Beer of the Week (Vol. XXXVII)

This already long winter of our discontent edition of Beer of the Week brought to you as always by Glen Lake Wine & Spirits, where all the spirits are strong, all the displays are good-looking, and the service is above average. By the way, if you stopped by the store looking for Surly Coffee Bender (last week's featured beer) and were disappointed not to find it available, fear not. The Surly distributor hasn't been by of late, but the next time he swings in he will be tasked with ensuring that Coffee Bender is on the shelves.

From the SpongeBob SquarePants episode Not Normal:

TV: Then join me as I take you on a "Journey into Normality."

SpongeBob:(transfixed) Normaaaality.

TV: The life of a normal person is rather simple. (door opens with a fish smiling and dressed professionally for work) Here is your typical average Joe on his way to work. See how he is dressed. (hair is combed neatly) Even his hair is boring. (zoom in on the dimples) Notice his features, nice and smooth without a crater or freckle to be seen.

SpongeBob: (rubs his face) Craters and freckles?

TV: In his office space, Mr. Normal, at least that's what it says on his name tag works at a steady and monotonous pace just as all the other normals do. Take note of how they communicate with each other.

Other Mr. Normal: Hi, how are you?

TV: At the end of the day Mr. Normal packs his things and goes home to merrily start the cycle again in the morning.

SpongeBob: Yeah...

This week's beer is a seasonal product from the Blue Moon Brewing Company (owned by Coors) in Colorado called Full Moon Winter Ale.

Brown bottle. The label has a white background with a massive bluish-white winter moon that dominates a winter setting with flakes in the sky and a snow-covered cabin. The wavy lined graphics are similar to other Blue Moon brand designs.

Beer Style: Abbey Dubbel

Alcohol by Volume: 5.6%

COLOR (0-2): Dark amber, very clear 2

AROMA (0-2): Malty, faint 1

HEAD (0-2): Off-white color, light volume, not much retention 1

TASTE (0-5): Mostly malty, somewhat sweet. Light mouth-feel and thin body. 2

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Thin and wispy 1

OVERALL (0-6): Words like pedestrian, milquetoast, and inoffensive are not ones you want to use when describing a winter beer, but that's exactly what comes to mind with Full Moon Winter Ale. It's not a bad beer mind you (quite drinkable in fact), it's just missing the hearty, full-bodied flavors that you look for in a winter offering. It's very ordinary, average, and normal. You could also say it's hollow in a way. While it looks pretty good on the outside, there's just not much there at its core. So as you prepare to settle in for a wintery Wild Card Weekend, I would suggest you imbibe one of the many other winter beers that stands out from the crowd. 2

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 9