer so unique? 

According to the brewer's website, Tongue Thai-ed is infused with lemongrass and basil, offering up aromas that evoke the flavor profiles that define the incomparable world of Thai food. Tongue Thai-ed has been discontinued for some time, but there are still ardent fans on Reddit who are looking for another beer to leave them breathless.

Blackberries and beer go well together, though the combination may sound odd at first. The folks over at Casey Brewing Company explain that blackberries bring both acidity and sweetness to whichever brew you add them to. So, it really was only a matter of time before the Blue Moon blackberry tart ale was created. 

Ideally, the beer should strike that aforementioned balance of sweet and sour. But, Brewver notes that in comparison to maltier blends, the blackberry tart ale is a bit lackluster. In any case, this fruit product can not be found on the major market today.

Blue Moon's Pine in the Neck is anything but a pain. While juniper berries may be more closely associated with gin, they certainly can work just as well in different boozy beverages. The folks at the Blue Moon Brewing Company describe that the berries add a fresh twist to the malty richness and citrus notes of the beer. It's certainly a refreshing twist and is sure to bring gin and beer lovers to a rare meeting point. While at one point Pine in the Neck could be found far and wide, today it's tragically been discontinued.

Chimp is a perfectly playful name that suits this cheeky beer and its funky fresh label. It may be news to you that there are different types of cherries, but once you start to experiment, it's hard to stick with just one. The brewers at Blue Moon agree and use different varieties for this beer. Chimp mixes a veritable trifecta of sweet, sour, and dark cherries, culminating in a bold and flavorful beer. This particular brew is an imperial wheat ale, meaning it's a bit stronger than average with an ABV of 9.5%. Unfortunately for fans, Blue Moon's Chimp has long been discontinued.

It's no wonder that the American brewer would take on a hard-to-pin-down beer like a red ale. True to form, Blue Moon's Farmhouse red ale has an exquisitely rich caramel malt that's accented by notes that vary from white pepper to hibiscus. All the while, the brew retains an undeniable tartness that keeps it nice and refreshing. With an element of aesthetic, the beer's Expressionist-style label only adds to its charm. As of publication, the Farmhouse red ale has been retired and is currently nowhere to be found on the market. Red ale brew lovers can only hope that Blue Moon brings it back into rotation.

Peanut butter is undoubtedly one of the cornerstones of American food, and it makes sense that epicures would want to combine the pleasures of beer with the joys of peanut butter. Blue Moon's peanut butter ale was a special release that rocked a lot of worlds, leaving peanut butter lovers free of having to decide between creamy and crunchy, thanks to the brew's decadent smoothness. A subtle flavor of honey and molasses is added to the mix to give the rich winter beer some nuance. Unfortunately, this Blue Moon brew has since been discontinued from circulation.

Abbey ales are one of the more obscure beer genres, and Beer and Brewing aptly describe them as an extremely strong dark beer. While Blue Moon's Mountain Abbey Ale isn't the strongest beer on this list, it's still considerably potent with an ABV of 5.6%. Unique to Blue Moon's brew is the addition of Belgian sugar to add a sweet undercurrent to the fortitude of the dark ale. With a hint of dark chocolate in the flavor profile, perhaps as an ode to Belgian chocolate, this is a beer you'll want to enjoy next to the fire. Unfortunately, this seasonal beer has been out of commission for a long time.

Unlike many other Blue Moon varieties, moon haze is served up in an aluminum can that's a lot easier to take on the go. Moon haze is arguably one of the more heavily citrus-infused beers on the list, as its recipe includes dried whole oranges. Though this beer is named after the moon, it tastes as bright as the sun and is well-suited for a sunny day. Moon haze is among the darlings on rotation at the moment and even won the 2020 gold medal in its beer category at The Great American Beer Festival. 

IPAs have sort of come onto the edges of beer culture as a vaguely intimidating style of brew. But, with a little bit of information, you'll find yourself cultivating a sense of taste and direction within the admittedly complex beer ecosystem. Blue Moon's white IPA, though no longer sold, was the brand's stab at the drink of choice held to heart by many hipsters. With a mix, or rather balance, of fruit, malt, and hops, this white IPA is a drink meant for people who enjoy savoring all the complexities a beer can have.

Our love for cool and caffeinated drinks has only seemed to strengthen over time, with iced coffees ever-present. While combining coffee and beer might seem confusing and paradoxical, those who have tried it know a simple truth: Coffee beer just works. Blue Moon's iced coffee blonde is a lighter recipe with a blonde ale as the basis. Above all else, the drink relies on malts to add depth, and it's the coffee aroma that really gives it the extra boost. The iced coffee blonde has unfortunately been relegated to the status of past selections, but hopefully, this buzzy blonde will return to shelves once again.

Agave may be an intimidating plant given its prickly nature, but it makes for a sweet ingredient. It was really only a matter of time before the creatives at Blue Moon tried their hands at incorporating the sweet succulent into a brew. Indeed, Blue Moon's agave blonde ale is a super laid-back beer that's sure to stun and impress. The brewers opted to incorporate agave nectar directly into the beer, which works incredibly well with the blonde ale's natural malt character. At the moment, the agave blonde ale is unavailable through Blue Moon or other retailers.