Before I start talking about today's beer, please allow my to explain my month-plus long absence: I've been sick. Really, really sick. My illness took away some of my sense of taste and the majority of my sense of smell, and I need both of these to be in working order to fully experience a brew. Now that I'm on the mend my nose and tastebuds are starting to shape up enough for me to tell you about Blue Moon's early-spring offering.

This beer has been siting in my fridge for over a month awaiting my review. After I wrote about Sam Adam's Cold Snap (a post in which I mentioned Fist Peach Ale) a friend of mine informed me that he prefers First Peach and that he believed I would, too. It's not a bad beer, I'll give it that.

First Peach's packaging touts that it has "...notes of peach and coriander" (yet again, I don't know what coriander actually tastes like because I've only ever encountered it layered under other flavors in spring-time releases). The brew's profile on Blue Moon's website (heavily) implies that it's a fusion of a traditional Belgian-style sour brown ale and a peach wheat ale from the good ol' US of A.

I've never encountered a peach wheat ale--nor have I ever seen one--so I cannot speak to their flavor or overall goodness. In fact, this is only the second peach-infused brew I've had (the other one is a go-to Christmas brew of mine that I'll write about in late-November or December this year).

However, having said that, I am incredibly fond of peaches in and of themselves. I tell you this so you'll hopefully understand the gravity of what I'm about to type. The peachy taste of this ale is far more that prominent; it's overpowering.

From the scent to the taste, all I get is peach. Which isn't necessarily bad (especially if you like peaches and things reminiscent of peaches) but it may not be your thing (I'm guessing it isn't Purrl's because she gave it one measly sniff before turning away and refusing to pose next to the bottle for a picture with her nose facing the beer).


If she, in fact, does not like peaches I understand her lack of sniffage; the aroma given off by the bottle is 100% peach. Speaking from a purely taste perspective, this is a beer that doesn't taste like a beer: it's peach flavoring with a watery backing.

Mouthfeel-wise, it's pretty dang flat until you move to swallow it and it assaults the inside of your cheeks with bubbles. It's a really odd sensation to go from nothing to something like that and, I have to say, it's really cool.

When I was sixteen I worked as a lifeguard at my town's community pool. Being out under the hot sun all day meant, aside from the fact that I had a kickass tan, I had an obvious need to stay hydrated. The pool met that need by supplying us lifeguards with bottles upon bottles of water. They also gave us an assortment flavor packets to mix into the water. Among the available packets my favorite was peach tea. That's almost the exact flavor offered by this brew.

Near the beginning of this post I said that this isn't a bad beer and I stand by that (I also stand by my "it doesn't taste like a beer" statement. Take that as you will). I wish it was stronger for what it is (the 5.6% ABV doesn't quite do it for me) but that's neither here nor there. Since I like peaches and things that taste like peaches, I'm giving Blue Moon's First Peach Ale a 7.0/10. If this sounds like it's something that'd be up your alley, give it a shot! Because of the oddness of Fist Peach, it's really a beer that you ought to try for yourself. I just hope you like it more that Purrl does.