Yeah, I had all my ratatat about it not yet being the right weather for pumpkin ales in my last post, but then, after drinking off the rest of that Bluepoint IPA, I decided I needed more beer and staggered across the street to pick up something else. My boozing companion Arielle had mentioned that Blue Moon had a pumpkin brew, and when I saw it, I basically couldn’t resist.

However, Arielle had described it as tasting basically exactly like regular Blue Moon, and by gum, she’s right. It does have a very pleasant aftertaste of pumpkin spices, though. This actually made it a perfect choice for this not-quite-summer/not-quite-fall time of year. It’s still light enough on the tongue to not weight you down at the end of the summer heat, but it has a really great promise of fall. A perfect September beer.

BUY IT AGAIN: For another month, sure.

Damn it, I really wanted more of the Smuttynose Hanami Ale tonight! It is that nice cool part of early spring before it gets too damn warm, perfect for something so tart and sharp! But alas, I apparently bought the last six-pack in existence last time, and am doomed to crave it forever and never enjoy it again. STUPID SEASONAL BREWS.

So, instead, it was time for old reliable Blue Moon. I go through phases of loving white/wheat beers and being massively “eh” on them. I think it probably changes with the weather. They are crisp and refreshing and none too heavy, and tend to be good with a spicy or rich meal. I just like saying the word “hefeweizen“, even. Blue Moon hits the sweet spot pretty well, staying light and bright on the tongue without totally lacking any body or character at all, like I feel the problem with Hoegaarden is.

Wheat beers are typically consumed with a lemon in them. Blue Moon has a twist on it, and is supposed to be served with an orange. Once upon a time, I tried to shove a wedge of blood orange down the neck of my bottle of Blue Moon. The resulting mess was somewhat ridiculous, but the beer that remained in the bottle when the foam died down was quite tasty. So, note to drinkers out there: if you’re going to cram some goddamned orange in your beer, pour it into a glass first.

BUY IT AGAIN: Of course. It’s not a beer that knocks my socks off, but it’s a reliable, easy drink.

Smuttynose Hanami Ale

I’m a big fan of Smuttynose beer, and the appearance of their Pumpkin Ale on shelves is always a delightful sign that summer is going to end soon. So when I saw the six-pack with the cute little Japanese girl and manekineko on it, I was basically doomed. I’m such a sucker for seasonal beers.

The label promises that the beer is made with an ample dose of cherry juice, which had me a little nervous, because cherry is often one of my least favorite flavors, when it appears in that cloying, maraschino-cough syrup kind of flavor. I’ve tried one other cherry-type beer before, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, and didn’t like it much at all. I wanted to try something new, though, and Smuttynose has never done me wrong before, so I bought it.

Delightfully enough, there’s none of the cough drop flavor in Hanami Ale. First gulp gives a very bright, sour-sweet, real cherry taste. It’s remarkably sweet and fruity at first, but not so much that you’d confuse it with one of the soda boozes that are so popular with the kids these days. The first cold sip is the sweetest, but as it warms up in your hand and airs out, the cherry mellows out and it tastes like a very sharp beer. Definitely good for drinking just by itself, and chased some spicy noodles quite well.

BUY IT AGAIN: Yes, probably, since it’s only available for a few months! I’m such a sucker for seasonable brews.