The blue moon is to blame: the story of the Belgian beer Blue Moon
Belgian, but from America, surprisingly tasty, but affordable, witbier, but instead of curacao - sweet orange ... Blue Moon beer is as if woven from contradictions, and this is precisely its uniqueness. No wonder they said about him that such discoveries happen only on the Blue Moon. One random phrase later became the name of the variety, but it was clearly no accident that led to worldwide popularity.
What is it anyway?
Blue Moon is a typical Belgian blanche. Hence the confusion - many fans of foamy drinks are still convinced that the drink is of European origin. But this is not so: Blue Moon beer is completely American. Despite this, producers do not forget about the origins - large letters belgian white on the label directly indicate the style of beer.
Blue Moon beer was first brewed back in 1995 at a brewery in Denver, Colorado. The masters went on an experiment - they took the classic Belgian blanche as a basis, but instead of the bitter orange of Curacao, they added the zest of the sweet Valencia variety. The beer was named Bellyslide Belgian White - and kept it until production was moved to Canada.
The legendary name Blue Moon was born exactly there, in Quebec. And in the same place - beer continues to be brewed both for the local and partially for the American market. The brewery in Denver is also still operating, and in 2016 it went through a major upgrade.
Taste and popularity
The main advantage of Blue Moon Belgian White beer is its unique taste. Bright and at the same time light, sweet, but not cloying, with a pronounced fruity-citrus character and a pleasant spice of coriander. By the way, brewers recommend serving it with an orange slice — this way you can feel the whole gamut of flavors.
To create a drink, in addition to the already mentioned citruses, brewers use white wheat, malted barley, oats and coriander. Because of the grains in Blue Moon, it’s definitely not worth trying for people with gluten allergies, but for everyone else, it can even benefit - the drink has potassium, protein and antioxidants. And all this is in addition to endorphins, which will definitely be developed after tasting.
According to public opinion polls, Blue Moon is almost the most favorite beer of Americans. In the states of Oregon and Maryland, it has no equal at all - the vast majority of residents confirmed that they prefer the original witbeer to any other variety.
Experts are also unanimous: Blue Moon consistently wins medals at world beer championships, and in 1995 it was recognized as the best in its category.
Blue Moon goes well with light snacks and fish and seafood dishes. You can try it almost everywhere - beer restaurants love this variety for its versatility, accessibility and loyal value. We love Blue Moon too — and we are happy to offer you to try the legendary American beer in the Lambic brasserie chain. Come - the Blue Moon is already calling!
Coffee and beer - a match or a flop? Exploring the myths about the famous combination
Coffee and beer are drunk at different times and on different occasions, but they have much more in common than meets the eye. Beverages that were considered ordinary 10 years ago have now become gourmet products: craft beer and specialty coffee have won millions of fans. But what if you mix the two? Let’s find out how justified this combination is and what myths are associated with it. How did the combination of coffee and beer appear? Experiments with coffee and beer began in the middle of the XX century, when brewers and bartenders began to look for new flavors. But the real boom happened in the nineties and noughties due to the growing popularity of craft beer. The first successful variants were coffee stouts and porters — dark brews with deep flavors that perfectly complemented the coffee notes. Brewers added coffee at various stages: — during brewing — for a rich flavor;— during fermentation — for softness;— into the finished beer — as a cold coffee infusion. A good example of such a recipe is the Japanese beer Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, which can be tasted in Lambic beer restaurants. It’s a flavorful, dense ale brewed in the style of American imperial stouts with coffee beans added for espresso. Bartenders, too, have contributed to popularizing this unusual combination, creating original cocktails from coffee and beer. The most popular is the Black & Tan, which includes stout, lager and espresso. Today, such mixes are part of the craft culture. Is it true that coffee helps sober you up? One of the main myths is that coffee supposedly neutralizes alcohol. In fact, caffeine only masks intoxication. It creates the illusion of liveliness, but coffee does not actually lower blood alcohol levels. In addition, a cocktail of coffee and beer can increase the strain on the heart. If you drink coffee before alcohol, it will temporarily increase the activity of liver enzymes that break down ethanol. But this does not mean that it is necessary to increase the dose. Coffee with beer: harm or benefit? In moderate quantities, low-alcohol coffee beers (for example, stouts with 4-6% strength) are relatively safe. If you want to try such a mix, choose drinks from quality ingredients. For example: — Dark beer (porter, stout) and cold espresso.— Lager or ale and light coffee syrup. There are contraindications for such cocktails. Mixing coffee with beer is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and GI diseases, as well as those who use drugs incompatible with caffeine. The combination of coffee and beer is an interesting gastronomic experience, especially if you respect the measure. Come to Lambic — we will treat you to interesting drinks without harming your health!
20 May 2025
Bitter! Let's understand what IBU is and how bitterness affects the taste of beer
If you’ve scrutinized craft beer labels, you’ve definitely seen the mysterious IBU abbreviation on them. This indicator plays a key role in shaping the flavor of the beverage. Let’s find out what it means and why bitterness is one of the main criteria for evaluating beer. What is IBU? IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is an international indicator of beer bitterness. It indicates the concentration of isohumulone, an alpha acid found in hops, which gives the drink its characteristic bitterness. The higher the IBU, the more bitter the beer will be. However, the perception of bitterness depends not only on this indicator, but also on the balance with malt sweetness, strength and aromatic additives. Why do you need the IBU index? Before the advent of industrial brewing, a beverage could be either too sweet or, conversely, too sour or bitter. To achieve a harmonious flavor, brewers began to adjust bitterness with hops. In the past, herbs (thistle, mint, juniper) were used to soften sweetness, but today the main source of bitterness is hops. It is added at different stages of brewing to: — compensate for the sweetness of the malt;— add complexity and flavor to the beer;— increase shelf life (isohumulone has antibacterial properties). The first to calculate the bitterness of beer were the people of Great Britain, using the formula «pounds of hops per quart of malt». The modern IBU standard was developed to accurately categorize beers. How to calculate IBU? The bitterness index is determined using a mathematical formula: G = D × E D = (A × B) / (C × 0.1) Where: A — mass of hops (in grams); B — alpha acid content of hops (%); C — wort volume (in liters); E — loss factor (production time and beer density are affected); G — final IBU. The longer the hops are brewed, the more alpha acids pass into the wort, increasing bitterness. IBU scale: from lager to IPA Beer bitterness is measured on a scale of 0 to 120+ IBUs, but most beers are in the 5-90 range. Beer Style IBU Level Characteristics Pale Lagers 8–15 Light, smooth, minimal bitterness Wheat Ales 10–20 Fruity notes, low bitterness Porters/Stouts 30–50 Coffee, chocolate tones, moderate bitterness American IPA 50–80 Strong hop bitterness, citrus and pine notes Imperial IPA 80–120+ Extreme bitterness, high alcohol content Why is IBU not the main selection criterion? A high IBU does not always mean that the beer will seem too bitter. For example, sweet stouts (30-50 IBU) seem less bitter than IPAs due to caramel and chocolate notes. And light lagers (8-15 IBU) may be perceived as more bitter due to a lack of malt balance. How do you choose a beer based on bitterness level? If you don’t like bitterness — choose lagers, wheat ales, Belgian trippels (up to 30 IBU). If you like balance, try porters or amber ales (30-50 IBU). If you like a rich hop bitterness, an IPA or Imperial Stout (50+ IBU) is ideal. You can try any of these varieties in Lambic beer restaurants. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
20 May 2025