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Blue Moon Impulse
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Blue Moon Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- American Dark Wheat Beer
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 75
- Avg:
- 3.21 | pDev: 17.76%
- Reviews:
- 22
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 08, 2016
- Added:
- Dec 02, 2012
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
75
Okay
75
Okay
Notes:
Brewed with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from California
3.23/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.23/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From BeerAdvocate Magazine #80 (Sep 2013):
Good try, Blue Moon, but it tastes like nothing more than a big yet simple Wheat Ale with some inexpensive bin wine mixed in. We blame the yeast they use. To put it bluntly ... it is boring and has nothing to show for its work other than alcohol. If you want to be “crafty,” then stop playing it so safe.
STYLE: American Dark Wheat Ale
ABV: 8.5%
AVAILABILITY: Limited
LOOK: Burgundy rose color, thick head
SMELL: Earthy, spicy, grape pulp, bread, juicy, slightly vinous, tannins, esters
TASTE: Seductive smoothness, slightly creamy, full-ish body, clean graininess, fresh bread, red wine notes, grape tannin, warming, boozy, wheat, lingering esters, semidry finish, clean aftertaste
Mar 26, 2015Good try, Blue Moon, but it tastes like nothing more than a big yet simple Wheat Ale with some inexpensive bin wine mixed in. We blame the yeast they use. To put it bluntly ... it is boring and has nothing to show for its work other than alcohol. If you want to be “crafty,” then stop playing it so safe.
STYLE: American Dark Wheat Ale
ABV: 8.5%
AVAILABILITY: Limited
LOOK: Burgundy rose color, thick head
SMELL: Earthy, spicy, grape pulp, bread, juicy, slightly vinous, tannins, esters
TASTE: Seductive smoothness, slightly creamy, full-ish body, clean graininess, fresh bread, red wine notes, grape tannin, warming, boozy, wheat, lingering esters, semidry finish, clean aftertaste
Reviewed by Brenden from Ohio
3.5/5 rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer is a clear dark red with some violet highlights deep within. It looks a bit like red wine with the exception of the bubbling activity and the head. The head itself is off-white with a pale pinkish-purple hue that exists for most of its tenure as a thick foam of about half a finger's height and manages pretty good spotting.
Something similar but not quite exactly reminiscent of red wine does play out, more like mature grape juice than anything, under some dry wheat as well as both pale and some slightly chewier biscuit-like malts. It's got a touch of a vinous note both in the aroma and flavor. It has a nice semi-dry quality, though it thins a bit here and there and might play sweetness a little too far forward. It's a little dusty on the nose in a way that works better and ought to carry over to the flavor more effectively than it does. Overall, while simple, it works.
Carbonation isn't exactly heavy, but it works a bit too hard for the overall effect here. The body is about medium, and it has a good semi-dry effect. It's fairly smooth, and the feel of tannins on the roof of the mouth mingles with a sort of juiciness even as dry wheat puts a little bit of a grainy texture. Overall, as with the rest of the beer, it works pretty well.
Apr 01, 2014Something similar but not quite exactly reminiscent of red wine does play out, more like mature grape juice than anything, under some dry wheat as well as both pale and some slightly chewier biscuit-like malts. It's got a touch of a vinous note both in the aroma and flavor. It has a nice semi-dry quality, though it thins a bit here and there and might play sweetness a little too far forward. It's a little dusty on the nose in a way that works better and ought to carry over to the flavor more effectively than it does. Overall, while simple, it works.
Carbonation isn't exactly heavy, but it works a bit too hard for the overall effect here. The body is about medium, and it has a good semi-dry effect. It's fairly smooth, and the feel of tannins on the roof of the mouth mingles with a sort of juiciness even as dry wheat puts a little bit of a grainy texture. Overall, as with the rest of the beer, it works pretty well.
Reviewed by boilermakerbrew from Indiana
3.43/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A- Pours a medium to deep purple in color. Looks more like a wine than a beer, minus the white, foamy head. Retention and lacing aren't great.
S- Semi-dry grapes and a hint of wheat are most of the scent here. Grapes really take center stage here with a slightly fruity, yet dry wine tone.
T- Red wine and solid grape flavors hit the palate first. Really more of a carbonated semi-dry wine than a beer. Grapes are first and foremost, while the wheat flavors of the beer are lying underneath it all. Somewhat dry, yet fruity throughout the drink with a fairly strong wheat profile.
M- Not really thick, yet not thin on the tongue. This beer drinks rather more like a wine, with the dry flavor profile bringing the alcohol level out a little bit.
Overall, this beer is an interesting hybrid of wine flavors in a beer. Way better than the Proximity wine white version. These beers really display wine flavor profiles in a beer person's package.
Feb 02, 2014S- Semi-dry grapes and a hint of wheat are most of the scent here. Grapes really take center stage here with a slightly fruity, yet dry wine tone.
T- Red wine and solid grape flavors hit the palate first. Really more of a carbonated semi-dry wine than a beer. Grapes are first and foremost, while the wheat flavors of the beer are lying underneath it all. Somewhat dry, yet fruity throughout the drink with a fairly strong wheat profile.
M- Not really thick, yet not thin on the tongue. This beer drinks rather more like a wine, with the dry flavor profile bringing the alcohol level out a little bit.
Overall, this beer is an interesting hybrid of wine flavors in a beer. Way better than the Proximity wine white version. These beers really display wine flavor profiles in a beer person's package.
Reviewed by draheim from Washington
2.8/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
2.8/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
750mL (bottled April 2013) into a tulip. Pours a cranberry red w/ fizzy heaad that settles to a narrow collar & film.
Aroma is fruity and vinous; red grapes and bready wheat malt. Pretty subdued.
Taste is similar to the aroma. A grainy malt presence is dominated by fruity red grapes, and not in a good way. What we end up with is a beer/wine hybrid that tastes kind of like grape soda. I'm not enjoying this. The flavors simply don't work well together.
Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and a little prickly, with a semi-dry finish.
Overall, a mistake. When I saw both Impulse and Proximity recently, I thought the labels said wheat beers aged in wine barrels, as opposed to brewed with wine grapes. Now I know.
Dec 02, 2013Aroma is fruity and vinous; red grapes and bready wheat malt. Pretty subdued.
Taste is similar to the aroma. A grainy malt presence is dominated by fruity red grapes, and not in a good way. What we end up with is a beer/wine hybrid that tastes kind of like grape soda. I'm not enjoying this. The flavors simply don't work well together.
Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and a little prickly, with a semi-dry finish.
Overall, a mistake. When I saw both Impulse and Proximity recently, I thought the labels said wheat beers aged in wine barrels, as opposed to brewed with wine grapes. Now I know.
Reviewed by almightyme3 from New York
3.56/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.56/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Had this at first at the beerfest earlier this year. Have to admit I was more excited to buy and try it than I am now. Not a very good job masking the alcohol however the taste of grapes comes through nicely. Don't regret buying it but won't do another one. Could be better. Make sure it's really cold otherwise smell of alcohol overpowers.
Sep 10, 2013
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.79/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a brown 25.4 oz. bottle. Has a purple color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is dominated by grapes. Taste is grapes, wheat, alcohol, wine like, unique and different. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall I was pleasantly surprised with this beer.
Aug 19, 2013
Blue Moon Impulse from Blue Moon Brewing Company
Beer rating:
75 out of
100 with
87 ratings
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