ABV: 5.6%

This year we went to Carrollton, Kentucky for Thanksgiving. My brother Kyle lives in Cincinnati, so we stopped at his place on our way down. I know you all don’t know my family, but let me just say, we love our alcohol. I mean we had to bring the alcohol to dinner because there wasn’t going to be any there otherwise. So then it’s no surprise my dad had a beer quick before we got back on the road. (For the record, my brother took over driving from there on out.) Blue Moon Mountain Abbey Ale was what was in the fridge, and I heard from my dad that it tasted pretty good. Same thing came from my mom when we stopped on the way back. So again, no surprise, it ended up in our fridge at home, and yet, I still hadn’t tried it.

Well, it happened. I had my first Blue Moon Mountain Abbey Ale tonight, and I was not disappointed. My parents weren’t lying, this stuff is tasty. Originally Blue Moon Winter Ale, it’s also been called Full Moon and Winter Abbey Ale, so it is possible I have had this beer before. However, it clearly wasn’t memorable, and this one is. It’s atypical of a lot of winter seasonals, which tend to take on a Christmas theme, with spices like nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Instead, Mountain Abbey is made with roasted malts, which you can smell from the moment you uncap the bottle, and it has this great caramel flavor, finishing strongly with a hint of toffee that lingers on the back of your tongue.

Blue Moon Mountain Abbey Ale pours a nice copper color. It’s not too heavy, but it’s not too light either, and it has a great mouthfeel. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, certainly not overbearing, though I don’t know how many I could drink in one sitting. Overall, I think Mountain Abbey Ale is a perfect choice for the season. It’s definitely good for a night in front of the fire, and I’m currently finding it ideal for my night laid up in bed watching Hulu. So, if you know what’s good for you, drink up!