Blue Moon Mango Wheat

Blue Moon Mango Wheat is an American wheat beer from Colorado, brewed with mango flavor and served unfiltered, so expect a hazy, pale gold to orange pour rather than a bright, clear one. The haze comes from suspended wheat proteins and yeast, and it adds to the soft, rounded texture that wheat ales are known for. The brewer's own description points to a juicy mango sweetness over a smooth wheat base. In a style like this, hop bitterness is usually kept low, often in single digits to the low teens on the IBU scale, so the fruit and the grain do most of the work and the finish stays gentle rather than dry or sharp. On the nose, expect ripe tropical fruit first, then the bready, lightly cracker-like sweetness of wheat malt underneath. Fruited wheat beers tend to have a medium-light body with moderate carbonation, which keeps the mango from feeling syrupy. Because the sweetness is the main feature and bitterness is minimal, this is an easy-drinking beer. It suits people who find IPAs and bitter lagers too assertive. Serve it cold, around 38 to 45°F (3 to 7°C). Straight from a refrigerator is fine, but letting it sit for a few minutes after it comes out lets the fruit aroma open up. A standard pint glass or a tall wheat-beer vase glass works well. The wider top of a vase glass gathers the aroma, and the shape suits the cloudy body. Pour most of the beer, then swirl the last bit to lift the settled yeast if you want the full wheat texture. Some drinkers also add an orange slice, which is a common garnish for wheat ales. Mango already supplies plenty of fruit character, so the garnish is optional. For food, the fruit and low bitterness make this a good match for spicy dishes. Thai green curry, jerk chicken, fish tacos with salsa, and chili-lime shrimp all benefit from the cooling sweetness. It also works with salads that include goat cheese or citrus, grilled pork, and cream-based or lightly tangy cheeses such as fresh chèvre. Heavily smoked or very rich meats will tend to overpower it, so keep it with lighter, brighter plates.