Homegrown Fresh Hop Ale
Moonlight Brewing Company
- From:
- Moonlight Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #28 - ABV:
- 5.6%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,785 - Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 6.37%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 35
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 22, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 16, 2004
- Wants:
- 24
- Gots:
- 2
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding
Freshly picked flavors, unlike beer of any other season. Soft, approachable and dreamy like a flower garden. A truly homegrown "wet-hop" ale, infused with our entire harvest of hops grown in Blucher Valley, Sebastopol, CA.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by kflorence from California
4.25/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a case of pint cans I had shipped out for my birthday. Date on can: 10/18/24, super fresh! This years version is listed on the can with an ABV of 5.8%.
Pours a hazy golden copper in color with a half inch of pillowy foam on top with decent retention. Lots of lacing as you drink, some clings, some slides. Carbonation looks average, although the softness of the head is a good sign. Looks to be pretty balanced by the color.
Aroma is fresh and earthy. Lots of citrus; orange, grapefruit, lemon. Floral spice. A hint of melon. A lot more pine as it warms and a subtle toasted maltiness to round it out. Very pleasant.
Mmm, very nicely balanced. The taste matches the aroma quite well. Additionally there's an herbal tea quality to it, maybe some dried fruits. The longer it sits, it becomes a bit prickly. I think the malts are most prominent up front and again towards the swallow with a lovely toasted caramel sweetness. Lingering aftertaste is a mix of grapefruit rind and caramel malts. As a previous reviewer mentioned, this does strike me as being quite British, not unlike a bitter, except more hoppy.
This one is medium bodied with smooth, creamy carbonation. It finishes fairly crisp and dry, though it does have some lingering hop oil. Quite drinkable.
Another great one. I have a feeling nothing from this brewery is going to disappoint. This is one of the freshest tasting beers I've had in quite some time. I would happily drink this again. Cheers!
Oct 29, 2024Pours a hazy golden copper in color with a half inch of pillowy foam on top with decent retention. Lots of lacing as you drink, some clings, some slides. Carbonation looks average, although the softness of the head is a good sign. Looks to be pretty balanced by the color.
Aroma is fresh and earthy. Lots of citrus; orange, grapefruit, lemon. Floral spice. A hint of melon. A lot more pine as it warms and a subtle toasted maltiness to round it out. Very pleasant.
Mmm, very nicely balanced. The taste matches the aroma quite well. Additionally there's an herbal tea quality to it, maybe some dried fruits. The longer it sits, it becomes a bit prickly. I think the malts are most prominent up front and again towards the swallow with a lovely toasted caramel sweetness. Lingering aftertaste is a mix of grapefruit rind and caramel malts. As a previous reviewer mentioned, this does strike me as being quite British, not unlike a bitter, except more hoppy.
This one is medium bodied with smooth, creamy carbonation. It finishes fairly crisp and dry, though it does have some lingering hop oil. Quite drinkable.
Another great one. I have a feeling nothing from this brewery is going to disappoint. This is one of the freshest tasting beers I've had in quite some time. I would happily drink this again. Cheers!
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California
4.21/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can poured into a pint glass
A: Pours golden amber with a frothy frothy eggshell head that settles to a light layer and leaves plenty of nice lacing.
S: Green, grassy, herbal, resinous, spicy, a little citrus, hints of stone fruit, toasty bready malt, and just a touch of caramel sweetness.
T: Resinous pine, spicy herbal earthy notes, green, grassy, floral, underlying citrus, grapefruit and lemon, subtle stone fruit, apricot and peach, toasty bready malt, and a touch of dark caramel sweetness.
M: Just a touch on the fuller side of medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: Pretty much everything you could ask for from a wet hop beer, all packed into a classic American pale ale. Pure fresh hop goodness.
Dec 19, 2021A: Pours golden amber with a frothy frothy eggshell head that settles to a light layer and leaves plenty of nice lacing.
S: Green, grassy, herbal, resinous, spicy, a little citrus, hints of stone fruit, toasty bready malt, and just a touch of caramel sweetness.
T: Resinous pine, spicy herbal earthy notes, green, grassy, floral, underlying citrus, grapefruit and lemon, subtle stone fruit, apricot and peach, toasty bready malt, and a touch of dark caramel sweetness.
M: Just a touch on the fuller side of medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: Pretty much everything you could ask for from a wet hop beer, all packed into a classic American pale ale. Pure fresh hop goodness.
Rated by bret27 from California
4.28/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Fresh drop from lupulo. Canning date 1 month ago.
Dec 03, 2020
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York
4.4/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Cask conditioned at Mikkeller Bar San Francisco. Served at 55º F in a cylindrical pint glass.
A: Pours a crystal clear, amber to copper color with a one inch, wheat colored head, amazing head retention (I mean this remained substantial throughout), and decent lacing.
S: Aromas of citrus, especially grapefruit and caramel, with a herbal spice note.
T: Semidry to semisweet. Flavor of caramel malt is great and citrus dramatically less than the nose. Raisiny or figgy quality. Reminds me more of a mild than a pale ale, per se (although I recognize these are in a spectrum). Light to medium bitterness in very good balance with malts.
M: Medium (although on the full side) bodied and lightly effervescent.
O: A delicious, American pale ale with very, very strong British roots. A bit strong to act as a session drink (probably why it is classified as an APA). Held up well with German cuisine.
Oct 13, 2018A: Pours a crystal clear, amber to copper color with a one inch, wheat colored head, amazing head retention (I mean this remained substantial throughout), and decent lacing.
S: Aromas of citrus, especially grapefruit and caramel, with a herbal spice note.
T: Semidry to semisweet. Flavor of caramel malt is great and citrus dramatically less than the nose. Raisiny or figgy quality. Reminds me more of a mild than a pale ale, per se (although I recognize these are in a spectrum). Light to medium bitterness in very good balance with malts.
M: Medium (although on the full side) bodied and lightly effervescent.
O: A delicious, American pale ale with very, very strong British roots. A bit strong to act as a session drink (probably why it is classified as an APA). Held up well with German cuisine.
Rated by Rocknrao from California
3.71/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
On tap at toronado SF.
It's sort of a root beer brown. Not too much floral hop aroma. Good bitterness nonetheless.
Nov 11, 2016It's sort of a root beer brown. Not too much floral hop aroma. Good bitterness nonetheless.
Reviewed by Beerswag from California
4.15/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.15/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look is chesnut brown, with good retention on the lacing, producing thin sticky lines around the cylinder. Smell is potent dank, pine-resin, citrucy hop profile, with also a decent malty biscuit undertones throughout. Medium mouthfeel. Pair with cedar plank salmon, or fresh herb crusted foods.
Nov 26, 2015
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California
4.08/5 rDev -3.8%
4.08/5 rDev -3.8%
On tap at Beachwood, Seal Beach, CA.
Woo now. How we are talking! Smells like a fresh ocean of hops that maybe only Kelly Slater can barrel...but nah, Raul has this. So juicy, and a bit grassy like Natalie Wood starring in a Kazan film. So clean though...
Overall, it doesn't taste the best, it doesn't sceam at you... But the thang is just solid.
Oct 11, 2014Woo now. How we are talking! Smells like a fresh ocean of hops that maybe only Kelly Slater can barrel...but nah, Raul has this. So juicy, and a bit grassy like Natalie Wood starring in a Kazan film. So clean though...
Overall, it doesn't taste the best, it doesn't sceam at you... But the thang is just solid.
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
4.08/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had this (as Green Buds) at the SF Toronado.
This is a 6.2% wet hopped brew with Cascade and Chinook.
I think it’s worth mentioning the hops when I know them, if only to start recognizing flavor profiles and similarities in hop varieties.
This has an amber-caramel color. Just a richly hued amber all around, topped by tight foam lacing.
As it warms the aroma release a dank aroma with hints of caramel sweetness rounding the edges. There’s a piney, medicinal, almost vegetal note to it—which I just love, I must mention.
The flavor is rich, malty, almost gruit-like in it’s taste and finish. Insanely smooth, with the malty sweetness balancing out the apparent bitterness and the lightly dank flavors, along with marmalade and pine.
This beer is intriguing—a sipper more than something I’d quaff but still insanely enjoyable. Another solid Moonlight brew.
Oct 31, 2012This is a 6.2% wet hopped brew with Cascade and Chinook.
I think it’s worth mentioning the hops when I know them, if only to start recognizing flavor profiles and similarities in hop varieties.
This has an amber-caramel color. Just a richly hued amber all around, topped by tight foam lacing.
As it warms the aroma release a dank aroma with hints of caramel sweetness rounding the edges. There’s a piney, medicinal, almost vegetal note to it—which I just love, I must mention.
The flavor is rich, malty, almost gruit-like in it’s taste and finish. Insanely smooth, with the malty sweetness balancing out the apparent bitterness and the lightly dank flavors, along with marmalade and pine.
This beer is intriguing—a sipper more than something I’d quaff but still insanely enjoyable. Another solid Moonlight brew.
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